Minimum Wage Increasing Again

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
126
Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Originally posted by: BrownTown
Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Meh, we're at $8.07 in WA. If the CPI we use included fuel costs we'd be over $10 now. While I'm not a fan of artificial floors and ceilings there's really no alternative in a world run by corporations. Without it 1/4 of Americans would starve to death on the streets inside a year.

since when have 1/4 of people lived on minimum wage?

These are very rough for easy math:

$5/hr (an easy number to work with) equates to about $12,000/yr.
Roughly 12% of American citizens able to work earn under that.
Some states have higher minimums...up to $8/hr, which is roughly $16,000/yr.
Another 7% of American citizens able to work earn between 12 & 16k/yr.

Now, accounting for the number of persons cared for by others, who cannot themselves work (kids, elderly, handicapped, etc) we can estimate that a few percent is added as they would be dependent upon persons earning that wage. This gets VERY close to 25%.

I realize there are other explanations which would drop the numbers, but there are also other explanations which would raise them, so it all balances out in the end.

Uh go look at the numbers again. Less than 2% of workers work for min wage. 60% of those are waiters who work for tips. Where you get 12% of Americans are working for 5 bucks an hour(less than min wage for the past 15 years is beyond me).

 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
126
Originally posted by: JD50
Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

According to income data it's more like 20-30%. Well, actually it's 16% in the service industry, but it's 20-30% that earn a total of what equates to minimum wage. Again, they may earn more but only work part time, then again, many people work two minimum wage jobs and therefore appear over the income. It all balances. 1/4 of America makes minimum wage.

According the article in the OP only 2 million Americans will get a raise due to the minimum wage increase. I'd really like to see where you're getting this "1/4 of America makes minimum wage".

After rereading his previous responses I think he is confusing wages earned with min wage earned. For instance I could work for 1 hour at 12,000 bucks an hour and still be considered working min wage in his world because my total yearly income is 12K.

A lot of people who earn 12-16K a year are most likely part time workers who earn above the min wage but dont work 32-40 hour weeks.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
I wonder how many adults actually are on minimum. I can see a highschool student doing it and they shouldn't have any minimum since they spend the money on crap but if you're an adult on minimum wage something is seriously wrong with you.

I almost wonder if minimum wage shouldn't apply to people under 21 or something because chances are low they are doing anything much with it.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
8
0
Originally posted by: JS80
Great some poor chump who wants to make some side money willing to work for $6 can't get a job.

And if and the other naysayers actually knew the law you know your examples are bunk. The FLSA (minimum wage law for those that don?t know) does not apply to your example. In fact he can do side work for any amount as long as he does not make $500k or more in a year. He can work for himself and/or be a contractor for another business and do as much side work as he wants.
Just like the small town hardware store would not have to follow the FLSA as long as they did not do over $500k and did not engage in interstate commerce.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
8
0
Originally posted by: Budmantom
Johnny I have good news and bad, the good news is the minimum wage went up it's $6.55 the bad news is your fired.

Budmantom I have great news. You think your little quick quip was funny. The bad news is a REAL life example showed that when 1 state raised it minimum wage and another did not the state that went up had no more job loses then the state that did not when looking at low skilled jobs.


In 1992, the Minimum wage in New Jersey increased by 18% while the adjacent state of Pennsylvania remained at $4.25. Card & Krueger gathered information on fast food restaurants that lay very close to the borders of Pennsylvania and New Jersey in an attempt to see what this effect had on employment within New Jersey. Classical economic would have concluded that relative employment should have decreased in New Jersey. Card and Krueger asked employers whether they intended to lay off workers in response to the increased minimum wage. Based on the employers' responses, the authors concluded that the increase in the minimum wage had no significant impact on employers' intentions to lay off employees.
The more common debate is on changes to minimum wages. This unified view was challenged by research done by David Card and Alan Krueger. In their 1997 book Myth and Measurement: The New Economics of the Minimum Wage (ISBN 0-691-04823-1), they argued the negative employment effects of minimum wage laws to be minimal if not non-existent (at least for the United States). For example, they look at the 1992 increase in New Jersey's minimum wage, the 1988 rise in California's minimum wage, and the 1990-91 increases in the federal minimum wage. They assume that the demand for low-wage workers is inelastic. Noteworthy is that these results do not refute the theory underlying the prediction that a minimum wage reduces employment. Rather, the results suggest that the effect predicted by the theory may, in some instances, be small enough as to be statistically zero.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: lupi
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.

Notice no one will answer my question.

They claim $6.55 is too high yet won't answer what is a fair wage?

$3 hr?

$2 hr?

1$ hr?

25 cents hr?
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: lupi
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.

Notice no one will answer my question.

They claim $6.55 is too high yet won't answer what is a fair wage?

$3 hr?

$2 hr?

1$ hr?

25 cents hr?
Can you answer it? The argument could be made to do away with it entirely. If a grown adult is only, say, worth $3/hour they should be put in a forced labor camp anyway, IMO.
 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
126
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: lupi
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.

Notice no one will answer my question.

They claim $6.55 is too high yet won't answer what is a fair wage?

$3 hr?

$2 hr?

1$ hr?

25 cents hr?

What is there to answer? Each person doesnt perform the same level of work nor have the same skill set. One person who sits on his ass all day may be worth 3 bucks to one company and 15 bucks to another.

A fair wage is one which each party agree's to.
 

Robor

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
16,979
0
76
Originally posted by: ChrisFromNJ

A family can almost certainly live on $10.00 an hour. Although the living conditions are certainly not going to be ideal, that is enough to make ends meet.

If two parents are earning a $10.00 minimum wage hourly, that is more than enough to feed a family.

You have got to be kidding me. Between rent/mortgage, power, water, sewer, food, transportation, insurance, gas, phone, etc, etc a $10/hour salary isn't going to cut it. Worse yet you said 'parents' so add in child care while the parents are working. Good luck with that.

 
Feb 24, 2001
14,550
4
81
What about those making a bit more than minimum wage.

So you've got some guys making $8 an hour. The guys below them just got a pay raise to $6.55 for doing the same job they had been doing. Seems like you'd have a lot of $8 an hour people wanting a raise too.

 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Originally posted by: Robor
Originally posted by: ChrisFromNJ

A family can almost certainly live on $10.00 an hour. Although the living conditions are certainly not going to be ideal, that is enough to make ends meet.

If two parents are earning a $10.00 minimum wage hourly, that is more than enough to feed a family.

You have got to be kidding me. Between rent/mortgage, power, water, sewer, food, transportation, insurance, gas, phone, etc, etc a $10/hour salary isn't going to cut it. Worse yet you said 'parents' so add in child care while the parents are working. Good luck with that.

Yep. They may be ablt to feed and house themselves, but childcare will take enough out that there will be minimal personal or education savings made.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Robor
Originally posted by: ChrisFromNJ

A family can almost certainly live on $10.00 an hour. Although the living conditions are certainly not going to be ideal, that is enough to make ends meet.

If two parents are earning a $10.00 minimum wage hourly, that is more than enough to feed a family.

You have got to be kidding me. Between rent/mortgage, power, water, sewer, food, transportation, insurance, gas, phone, etc, etc a $10/hour salary isn't going to cut it. Worse yet you said 'parents' so add in child care while the parents are working. Good luck with that.
Look, it's not fun but it can be done. I read of some poor people who ere making about $700 on SS and $110 in food stamps and one of them was 40 and had never held a job down and she was FAT AS SH*T, so definitely minimum wage is enough to lie around on a couch and eat ramen noodles for the rest of one's life if one wants.
 

brandonb

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2006
3,731
2
0
I'd just like to say that I believe minimium wage should be $50/h. Then everybody will be rich and can afford homes, that would help the economy in this housing crunch. Nobody would be in poverty and 14 year old boys can work at McDonalds scrubbing toilets and raise his family of 10.

There is plenty of good to go around. Corporations have it too nice, they don't pay enough taxes as is, so they should pay atleast $50/h for wage.
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: lupi
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.

Notice no one will answer my question.

They claim $6.55 is too high yet won't answer what is a fair wage?

$3 hr?

$2 hr?

1$ hr?

25 cents hr?
Can you answer it? The argument could be made to do away with it entirely.

If a grown adult is only, say, worth $3/hour they should be put in a forced labor camp anyway, IMO.

Wow, just wow
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: Genx87
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: lupi
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.

Notice no one will answer my question.

They claim $6.55 is too high yet won't answer what is a fair wage?

$3 hr?

$2 hr?

1$ hr?

25 cents hr?

What is there to answer? Each person doesnt perform the same level of work nor have the same skill set.

One person who sits on his ass all day may be worth 3 bucks to one company and 15 bucks to another.

A fair wage is one which each party agree's to.

Insane
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
What about those making a bit more than minimum wage.

So you've got some guys making $8 an hour. The guys below them just got a pay raise to $6.55 for doing the same job they had been doing. Seems like you'd have a lot of $8 an hour people wanting a raise too.

There in lies the rub with companies not doing raises anymore.

You get what you sow
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: Genx87
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: lupi
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.

Notice no one will answer my question.

They claim $6.55 is too high yet won't answer what is a fair wage?

$3 hr?

$2 hr?

1$ hr?

25 cents hr?

What is there to answer? Each person doesnt perform the same level of work nor have the same skill set.

One person who sits on his ass all day may be worth 3 bucks to one company and 15 bucks to another.

A fair wage is one which each party agree's to.

Insane
Do you actually have anything meaningful to ad or just express your moral umbrage?

 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,563
9
81
Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Originally posted by: BoberFett
Originally posted by: ChrisFromNJ
I know what is a good idea!

How about capping the minimum wage at $3.50 so that corporations don't have to raise prices? We all know that with that low of a minimum wage, corporations will never raise prices. In fact, prices will go down! :disgust:

$6.55 isn't a livable wage for those who have families to feed. In the 1960s, adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage was the equivalent of what would be $10 dollars today. Families could live on the minimum wage back then. Not so today.

Since the 80s, the minimum wage has been raised at an pace so infrequent that we haven't seen anything like it for decades. Another great accomplishment of the Ronald Ray Gun administration. :roll:

You think a family can live on $10/hr?

About 20% of people do.

Bullshit. Those people are students or single. Find me 20% of families who live on minimum wage.
 

Robor

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
16,979
0
76
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Robor
Originally posted by: ChrisFromNJ

A family can almost certainly live on $10.00 an hour. Although the living conditions are certainly not going to be ideal, that is enough to make ends meet.

If two parents are earning a $10.00 minimum wage hourly, that is more than enough to feed a family.

You have got to be kidding me. Between rent/mortgage, power, water, sewer, food, transportation, insurance, gas, phone, etc, etc a $10/hour salary isn't going to cut it. Worse yet you said 'parents' so add in child care while the parents are working. Good luck with that.
Look, it's not fun but it can be done. I read of some poor people who ere making about $700 on SS and $110 in food stamps and one of them was 40 and had never held a job down and she was FAT AS SH*T, so definitely minimum wage is enough to lie around on a couch and eat ramen noodles for the rest of one's life if one wants.

I'm not talking about people on public assistance. That's apples/oranges.

 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
25,162
1
76
www.ShawCAD.com
Originally posted by: Genx87
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: lupi
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.

Notice no one will answer my question.

They claim $6.55 is too high yet won't answer what is a fair wage?

$3 hr?

$2 hr?

1$ hr?

25 cents hr?

What is there to answer? Each person doesnt perform the same level of work nor have the same skill set. One person who sits on his ass all day may be worth 3 bucks to one company and 15 bucks to another.

A fair wage is one which each party agree's to.

Exactly.

I wonder what dave's answer is if his scenario was reversed.
They claim $6 is too low - what is a "fair wage"

$7?
$9?
$11?
$20?

It's F'n rediculous IMO to put artificial controls on wages when there is nothing but emotion behind the numbers.
 

Nemesis 1

Lifer
Dec 30, 2006
11,366
2
0
Lets be honest here a family of 4 requires at least $800. A week with both parents working. Less than this is unthinkable . Unless ya came into this country from mexico $7 is not liveable income. Hell in our town in years past single family dwellings . in a home was inforced. Now we have mexicans living 3.4 families in single family dwellings and now no enforcement. SO $7 an hour works great for them . All be it illeagal. Thats how AMERICA works.
 

Nebor

Lifer
Jun 24, 2003
29,582
11
76
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: lupi
The bottom line here is that there are some employers that would pay as little as possible if there was no minimum wage.

Notice no one will answer my question.

They claim $6.55 is too high yet won't answer what is a fair wage?

$3 hr?

$2 hr?

1$ hr?

25 cents hr?

A fair wage is whatever two parties agree to. Why do we set a minimum but not a maximum? And why not wages in between? I think IT administrators should all make $45,000 a year and no more. Subway sandwich shop workers should make $35,000 and no less. That's fair. I say it's fair.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Robor
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Robor
Originally posted by: ChrisFromNJ

A family can almost certainly live on $10.00 an hour. Although the living conditions are certainly not going to be ideal, that is enough to make ends meet.

If two parents are earning a $10.00 minimum wage hourly, that is more than enough to feed a family.

You have got to be kidding me. Between rent/mortgage, power, water, sewer, food, transportation, insurance, gas, phone, etc, etc a $10/hour salary isn't going to cut it. Worse yet you said 'parents' so add in child care while the parents are working. Good luck with that.
Look, it's not fun but it can be done. I read of some poor people who ere making about $700 on SS and $110 in food stamps and one of them was 40 and had never held a job down and she was FAT AS SH*T, so definitely minimum wage is enough to lie around on a couch and eat ramen noodles for the rest of one's life if one wants.

I'm not talking about people on public assistance. That's apples/oranges.
But money is money. People can live on minimum wage, millions literally do. Of course, the figures thrown about this thread are hysterical. Although "millions do", it's still a very small percentage of the population. I honestly don't know of a single person, even at the far reaches of my small social network, who is on minimum wage. I knew a deadbeat high-school dropout who was working at mcdonalds recently and even they pay more than minimum.

Hyperbole aside, if you're an adult, though, on minimum wage, you are probably retarded in some manner.

 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
25,162
1
76
www.ShawCAD.com
Originally posted by: lupi
Originally posted by: Robor
Originally posted by: ChrisFromNJ

A family can almost certainly live on $10.00 an hour. Although the living conditions are certainly not going to be ideal, that is enough to make ends meet.

If two parents are earning a $10.00 minimum wage hourly, that is more than enough to feed a family.

You have got to be kidding me. Between rent/mortgage, power, water, sewer, food, transportation, insurance, gas, phone, etc, etc a $10/hour salary isn't going to cut it. Worse yet you said 'parents' so add in child care while the parents are working. Good luck with that.

Yep. They may be ablt to feed and house themselves, but childcare will take enough out that there will be minimal personal or education savings made.

:roll: I and my family(wife and 1 kid at the time) survived on less than that. Sure, we didn't have Cable, cell phones, or nice cars - but we had enough to survive long enough for us to figure out we needed to go to where the opportunity was.