“Hello, don’t you know me? I’m the dirt beneath your feet…”
Doctor Illusion writes:
http://illusionofsanity.com/blog/?p=814
I disagree with all of you.
They, and everyone that works for less than that, should be bumped up to that salary.
However:
The government gets rid of welfare, WIC and foodstamps.
Instead, it pays the difference in the salary between the employer’s rate and $15.
This will encourage people to work, rather than choose to take more money to do nothing (as they do now, which I can’t entirely blame).
It will create a greater tax base from which to draw.
It will encourage greater habits and choices in those that want to eat and/or have a family.
It will permit those actually currently trapped in poverty to pay for training to move up; teaching them to fish rather than giving them fish (foodstamps/WIC).
It will be far cheaper, in the long run.
Of course, big business will take advantage and pay people even less, thereby letting the government foot the bill.
But that will at least come with the possibility they will hire more people and expand operations.
Crime will also be reduced if for no other reason than you are keeping people busy.
And giving them something to lose.
Ω
80-Proof Oinomancy 
April 27, 2013 at 8:38 pm
It goes without saying that I disagree. Although that is to be expected, since poverty is one of the only things we ever disagree about. Here’s my take on your solution
So, all entry level jobs pay 15/hr. The same thing always happens when minimum wage is raised.
Inflation.
I’ve busted my ass for years to get where I am in my trade, and I’m one of the best. If cashiers and fry cooks are making 15/hr, and I’m only making 28/hr, I want more money to do my skilled craft. I could get two entry level jobs and make more money than I’m making working my trade.
So the skilled people will demand more money, and our employers will be giving us more money already to keep up with the inflation caused by the raise in minimum wage.
Then, just taking my industry for example, paper will triple in price. All paper products. That’s just my industry. It will be the same for every industry. Or the companies will just move to China, Mexico or somewhere else so they can keep their prices competitive.
Then everyone will be making 15/hr flipping burgers that no one can afford because all the big earners are out of work or leaving the country.
Economic collapse. I like it. Enjoy the Decline.
July 30, 2014 at 12:38 am
If a woman initiates a pregnancy without telling her man, is he free to leave her, or will his labours be bound to her for decades? What she does with her uterus, the finance system does with debt. Your personal debt binds you to your lender. Government debt binds them to those who create the money.
Rising wages do not create inflation, they represent inflation that’s already occurred. Price inflation is what follows money supply inflation. If we have 10 apples on a table, and $10 to represent their value, each apple is worth $1. Put another $10 on the table, each apple is now represented by $2. The initial thought is the apple has just doubled in value, when the opposite is true. Yesterday you had to pick (produce, create, labour for) one apple to earn a dollar. Today’s half an apple is worth yesterday’s dollar. You now need to double your apple production to equal yesterday’s dollar value. Inflation just “taxed” you. It’s an intentional, silent tax, because your wage inflation is forever behind capital inflation.
This is why :
A) every government on the planet is in debt up to their eyeballs, but none go out of business.
B) every government loves to foster dependency instead of encouraging independent citizens.
C) no one in academics or the media ever asks who governments owe their trillions in debt to.
Doc, the problem isn’t fry guys and cashiers making $15/hr, the problem is you’re not being paid $60/hr.
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http://forums.avoiceformen.com/showthread.php?11630-Gender-of-a-Lesser-God
December 15, 2014 at 5:57 am
Brilliant points, every one of them.
Thanks for sharing.