Paving That Long Travelled Road

[PoliticalChic]

As St. Bernard noted....
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"


1. The most basic rules of economics
Minimum Wage laws....walter e. williams

1. While legislative bodies have the power to order wage increases, they have not as of yet found a way to order commensurate increases in worker productivity that make the worker’s output worth the higher wage.
2. Further, while Congress can legislate the wage at which labor transactions occur, it cannot require that the transaction actually be made, and the worker hired.

Just one of the myriad rules that Liberals/Democrats are incapable of understanding.


2. "California City Raises Wages for Grocery Workers, Grocery Chain Responds Predictably
The City of Long Beach, California has been among the hardest hit in the country as a result of COVID-19 restrictions placed by both the state and the City of Long Beach. Lots of small businesses continue to remain closed and those lucky enough to be open are struggling for business. Among the businesses that never closed, grocery stores have been exempt from most, if not all of the government-imposed restrictions.

3. In order to reward the work of grocery store employees, Long Beach passed the “Hero Pay” measure, which increased the pay of grocery store employees by four dollars an hour. While the measure seems like it was well-intentioned, good intentions don’t balance budgets nor make the availability of products any more diverse. Long Beach officials were looking for a positive moment in the press, however, the Kroger grocery brand quickly put that to rest, by announcing that they were closing two grocery stores in the city, a Ralph’s location as well as a Food4Less store.

4. ...Kroger tied the decision to close the stores directly to the ordinance.
Hello! Despite our teams’ efforts to overcome the financial challenges we were already facing in these locations, the extra pay for some but not all grocery workers imposed by Long Beach City Council makes it impossible to run a financially sustainable business.


5. With the announcement that Kroger was closing 30% of their Long Beach locations, you’d think that other local governments would have caught on, but instead, as you’d expect from idiot progressives, they decided to follow Long Beach’s example and announce their own “Hero Pay” measure. Of course, Los Angeles was not to be outdone and increased the pay in their measure to five dollars.


6.Imagine being as insane as to watch a policy literally backfire, which will lead to the layoff of dozens if not hundreds or thousands of grocery workers, reduced hours for the workers who are not laid off (with greater responsibilities), the reduction of accessibility of products (because of the likely closing of other stores) and other horrible outcomes, and still enacting the policy anyway. When I have said for a long time that liberalism is a mental disorder, I mean it. Their policy proposals are so divorced from reality that when the chickens for their horrible policies come home to roost, they have yet another policy in the hopper ready to wreck business or industry.


If only someone could predict these outcomes when these policies are forwarded. You know… like anyone who has the first friggin’ clue about how to run a business or what this crazy thing is that is called a “budget.”

California City Raises Wages for Grocery Workers, Grocery Chain Responds Predictably

redstate.com

 

[danielpalos]

We can only imagine how much worse a road is when paved with bad intentions. Our Civil War proved it; it was hell not just a road leading to it.

That is one reason why wage Standards should be enacted at the widest possible geography of Government, so that it affects all persons equally. A federal minimum wage Standard can ensure all of any given Capitalist's competition is equally affected by the same amount instead of creating more local disparities.

And, it is another reason for advocating equal protection of the law for unemployment compensation in our at-will employment States.

Would that capital decision matter if the unemployment compensation wage was the equivalent to fourteen dollars an hour?

No, it would not since labor could simply quit and go on unemployment compensation and we could goad capitalists to optimize for their bottom line.

 

[PoliticalChic]

"QFC to close two Seattle locations, blames city’s grocery worker hazard pay ordinance

...closing a pair of Seattle locations, blaming a recently-passed hazard pay ordinance that gives grocery workers an added $4 an hour for the duration of the pandemic.

Mayor Durkan rejects calls to veto grocery store hazard pay

QFC, which owns and operates over 60 locations spread out across the Puget Sound region, will be shutting down two stores — one located in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood, and the second on Capitol Hill — on April 24.


The chain cited “razor slim profit margins” brought on the hazard pay, combined with its existing compensation packages to employees and added costs of pandemic safety measures, while criticizing city leaders for singling out the grocery industry."

QFC to close two Seattle locations, blames city's grocery worker hazard pay ordinance

QFC will be closing a pair of Seattle locations, blaming a recently-passed hazard pay ordinance that gives workers an added $4 an hour.

mynorthwest.com

 

[PoliticalChic]

And.....here is the thinking that guides all Liberal/Democrat economic policies:

 

[danielpalos]

Right wingers are worse with their tax cut economics paradigm with endless and alleged wars on crime, drugs, and terror.

Stock market highs and richest getting richer is all right wing fantasy has to offer.

 

[Brain357]

Right wingers are worse with their tax cut economics paradigm with endless and alleged wars on crime, drugs, and terror.

Stock market highs and richest getting richer is all right wing fantasy has to offer.

They are against good wages. They won’t fix our markets and won’t support min wage increases. They worship the wealthy.

 

[Stryder50]

"QFC to close two Seattle locations, blames city’s grocery worker hazard pay ordinance

...closing a pair of Seattle locations, blaming a recently-passed hazard pay ordinance that gives grocery workers an added $4 an hour for the duration of the pandemic.

Mayor Durkan rejects calls to veto grocery store hazard pay

QFC, which owns and operates over 60 locations spread out across the Puget Sound region, will be shutting down two stores — one located in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood, and the second on Capitol Hill — on April 24.


The chain cited “razor slim profit margins” brought on the hazard pay, combined with its existing compensation packages to employees and added costs of pandemic safety measures, while criticizing city leaders for singling out the grocery industry."

QFC to close two Seattle locations, blames city's grocery worker hazard pay ordinance

QFC will be closing a pair of Seattle locations, blaming a recently-passed hazard pay ordinance that gives workers an added $4 an hour.

mynorthwest.com

Largely why many of us here in the PNW are disappointed and disgusted with how things are going here on the "Left Coast" and with the Union of Soviet Socialist Seattle Republic (USSSR).

Like the customers going into those stores to shop aren't at any more risk during the pandemic than the employees?

 

[Stryder50]

Going to present some stuff I posted on another forum and have considered for another thread here (might still);

Economics ~ Wealth and Money

Consistent with the message of the OP (Opening Post), a first start point would be that of WEALTH versus MONEY. Two concepts often confused and mangled/mingled in dialogue and minds of some when dealing with economics. NOTE: going to start here with some basic applications and uses of the terms, nuances and picks -of-nit left to any others whom care to join in/get involved.

WEALTH = Goods or Services of Market Value such that others are willing to exchange their goods/services for such. basically engage in Trade (originally Barter).

Wealth - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

[Read More]

MONEY = A device used to achieve two goals in dealing with Wealth;
1) A means(device) for measuring Wealth
2) A means/device to facilitate the exchange/trade in Wealth that circumvents the cumbersome and often inequitable process of Barter.

Money - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

[Read More]

A "formula" I came across a few decades ago might be useful for consideration here;

((Human Energy(HE) times(x) Tools (T) [Knowledge/Skills; "picks-n-shovels"; Steamships, train, planes and trucks; factories; Etc.] )) Plus (+) Resources(R) Equals(=) Wealth(W)

(HE x T) + R = W

Basically, humans doing something/stuff(working) will produce Wealth ...

... from crops to harvest, through to manufactured goods and consumables, etc.

The Value of those produced Goods and/or Services are Wealth and can be expressed and traded in Money.

 

[Stryder50]

When looking into factors that cause wars to happen, seems if it isn't religion, it's economics in most cases, if not both. Hence it would seem essential to have a grasp on some basics of economics to better understand how/why some conflicts came about. While it often is a matter of markets and/or resources and access to such, there can be other nuances. Along with looking at specifics regarding various wars/conflicts, we can also examine some of the basics common to this area of human activity. Following is a starter article/link of sorts to get some basics covered, considered, via some excerpts; 6 Key Takeaways Every Student Should Receive from Econ 101 A more widespread understanding of Econ 101 would reduce the likelihood of destructive government policies winning public support. ... In a 2015 podcast conversation with American Enterprise Institute President Arthur Brooks, Vox’s Ezra Klein declared that “there’s nothing more dangerous than somebody who’s just taken their first economics class.” Often expressing a similar contempt for Econ 101 is University of Connecticut law professor James Kwak. This expressed skepticism of Econ 101 comes across as wise and sophisticated—even hip—to many people who don’t grasp Econ 101. And it gives the mistaken impression that those who warn of the alleged folly of taking Econ 101 too seriously are experts not only in elementary economics but also in advanced economics. Yet this contemptuous dismissal of the relevance of Econ 101 is foolish. Those who express it either really don’t know any economics whatsoever or mistakenly presume that the theoretical curiosities explored in Econ 999 are more relevant than is the reality revealed by Econ 101. But the truth is that Econ 101 taught well supplies ample, important, and timeless insights into the way the world works. These insights, sadly, are far too rare among those who are unexposed to elementary economics. ... But it doesn’t follow from these observations that knowledge merely of economic principles is “dangerous.” The young person who absorbs Econ 101 but who takes no further courses in economics will nevertheless, and for the rest of his or her life, possess a genuine understanding of reality that is distressingly rare among politicians, pundits, preachers, and the general public. Far from being a danger to society, this person—inoculated against the worst and most virulent strands of economic ignorance—will serve as a beneficial check on the spread of ideas that are dodgy and sometimes perilous. The true danger is not knowledge of “only” Econ 101. The true danger is ignorance even of Econ 101. .... They’re called economic principles for a good reason: What is taught in a solid economic-principles course are the principles of the operation of a competitive economy guided by market prices. They describe the logic of markets and, accordingly, in most cases offer a trustworthy guide for understanding the economy—and an understanding of the consequences of government interventions into the economy. It’s true that reality sometimes serves up circumstances that render knowledge only of economic principles inadequate. But if economic principles did not on most occasions give reliable and useful insights into how real-world economies actually operate, they would be anti-principles. They ought not be taught, and students should demand tuition refunds along with compensation for being defrauded by their colleges. But in fact, again, enormously important insights are conveyed in a good Econ 101 course. Here’s just a partial list of what an attentive Econ 101 student learns: 1. Our world is one of unavoidable scarcity, and so to use more resources to produce guns is to have fewer resources available to produce butter. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, a free gun, or a free anything else. 2. Wealth is goods and services; wealth is not money. And so to create more money without creating more goods and services is to create not more wealth but only more inflation—along with the distortions and uncertainties that inflation unleashes. 3. When the cost that a person incurs to take some action rises, the attractiveness to that person of taking that action falls. This fact is why higher taxes on carbon emissions reduce carbon emissions and why higher taxes on income-earning activities reduce income-earning activities. 4. Profits are entrepreneurs’ reward for successfully satisfying consumers’ wants; profits are neither stolen from consumers nor extracted from workers. Therefore, the greater the good performed in the market by entrepreneurs, the higher the entrepreneurs’ profits. 5. Prices and wages aren’t arbitrary. They’re set in markets by consumers competing against each other to purchase goods and services and by sellers competing against each other to sell goods and services. Sellers in competitive markets no more control prices than do buyers. 6. Because of the principle of comparative advantage, it’s literally impossible for one country to monopolize the production of all goods and services. I submit that these and other lessons taught in Econ 101 are vitally significant and need not await being polished and conditioned by the lessons of higher-level economics courses before becoming immensely useful. Far from being dangerous, these and other Econ 101 lessons are beautiful and essential. ... 6 Key Takeaways Every Student Should Receive from Econ 101 Despite popular skepticism of introductory economics classes, the truth is that Econ 101 taught well supplies ample, important, and timeless insights into the way the world works. fee.org

 

[Stryder50]

Early History of human activity, culture and later civilizations, could in a thumbnail and broad description, be one of the "Chief and his thugs" have ownership and rights to all produced within their tribe/community; later evolving into "The King, and Royal Bloodlines/Families" holding similar exclusive Rights and Authority. Millennia of "Rule by Oligarchy" can be debated and parsed to uhmpth degree here and please go for it. ...
... came a point some few thousands of years ago where private ownership by "citizens" gained enough traction to make more effective trade and relations among nations/peoples possible, and human cultures and civilizations began a more effective path of progress leading towards conditions we know today.

Enter the trader/merchant class and society and it's economic foundations began to see growth towards more common wealth, improved technology, and greater well-being for all. Along the way, this diversity of Wealth creation and Retention would pave the way for greater evolution in human governments, societies, and individual well-being.

The seemingly evident bottom-line being that the more those whom MAKE Wealth can Keep what they Produce, the better off society will be and the greater it can grow. Wealth retention is the foundation of capital for investment, and essential to growth and increased productivity, increased Wealth.

During the past few millennia we have seen this develop to point where average human can(should) enjoy a higher standard of living than ever in the past.

Unfortunately, in recent century~decades, we've found those whom would Regress back to the poverty and lower standards of the past that existed when "The State" controlled and dominated the economic efforts of it's citizens; humans in general.

This eternal conflict continues ....

 

[Stryder50]

In past couple of centuries, the economic issues for humankind have settled into two polar applications, adjusted by the onsetof the Industrial Revolution - extensive development of machinery and mechanized transportation, etc.

On the one side there is the concept of Free Enterprise;
QUOTE:
Free enterprise, or the free market, refers to an economy where the market determines prices, products, and services rather than the government. Businesses and services are free of government control. Alternatively, free enterprise could refer to an ideological or legal system whereby commercial activities are primarily regulated through private measures.

In principle and in practice, free markets are defined by private property rights, voluntary contracts, and competitive bidding for goods and services in the marketplace. This framework is in contrast to public ownership of property, coercive activity, and fixed or controlled distribution of goods and services.

In Western countries, free enterprise is associated with laissez-faire capitalism and philosophical libertarianism. However, free enterprise is distinct from capitalism. Capitalism refers to a method by which scarce resources are produced and distributed. Free enterprise refers to a set of legal rules regarding commercial interaction.
...

Free Enterprise: Definition, How It Works, Origins, and Example

Free enterprise is an economic system where few restrictions are placed on business activities and ownership in terms of trade and government intervention.

www.investopedia.com

[Read More]

OR ....
Capitalism
...
Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.[1][2][3][4] Characteristics central to capitalism include private property, capital accumulation, wage labor, voluntary exchange, a price system and competitive markets.[5][6] In a capitalist market economy, decision-making and investments are determined by every owner of wealth, property or production ability in financial and capital markets whereas prices and the distribution of goods and services are mainly determined by competition in goods and services markets.
...

Capitalism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

[Read More]

The counter-point; or polar opposite is Socialism~Communism;
Socialism
...
Socialism is a political, social, and economic philosophy encompassing a range of economic and social systems characterised by social ownership[1][2][3] of the means of production[4][5][6][7] and workers' self-management of enterprises.[8][9] It includes the political theories and movements associated with such systems.[10] Social ownership can be public, collective, cooperative or of equity.[11] While no single definition encapsulates many types of socialism,[12] social ownership is the one common element.
...

Socialism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

[Read More]

Communism
...
Communism (from Latin communis, "common, universal")[1][2] is a philosophical, social, political, economic ideology and movement whose ultimate goal is the establishment of a communist society, namely a socioeconomic order structured upon the ideas of common ownership of the means of production and the absence of social classes, money[3][4] and the state.
...

Communism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

[Read More]

Would seem the difference between Socialism and Communism is the amount of National State Control versus more Local government control. However, even that looks to be more nuance than substance and to many, both are 'red' apple, one a MacIntosh and the other a Fuji ~metaphorically speaking.

One useful comparison, or metaphor, can be found in fiction of the form of "Atlas Shrugged", Ayn Rand, where a fictitious and near future USA has become divided into those whom produce wealth and those whom consume the redistributed wealth. In essence, there are the wealth "Makers" versus the wealth "Takers".
Atlas Shrugged

Atlas Shrugged - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

[Read More]

In many ways, these terms are applicable to the current divide in politics and economics (the two being closely tied), not just here in the USA, but across the globe. One could say there are two types of humans; 1) those whom want to be Makers and have as little guv'mint as possible, and those whom want to be Takers and use guv'mint as means to legalize their theft from the producers~Makers.

Considering how this divide/conflict can quickly delve into "life or death" matters, it is no small academic discussion/debate/argument.

Another engaging and informative fiction presentation come from "the Dean of American Science Fiction"; Robert A. Heinlein's novel;
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[PoliticalChic]

As St. Bernard noted....
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"


1. The most basic rules of economics
Minimum Wage laws....walter e. williams

1. While legislative bodies have the power to order wage increases, they have not as of yet found a way to order commensurate increases in worker productivity that make the worker’s output worth the higher wage.
2. Further, while Congress can legislate the wage at which labor transactions occur, it cannot require that the transaction actually be made, and the worker hired.

Just one of the myriad rules that Liberals/Democrats are incapable of understanding.


2. "California City Raises Wages for Grocery Workers, Grocery Chain Responds Predictably
The City of Long Beach, California has been among the hardest hit in the country as a result of COVID-19 restrictions placed by both the state and the City of Long Beach. Lots of small businesses continue to remain closed and those lucky enough to be open are struggling for business. Among the businesses that never closed, grocery stores have been exempt from most, if not all of the government-imposed restrictions.

3. In order to reward the work of grocery store employees, Long Beach passed the “Hero Pay” measure, which increased the pay of grocery store employees by four dollars an hour. While the measure seems like it was well-intentioned, good intentions don’t balance budgets nor make the availability of products any more diverse. Long Beach officials were looking for a positive moment in the press, however, the Kroger grocery brand quickly put that to rest, by announcing that they were closing two grocery stores in the city, a Ralph’s location as well as a Food4Less store.

4. ...Kroger tied the decision to close the stores directly to the ordinance.
Hello! Despite our teams’ efforts to overcome the financial challenges we were already facing in these locations, the extra pay for some but not all grocery workers imposed by Long Beach City Council makes it impossible to run a financially sustainable business.


5. With the announcement that Kroger was closing 30% of their Long Beach locations, you’d think that other local governments would have caught on, but instead, as you’d expect from idiot progressives, they decided to follow Long Beach’s example and announce their own “Hero Pay” measure. Of course, Los Angeles was not to be outdone and increased the pay in their measure to five dollars.


6.Imagine being as insane as to watch a policy literally backfire, which will lead to the layoff of dozens if not hundreds or thousands of grocery workers, reduced hours for the workers who are not laid off (with greater responsibilities), the reduction of accessibility of products (because of the likely closing of other stores) and other horrible outcomes, and still enacting the policy anyway. When I have said for a long time that liberalism is a mental disorder, I mean it. Their policy proposals are so divorced from reality that when the chickens for their horrible policies come home to roost, they have yet another policy in the hopper ready to wreck business or industry.


If only someone could predict these outcomes when these policies are forwarded. You know… like anyone who has the first friggin’ clue about how to run a business or what this crazy thing is that is called a “budget.”

California City Raises Wages for Grocery Workers, Grocery Chain Responds Predictably

redstate.com

 

[danielpalos]

Only if corporate welfare and the cost of our alleged wars on crime, drugs, and terror are also zero.