Progressive Radio Rants -- Minimum Wage

Elimination of the minimum wage would, possibly, lead to full employment, but an increasing number of those employed would be utterly impoverished like those in some Third World country while the investor class just gets fatter and less useful.
 
Why stop at 10 dollars an hour? Why not make it 20 dollars an hour? Why not make it such that everyone, no matter who you are, gets the same amount of pay. Why not make it such that we take from those according to their abilities and give to those according to their needs?

Hasn't history showed us all that this kind of program fails?
 
Bill Thompson said:
Why stop at 10 dollars an hour? Why not make it 20 dollars an hour? Why not make it such that everyone, no matter who you are, gets the same amount of pay.
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Because some jobs require skills that cost money to acquire. That does not change the fact that a working person deserves a day's decent provisions for a day's work.

Now, are you going to offer proof that we are worse off in Washington for having a higher minimum wage than Alabama?
 
Tsukasa Buddha said:
That is certainly one model, but there are plenty of others with their own studies:



Linky.



Linky.



Linky.

I could also pull out some more claiming the exact opposite of the above. The undergraduate Econ textbooks I've found even presented a pro v. con examination of the issue. It is Economics, not settled science :p .
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Bear in mind that 99+% of jobs pay more than minimum wage, so a small increase affects only a tiny percentage of workers. This is why we don't see significant effects, because the increases have been small.

But if we accept that increases in minimum wage do not affect unemployment or inflation we could raise the minimum to $100/hr and everyone will be wealthy, correct? So why not raise it to $100/hr?
 
WildCat said:
But if we accept that increases in minimum wage do not affect unemployment or inflation we could raise the minimum to $100/hr and everyone will be wealthy, correct? So why not raise it to $100/hr?
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For the same reason we don't give unlimited amounts of morphine to people with a broken finger.
 
WildCat said:
Earlier in this thread you claimed even college grads are taking minimum wage jobs...

Can't make up your mind?
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The ecconomy is in the toilet, in case you haven't noticed.

That is not because the working class make too much money, but because the investor class made grossly disproportionate amounts of money producing absolutely nothing.
 
WildCat said:
Because they'll die? :confused:

Please explain lefty. Wouldn't everyone be rich?
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In the current ecconomy, it doesn't take $100 an hour to afford a grungey little apartment, adequate food four one or two people, the electric bill and the month's car payments. Making the minimumwage much higher than that would cause inflation so that the unemployed would starve to death.

Actually, i would like there to be a maximum wage. $2 million tops, unless some of it is put into government securities that can only be drawn down to cover retirement or medical needs.

That would stimulate the ecconomy. Re-invest it or lose it, Mr Moneybags.
 
leftysergeant said:
Because some jobs require skills that cost money to acquire.
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That's cool. Were just talking about the minimum being $100/hr. More skilled people should earn a lot more.

That does not change the fact that a working person deserves a day's decent provisions for a day's work.
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By that same logic, an entrepreneur deserves a minimum income for the risk and investment he takes when going into business. Maybe we need a minimum guaranteed return for the guy that opens a coffee shop. If he doesn't hit his minimum he should get a check from the government. Alternatively, people should be forced to buy his coffee so that he can hit his minimum.

Making the minimumwage much higher than that would cause inflation so that the unemployed would starve to death.
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Simple to solve, the government just freezes prices and/or sets the maximum cost that can be charged for everything. Those unemployed - the government just sends them check every week until they are back at work making their minimum $100/hr. Welcome to Utopia. Have a nice day.
 
leftysergeant said:
In the current ecconomy, it doesn't take $100 an hour to afford a grungey little apartment, adequate food four one or two people, the electric bill and the month's car payments. Making the minimumwage much higher than that would cause inflation so that the unemployed would starve to death.

Actually, i would like there to be a maximum wage. $2 million tops, unless some of it is put into government securities that can only be drawn down to cover retirement or medical needs.

That would stimulate the ecconomy. Re-invest it or lose it, Mr Moneybags.
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A wage cap would not stimulate the economy, but it may destroy it.
 
BOATGOD said:
I also enjoy all of the name calling. What are you people? 5 years old? Can you even have a rational discussion?
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You're new here, so here's the quick rundown.

The JREF forum is a place to discuss in a friendly and lively way....except in the politics section, where critical thinking goes to die and manners are clearly optional.

That said I do hope you stick around. Welcome to the forum.
 
The footing is treacherous around here with all the slippery slopes.

The arguer claims that a sort of chain reaction, usually ending in some dire consequence, will take place, but there's really not enough evidence for that assumption. The arguer asserts that if we take even one step onto the "slippery slope," we will end up sliding all the way to the bottom; he or she assumes we can't stop halfway down the hill.
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http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html#8
 
bikerdruid said:
what a ridiculous argument.
100 an hour is not reasonable. 10 dollars is the least thatr is reasonable.
i really cannot understand why some of you are so opposed to this.
is it because you like hiring workers for 5 bucks an hour to do your yardwork?
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Why do you assume the person who would hire someone for $5 an hour to do yard work would still hire someone else if they had to pay $10 an hour? Some would but not all.

As it is, most jobs pay above minimum wage. In terms of increasing unemployment, minimum wage laws primarily affect teenagers looking for entry level unskilled work, especially in poor neighborhoods.
 
Okay, back again.

Enough with the $100 per hour strawmen. Nobody has suggested that.

It's not USA, but here's a link where you can find the minimum legislated wage for your role. It's been in operation for years and world hasn't ended. Note that the junior wages aren't $100 per hour - somehow the government avoided falling into that seemingly attractive and inevitable trap:

http://paycheck.fwo.gov.au/PRCForm.aspx
 
Kid Eager said:
Okay, back again.

Enough with the $100 per hour strawmen. Nobody has suggested that.
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No one has suggested it, but there have been groups calling for at least a $17/hr. minimum wage and the point of the exercise is to point out the flawed logic and natural extension of a government dictated wage.

It's been in operation for years and world hasn't ended. Note that the junior wages aren't $100 per hour - somehow the government avoided falling into that seemingly attractive and inevitable trap
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And the government hasn't collapsed in the US with $8+ rates in parts of the US, that doesn't mean a government mandated minimum wage is the best fiscal policy. 48% of the PhD economists surveyed in my previous post thought the minimum wage should be decreased or eliminated. Only 38% thought it should be increased.
 
The OP again regurgitated the class warfare that is the repugnican agenda.

WHY oh WHY do these people NEVER ever come here whining about the high pay of the incompetent or corrupt executives that business into the ground or raise shareholder value by firing people so they can get their golden parachutes?!

It's always the poor bastard working for minimum wage that is the person at fault.

All contrary evidence to minimum wage creating a higher standard of living in countries like Germany Sweden Etc. are simply met with "It's commie socialist plot to steal money from the rich"
 
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