MINIMUM WAGE

[rtmilburn]

do some history on teddy Roosevelt v standard oil....unregulated capitalism IS a form of communism. capitalism MUST BE REGULATED TO HAVE A REPUBLIC.

The definition of true capitalism is where government has no say at all in any aspect of the economy. True capitalism is flawed and not the way to do things. However your ideas are massively flawed and your conception of how government/economy works is very off base.

Ps i am not trying to be mean or rude to you, i actually quite like you. You give good information, are quite nice and polite to most everyone on this forum. I just disagree and in politics things tend to get heated and i apologize.

 

[thebigt]

But you still haven't answered my question. Does everybody's pay go up? At what point do you decide someone makes enough? And who makes that decision? (you probably see where I'm headed here)

you are old enough to remember the last time it went up-if you really are 52


yes, the last time minimum wage went up, wages went up across the board-it would be good for everyone working for hourly wages to get a raise, the economy is way too top heavy, if it makes a quick turn it will flip over, imo

 

[thebigt]

The definition of true capitalism is where government has no say at all in any aspect of the economy. True capitalism is flawed and not the way to do things. However your ideas are massively flawed and your conception of how government/economy works is very off base.

Ps i am not trying to be mean or rude to you, i actually quite like you. You give good information, are quite nice and polite to most everyone on this forum. I just disagree and in politics things tend to get heated and i apologize.

damn...those are kind words, you kinda took the air out of my balloon, lol....I apologize also!!!

but I am of the thinking that capitalist own the government in this country. the only say the government has on the economy is what the capitalist allow them. this is my honest opinion!!!

 

[thebigt]

Capitalism isn't a system of government.... Jesus Christ you need to seriously consider reading.

capitalism is a form of government when captalist's control the government!!!

 

[thebigt]

The definition of true capitalism is where government has no say at all in any aspect of the economy. True capitalism is flawed and not the way to do things. However your ideas are massively flawed and your conception of how government/economy works is very off base.

Ps i am not trying to be mean or rude to you, i actually quite like you. You give good information, are quite nice and polite to most everyone on this forum. I just disagree and in politics things tend to get heated and i apologize.

you are right I am sure there are many flaws in my thinking on how things are actually done...I am just a good hearted person who loves my country very much, and i just get offended when people think that it is ok that people working full time jobs are still living in poverty. this is not the American way, imo.

 

[rtmilburn]

you are right I am sure there are many flaws in my thinking on how things are actually done...I am just a good hearted person who loves my country very much, and i just get offended when people think that it is ok that people working full time jobs are still living in poverty. this is not the American way, imo.

I very much respect that. I really do. I also agree that it is a shame that people that are trying to make a living can't. It is hard to do anymore, especially since all the good manufacturing jobs in America are non existent. At the same time there are a LOT of lower class people that don't try to make a living for themselves and are fully content with living off of the government. Also i my ideas of how to fix things are flawed as well. There isn't a way to fix the economy that doesn't have flaws.

 

[thebigt]

I very much respect that. I really do. I also agree that it is a shame that people that are trying to make a living can't. It is hard to do anymore, especially since all the good manufacturing jobs in America are non existent. At the same time there are a LOT of lower class people that don't try to make a living for themselves and are fully content with living off of the government. Also i my ideas of how to fix things are flawed as well. There isn't a way to fix the economy that doesn't have flaws.

I know there are flaws in it, but I really believe raising minimum wage is a good thing. prices are going to go up no matter what, at least it would send a message if the American people stood united to help those trying to help themselves....sometimes it seems like this country has become mean spirited, and this saddens me!!!

 

[TexasLifter89]

I know there are flaws in it, but I really believe raising minimum wage is a good thing. prices are going to go up no matter what, at least it would send a message if the American people stood united to help those trying to help themselves....sometimes it seems like this country has become mean spirited, and this saddens me!!!

The big thing is that if that happens a good portion will lose their jobs or see reduced hours equating to roughly the same pay beforehand. Who it really affects is the small business owner and the entrepreneur who will have to take on extra costs and resources. So generally speaking it comes down to if someone wants higher paid jobs with less jobs or lower paying jobs but more jobs? Raising minimum wage will not help employment rates either. Our country backbone is the entrepreneur.

 

[cheeky1]

Oh man...I can't even do this thread, it'll drive me insane! I live in Australia, little America I would sometimes refer to it as. Not in a good way either i'm afraid, as past (& current) conservative gov'ts here have sought to lower minimum wage, privatise our public assets and have succeeded in opening up the gap between lower, middle & upper class wages tremendously.

It's a sad day when local council jobs are slashed & work handed over to private bodies, who of course are owned & run by family/friends of the people that decided to privatise & award the contracts to them. So, jobs are cut, welfare payments increase & those unemployed are now jumping the back fences of their former employers stealing their tvs to put food on the table, or smack in their veins if they are unfortunate enough to go down that road. More strain on our taxes, judicial system - what comes next? Why, privatise the jails of course. Private entities need income, so what profit in a half empty jail? We're headed that way, it's a sick system I hate to say.

We put these vermin in power, they steal what is rightfully ours for themselves (hello Bush, Cheney) then blame the working class for not wanting to work for $4/hour to compete with the Chinese...even though they'll happily sign a free trade agreement guaranteeing more foreign goods will cross our borders. You have Mexican & central American illegal immigrant workers, we have Asian & Indian workers here on "457" work permit visas, being paid far below Aussie wages & doing so on gov't approved permits.

Yes, raising minimum wage puts pressure on businesses, but that money also goes straight back into the community.
A better solution is to raise the tax free threshold - do you have such a thing? We don't pay tax on the first $18,200 of our earnings, a big increase from the previous $6000. Everyone benefits, it doesn't hurt business, and the balance factor comes via way lowering the upper ceiling for high income earners tax, tax on luxury goods, some corporate tax etc. You have the worlds largest defence budget...by a very long way. Maybe defence &/or NASA could spare a few million bucks?

 

[youngandfree]

Aren't one of you guys arguing this a Canadian citizen? Just curious.

 

[thebigt]

Oh man...I can't even do this thread, it'll drive me insane! I live in Australia, little America I would sometimes refer to it as. Not in a good way either i'm afraid, as past (& current) conservative gov'ts here have sought to lower minimum wage, privatise our public assets and have succeeded in opening up the gap between lower, middle & upper class wages tremendously.

It's a sad day when local council jobs are slashed & work handed over to private bodies, who of course are owned & run by family/friends of the people that decided to privatise & award the contracts to them. So, jobs are cut, welfare payments increase & those unemployed are now jumping the back fences of their former employers stealing their tvs to put food on the table, or smack in their veins if they are unfortunate enough to go down that road. More strain on our taxes, judicial system - what comes next? Why, privatise the jails of course. Private entities need income, so what profit in a half empty jail? We're headed that way, it's a sick system I hate to say.

We put these vermin in power, they steal what is rightfully ours for themselves (hello Bush, Cheney) then blame the working class for not wanting to work for $4/hour to compete with the Chinese...even though they'll happily sign a free trade agreement guaranteeing more foreign goods will cross our borders. You have Mexican & central American illegal immigrant workers, we have Asian & Indian workers here on "457" work permit visas, being paid far below Aussie wages & doing so on gov't approved permits.

Yes, raising minimum wage puts pressure on businesses, but that money also goes straight back into the community.
A better solution is to raise the tax free threshold - do you have such a thing? We don't pay tax on the first $18,200 of our earnings, a big increase from the previous $6000. Everyone benefits, it doesn't hurt business, and the balance factor comes via way lowering the upper ceiling for high income earners tax, tax on luxury goods, some corporate tax etc. You have the worlds largest defence budget...by a very long way. Maybe defence &/or NASA could spare a few million bucks?

the republicans would not pass any bill that increases taxes on the wealthy, they have made this very clear!!!


it has been quite a while since the last minimum wage increase, so to refresh some younger members memory-every time I can remember an increase it meant higher wages across the board for hourly workers...

as far as costing jobs-geez, with all the layoffs and reductions in the workforce, don't you think they have cut jobs as low as possible already?

 

[thebigt]

Aren't one of you guys arguing this a Canadian citizen? Just curious.

I for one am curious to hear what a canadian thinks.....at one time the u.s was the model for the free world, and was highly respected around the globe!!!

 

[Dirty Dan]

it has been quite a while since the last minimum wage increase, so to refresh some younger members memory-every time I can remember an increase it meant higher wages across the board for hourly workers...

If there was a national increase in minimum wage, does it become mandated for companies to adjust the hourly wages for all their workers?

This is a scenario that happens at my job all the time, and I have yet to see increased wages for all. Here in CT they have raised minimum wage a few times now. A kid gets hired at my job 3 years ago when the minimum wage was $8.50. Every year he gets a 20 cent raise which now brings him to $9.10/hour. The minimum wage has now been increased to $9.10, so this kid after working 3 years with our company is now making the same amount of money as someone who was just newly hired. I have yet to see our company increase that kids pay (and the many just like him). That doesn't seem fair to me.

 

[thebigt]

If there was a national increase in minimum wage, does it become mandated for companies to adjust the hourly wages for all their workers?

This is a scenario that happens at my job all the time, and I have yet to see increased wages for all. Here in CT they have raised minimum wage a few times now. A kid gets hired at my job 3 years ago when the minimum wage was $8.50. Every year he gets a 20 cent raise which now brings him to $9.10/hour. The minimum wage has now been increased to $9.10, so this kid after working 3 years with our company is now making the same amount of money as someone who was just newly hired. I have yet to see our company increase that kids pay (and the many just like him). That doesn't seem fair to me.

I agree this isn't fair...American company's have long since stopped playing fair....

to draw a parallel...once upon a time supplements were for the most part unregulated, greed took over and companies started 'spiking' then they started 'mislabeling', and finally they continued to include ingredients, even though they had the potential to be harmful. in the end the government will have to step in and clean house.

once upon a time American company's shared the wealth with employees and offered incentives/raises and bonus's, American company's actually competed to offer the best pay/benefits. America became great, and the quality of our products was unmatched, and very sought after around the world... now in a global economy a few company's own many company's under an umbrella and can control prices and wages. if quality suffers who cares they are all the same, who else are you going to buy from?

sometimes government intervention becomes necessary, my fear is that corporate America is untouchable by the government.