In the past, Republicans thought that the market ought to set wages, and that a combination of government devicesincluding the earned-income tax credit, housing subsidies, food stamps, Medicaid, and other social-welfare programscould fill in the gaps to make that social contract work, while also trying to remove disincentives from work via welfare reform.
The Moral and Economic Case for Raising the Minimum Wage
Three points to make here:
- How is it possible that the left is incapable of comprehending that if the minimum wage for flipping a burger goes up 20%, the cost of the burger goes up 20%, which means the cost of shipping that burger to each store goes up 20%, which means the cost of electricity goes up 20%, which means the minimum wage worker is no further ahead than they were before the minimum wage went up 20%? I'm literally astounded by the left's ignorant belief that every action occurs in a vacuum. This is basic stuff that even small children understand.
- The solution to the problem is pretty damn simple. Stop subsidizing the failure of the individual. If they can't put food on their table, there are 6 mechanisms of safety nets to ensure food gets there that do not include government. If 6 safety nets are not enough, well, then you were destined to go hungry. Just accept it and move on (and we all know that will NEVER happen with 6 safety nets, but that won't stop the liberals on USMB from making outrageous scenario's where those safety nets aren't enough).
- Once again we see the left literally make stuff up out of thin air. What "social contract"?!? I've never seen one. And I sure as hell never signed one.
The Right has lost on virtually every social issue they care about .. and if you can't figure out why by now, then perhaps it's just over your head and beyond your capacity to discern.
No doubt, but the country is worse off for it. After 8 years of Obama the left wing is bitchin' as if they have won nothing. As if for all that time it has been Republican in control. As if democrats can't do a damn thing without Republican approval.
The democrats have sold you a bill of goods. Why an intelligent person like yourself buys into the BS you have been sold is really not understandable. Should you become a Republican, hell no. Should you stay in the party that has historically done things to hurt the poor especially the black poor, I would say your conscience should say no.
But that is just me. I belong to neither party, I see little difference.
With all due respect brother, I'm not a democrat and my posts clearly reflect that. This isn't about political parties, it's about ideology .. what is Left and what is Right .. and I'm decidedly on the Left. I didn't vote for Obama .. won't be voting for Clinton, but the 'bill of goods' that democrats sell is far superior to the hate that republicans sell .. and if you doubt that, just go look at the board topics on this site.
With regards to political party, there is little question that the Democratic Party has done FAR more for African-Americans and all non-white Americans than has the Republican Party .. which is virtually all-white. That's not an argument you can win. Republicans hate everybody .. which is their right to do, but it's an awfully unintelligent political strategy.
My conscience does say no .. to needless corporate-sponsored war and all who support it. It does say no to racism, sexism, and all the other and any other ism that oppresses and divides. It does say no to corporate control of the American government.
Both parties are corporate owned and operated .. but democrats have long understood that hate is not the best road for a political party to travel.
Can you name what the Republican party has done to hurt the poor? Especially the black poor? Then name for me what the democrat party has done to help the poor, especially the black poor? I again say I am not a Republican. But I think it is not logical to blame a party which is too scared to harm the poor, especially the black poor for what they didn't do. As not logical for giving the Democrats credit for something they clearly have not done. Unless lip service is an aid to the poor, especially the black poor.
think about this. The educational system that is failing the poor is run largely by democrats. What is needed by the poor? Handouts? NO! They need jobs that will provide a living for them. What party is all for bring in ILLEGALLY people to do work that American's could be doing? A policy that not only gives jobs to illegals instead of Americans it dilutes the labor force which causes wages to be suppressed. So I am just not seeing how democrat policy has helped the poor.
I appreciate the conversation brother.
Start from here .. democrats elected more African-Americans to Congress in 1970 then republicans have elected COLLECTIVELY since Reconstruction. While republicans have done everything they could to suppress the black vote, democrats have supported our right to vote and choose our own representation. You simply have no argument when it comes to which party is best for African-Americans to support. None whatsoever .. but I'll be happy to discuss whatever you think may be an argument.
Please tell me exactly what the Republican Party has done to help the poor? Those on the Right are quick to talk about the real and perceived failures of democratic policy when it comes to the poor but can't demonstrate why republican policy helps the poor or anybody else. Republicans hate Affirmative Action .. which benefits white women more than anyone else .. and helps many to take another step up the economic ladder .. but republicans can't articulate a better policy .. because they don't want to help anyone up that ladder but themselves.
Start from there ..
OK, let's look at demographics, using the state of Pennslyvania. The demographics say that PA is comprised of 10.5 percent African Americans.Which way has the last two presidential elections gone in PA? You and know it went to Obama. So by example we can see that race doesnot necessarily play a part in whom is elected. Now let's look at the demographicfor Philadelphia. The black population is 43 percent. Now one has to consider, where will blacks win the most representatives? Where they are the largest population, which as we know is the inner city which has been controlled by the democrats. So naturally blacks are going to identify with democrats. It isn't that the democrats have to go and recruit blacks, matter of fact they take the black vote for granted. Last black man who ran for governor of PA? Lynn Swan a republican. Of course he lost because the black vote went to the white man. I guess being a democrat is enough.
First we must determine if ANYTHING has been done to help the poor our of poverty let alone black poor. How about the working poor? Does the Earned Income Tax credit help or hurt the poor? Good idea or bad? I am thinking that keeping people working instead of going on welfare entirely is a good thing that helps the poor. Not only to work but to have self esteem. Who gets the credit, a Republican, Ronald Reagan to be exact.
You say Republicans hate affirmative action, yet it was democrats that fought desegregation and fought affirmative action. It wasn't a Republican who stood in the school house door and it wasn't a democrat that sent troops in to stop the segregation. You say that Republicans hate AA. EVERYONE should hate AA on its face value. Let me, a pasty white old man, play you, a young black man, I am guessing go out and play some B-ball. What I will do is spot you 5 points because you are black and need MY help. That is in effect what the democrats are doing to the poor especially the black poor. Even thought Kennedy started AA with an executive order, Nixon made it policy and he had the Philadelphia plan, not bad for a Republican. MLK's birthday, again a Republican.
Now as for good done, here is a very good short opinion piece on RR. If the southern racist democrats became republican because of RR's perceived racism, or that of Nixon, they sure got ripped.
The good that Reagan did for black America
I cast my very first presidential ballot for Ronald Reagan. That set me apart from most of my fellow black Americans, 90 percent of whom gave their votes to Jimmy Carter in 1980 and Walter Mondale in 1984.
Even as the nation mourns Reagan's passing this week, many blacks retain their animus toward the 40th president, as evidenced by the uncharitable remarks by several black leaders.
"Black grandmothers like mine said always speak well of the dead or keep quiet," Rep. Major Owens, the New York Democrat told The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress. "I choose to keep quiet."
"Many in the African-American community strongly disagreed with his domestic policy," said Rep. Al Wynn, a Maryland Democrat.
"In terms of being a president for African-Americans," said Diane Watson, a Los Angeles Democrat, "he was not."
Based on the remarks by Reps. Owens, Wynn and Watson, and similar sentiments expressed by other black leaders, one might conclude that the Reagan era was a period of retrenchment for the black population.
But the reality is, the 1980s, with a conservative, free-market Republican in the White House, were a boom time for black America.
Indeed, Andrew Brimmer, the Harvard-trained black economist, the former Federal Reserve Board member, estimated that total black business receipts increased from $12.4 billion in 1982 to $18.1 billion in 1987, translating into an annual average growth rate of 7.9 percent (compared to 5 percent for all U.S. businesses.
The success of the black entrepreneurial class during the Reagan era was rivaled only by the gains of the black middle class.
In fact, black social scientist Bart Landry estimated that that upwardly mobile cohort grew by a third under Reagan's watch, from 3.6 million in 1980 to 4.8 million in 1988. His definition was based on employment in white-collar jobs as well as on income levels.
All told, the middle class constituted more than 40 percent of black households by the end of Reagan's presidency, which was larger than the size of black working class, or the black poor.
The impressive growth of the black middle class during the 1980s was attributable in no small part to the explosive growth of jobs under Reagan, which benefited blacks disproportionately.
Indeed, between 1982 and 1988, total black employment increased by 2 million, a staggering sum. That meant that blacks gained 15 percent of the new jobs created during that span, while accounting for only 11 percent of the working-age population.
Meanwhile, the black jobless rate was cut by almost half between 1982 and 1988. Over the same span, the black employment rate – the percentage of working-age persons holding jobs – increased to record levels, from 49 percent to 56 percent.
The black executive ranks especially prospered under Reagan. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that the number of black managers and officers in corporations with 100 or more employees increased by 30 percent between 1980 and 1985.
During the same period, the number of black professionals increased by an astounding 63 percent.
The burgeoning of the black professional, managerial and executive ranks during the 1980s coincided with a steady growth of the black student population at the nation's colleges and universities in the 1980s.
Even though the number of college-aged blacks decreased during much of the decade, black college enrollment increased by 100,000 between 1980 and 1987, according to the Census Bureau.
Meanwhile, the 1980s saw an improvement in the black high school graduation rate, as the proportion of blacks 18 to 24 years old earning high school diplomas increased from 69.7 percent in 1980 to 76 percent by 1987.
On balance, then, the majority of black Americans made considerable progress in the 1980s.
More of us stayed in high school, graduated and went on to college. More of us were working than ever before, in better jobs and for higher wages.
The black middle class burgeoned to unprecedented size, emerging as the dominant income group in black America. And black business flourished, creating wealth in the black community.
Reps. Owens, Wynn and Watson may think that all of those wondrous developments were simply happenstance.
But the credit goes to Ronald Reagan, who initiated the policies that fostered the economic growth and job creation of the 1980s, which produced the prosperity that most black Americans enjoyed.
You can choose today whom you support. Support the party that has traditionally taken the black vote for granted. That has traditionally passed legislation that allows them to take care of the black vote. Or support another party that allows you to play on the same level playing field. Not because you are black and need taken care of, but because of your character. It is really up to you.
