Raise minimum wage?

[Macamus Prime]

Personally, I think the minimum wage is what forced many companies to move operations to countries overseas.

Uhm,... what moved (not forced) many companies to countries overseas was profit. Anyone who is looking to get a fat bonus at the end of the year will take up $1 a day in APAC vs $7.25 an hour in the US.

What is worse; the prices of whatever was made by the new overseas labor has NOT dropped. You are still paying for something as if it was made by someone being paid US minimum wage. So, instead of all that excess going into pension plans, insurance, taxes, etc, it goes into the pockets of the person(s) who led these efforts.

You also get a shitty product. And, there are far and fewer jobs in the USA. YET STILL; they raise prices.

 

[Abwx]

Avg US income is ~45,000\12 = ~3750
Avg house price is ~150,000\3750 = ~40

The 200$/month i quoted was for car industry blue collars..

The current 3750$/month figure seems overestimated,
likely out of reach for usual workers...

 

[bfdd]

I believe currently raising the minimum wage is like putting a dog in a dress. Sure it's cool for awhile, until you realize you're left with a torn up dress and a depressed dog.

 

[Matt1970]

Uhm,... what moved (not forced) many companies to countries overseas was profit. Anyone who is looking to get a fat bonus at the end of the year will take up $1 a day in APAC vs $7.25 an hour in the US.

What is worse; the prices of whatever was made by the new overseas labor has NOT dropped. You are still paying for something as if it was made by someone being paid US minimum wage. So, instead of all that excess going into pension plans, insurance, taxes, etc, it goes into the pockets of the person(s) who led these efforts.

You also get a shitty product. And, there are far and fewer jobs in the USA. YET STILL; they raise prices.

Do you see the flaw in your statement? If it were true, Imports are priced at what it would cost the US to produce the same product paying minimum wage. Now factor in most factory workers make over 3x minimum wage and won't work for less. Duh. America can't compete.

 

[JD50]

We are talking food preparation are where these "livable" wage candidates reside. Why are you bringing up multi-million dollar CEO's? That is the point I tried to make. The people you need to be comparing these people to are the owners of the restaurant. Which I can tell you are not making millions of dollars a year. An individual owner is lucky to clear 70-80K\year.



You cant legislate a standard of living. That is why it is laughable progressives believe so.
And I agree on your second part. Progressives wanting to lower the standard of living on the rich so the middle class seems higher is ridiculous.

:thumbsup:

 

[piasabird]

Yah just raise minimum wage to $12.00. Everyone deserves that. You wont mind paying a little more money at McDonalds and Pizza-Hut.

 

[Genx87]

The 200$/month i quoted was for car industry blue collars..

The current 3750$/month figure seems overestimated,
likely out of reach for usual workers...

That is the national median household income.

 

[piasabird]

You also have to add in all the insurance and other perks.

Like matching pension plan.

 

[YoungGun21]

Uhm,... what moved (not forced) many companies to countries overseas was profit. Anyone who is looking to get a fat bonus at the end of the year will take up $1 a day in APAC vs $7.25 an hour in the US.

What is worse; the prices of whatever was made by the new overseas labor has NOT dropped. You are still paying for something as if it was made by someone being paid US minimum wage. So, instead of all that excess going into pension plans, insurance, taxes, etc, it goes into the pockets of the person(s) who led these efforts.

You also get a shitty product. And, there are far and fewer jobs in the USA. YET STILL; they raise prices.

So...... you agree that the minimum wage forced (sorry, pushed, moved - same thing) companies overseas?

Obviously, they profit more if they don't have to pay as much for labor.

 

[BoberFett]

Sure. $50/hr should be good, and would make sure the People get their fair share from those greedy bastards at the top.

 

[Anarchist420]

The minimum wage should be abolished. It's corporatism, a barrier to entry for new business, and increases unemployment across the board. There are many teens who would be willing to work a stress-free job for $3/hr. Not only that, it keeps people productive and out of gangs.

If the min wage was increased by more than 10%, I would start a revolution. Wages are between an employee and their employer.

 

[matt0611]

Sure. $50/hr should be good, and would make sure the People get their fair share from those greedy bastards at the top.

$50 at a minimum.

In fact, the government should just mail us all checks every month and then no one will have to go to work, no one will want for anything, everyone will be happy.

 

[nick1985]

$50 at a minimum.

In fact, the government should just mail us all checks every month and then no one will have to go to work, no one will want for anything, everyone will be happy.

:thumbsup:

 

[Throckmorton]

Sure. $50/hr should be good, and would make sure the People get their fair share from those greedy bastards at the top.

Uh how about $20?

If you put some thought into it you'll see that $20 wouldn't raise costs that much... How much revenue does a restaurant take in, and how much does it spend on salaries? What is the markup on an iPhone and how many manhours does it take to assemble one?

 

[nick1985]

Uh how about $20?

If you put some thought into it you'll see that $20 wouldn't raise costs that much... How much revenue does a restaurant take in, and how much does it spend on salaries? What is the markup on an iPhone and how many manhours does it take to assemble one?

lol, $20/hr minimum wage. You liberals really do live in a fantasy world.

 

[Strk]

The 200$/month i quoted was for car industry blue collars..

The current 3750$/month figure seems overestimated,
likely out of reach for usual workers...

Well, take into account he said household and not individual.

 

[Throckmorton]

lol, $20/hr minimum wage. You liberals really do live in a fantasy world.

You conservatives live in a fantasy world, where you think America can be a decent place to live even when half the population is below the poverty line, every single job is in China, and nobody is able to own any property.

How can you be so proud of yourselves for killing the American dream within the span of two generations?

 

[Genx87]

Uh how about $20?

If you put some thought into it you'll see that $20 wouldn't raise costs that much... How much revenue does a restaurant take in, and how much does it spend on salaries? What is the markup on an iPhone and how many manhours does it take to assemble one?

If you dont know how much a restaurant takes in how can you possibly say it wont raise costs "much"?

 

[Genx87]

You conservatives live in a fantasy world, where you think America can be a decent place to live even when half the population is below the poverty line, every single job is in China, and nobody is able to own any property.

How can you be so proud of yourselves for killing the American dream within the span of two generations?

Tell us when we get to this point. Until then it is another liberal fantasy.

 

[Matt1970]

You conservatives live in a fantasy world, where you think America can be a decent place to live even when half the population is below the poverty line, every single job is in China, and nobody is able to own any property.

How can you be so proud of yourselves for killing the American dream within the span of two generations?

LOL. The truth is quite eluding.

 

[Acanthus]

Tell us when we get to this point. Until then it is another liberal fantasy.

With current trends, we are about 25 years away.

Read up on the Gini index and what it means, and then look at the trends in the United States.

 

[Throckmorton]

Tell us when we get to this point. Until then it is another liberal fantasy.

A liberal fantasy? Have you been living under a rock for the past few years? The reality of our economic situation has been coming out, and it's clear that the American worker is FUCKED. We've been getting poorer and poorer for 50 years, and the rich have been getting richer. I used to think that was all just anti-establishment nutty paranoia conspiracy theory, until I saw the numbers.

 

[Genx87]

With current trends, we are about 25 years away.

Read up on the Gini index and what it means, and then look at the trends in the United States.

It is also often mis-used by people trying to show a disportional distribution of income at the top. Gini is affected by immigration. The United States is a land built on immigration. Of course we are going to have a higher gini compared to nordic countries.

 

[Genx87]

A liberal fantasy? Have you been living under a rock for the past few years? The reality of our economic situation has been coming out, and it's clear that the American worker is FUCKED. We've been getting poorer and poorer for 50 years, and the rich have been getting richer. I used to think that was all just anti-establishment nutty paranoia conspiracy theory, until I saw the numbers.

What rate of poverty are we at right now? Is it withing 30 points of 50%?

That is why it is a liberal fantasy right now. Like I said, let us know when we are approaching 50% like you claim.

 

[Farang]

No, the minimum wage is meant to be just that: a minimum. An amount that is not criminal. Employing some desperate SOB and paying him $2/hour to clean out sewers in L.A. would be criminal. Paying someone $7.25 to take orders at McDonalds is not.

I think the minimum wage and living wage debate are two separate things. To make the minimum wage livable, you are effectively banning any job that would not allow a person to make a living on that job alone. I don't see how that helps the poor, the rich, or anybody.

Here in Seattle you have to really suck to be stuck at minimum wage for any length of time. The going rate for "any warm body can do it" labor seems to be $10-$15 per hour, minimum is $8.67.