What should the minimum wage be in the United States?

[Rakehellion]

A lot of people are getting riled up about the recent increases.

Some cities do have a much higher cost of living than others and those seem to be the ones moving first.

 

[mrjminer]

The minimum wage should be set to a fixed "low," then adjusted by cost of living by city, then annually adjusted for inflation / cost of living adjustments.

Your poll is insufficient.

 

[Rakehellion]

The minimum wage should be set to a fixed "low," then adjusted by cost of living by city, then annually adjusted for inflation / cost of living adjustments.

Your poll is insufficient.

So where should the nationwide average be for 2014?

 

[drebo]

$0/hr. Let local markets sort their own wages.

 

[mrjminer]

So where should the nationwide average be for 2014?

I don't know, I'm not an economist.

My thoughts are something along these lines, though: http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=36404154&postcount=27

 

[Rakehellion]

$0/hr. Let local markets sort their own wages.

They tried that about a century ago and it was decided that it was unfair to exploit a worker's poverty.

 

[MtnMan]

I have seen employees in fast food joints that would be way over paid if they were making a $1/hr based on their performance at their job.

 

[ivwshane]

None, let local governments or states decide it.

 

[DCal430]

We also need a maximum income.

I say 95% tax on income over 1,000,000 a year.

 

[mizzou]

$8 is too low $15 is too hgh. a few bucks or two more wont rock the boat too much. There are many many salaried semiprofessional jobs which require advanced education that starr at $15-17/hr.

what happens to these people if all of a sudden burger flippers are making $15-17/hr with criminal records and no education?

 

[Zaap]

Same answer as others: for states and localities to decide based on cost of living and such.

 

[mizzou]

what jobs are still paying a federal min. wage nowadays anyway?

 

[Zaap]

what happens to these people if all of a sudden burger flippers are making $15-17/hr with criminal records and no education?

Why, everyone gets an automagic raise right back where they were above minimum paid for by what grows on the money trees out back of every business.

Someone else around here asked one of the most relevant questions of all time the other day, so of course none of the usual suspects went anywhere near it. Most probably pretended they didn't see it.


So I'll paraphrase and ask it again:

How is it the pro-illlegal crowd insists that without millions of illegals here working for poverty wages, no one could afford food or produce or virtually anything. According to the amnesty crowd, cheap illegal labor drives the economy.

But cheap.citizen labor? Suddenly everything does a complete 180. Suddenly its the greatest crime on earth to pay someone less than $15 an hour for things like flipping a burger. Suddenly,.wages can be increased sky high and not have one smidget of impact on the price of goods and services.

How do people square those two opposing viewpoints?

I've long said you can't possibly be for higher wages AND amnesty and illegal immigration, and really, people that are are just doing the usual burning it at both ends.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

Why, everyone gets an automagic raise right back where they were above minimum paid for by what grows on the money trees out back of every business.

Someone else around here asked one of the most relevant questions of all time the other day, so of course none of the usual suspects went anywhere near it. Most probably pretended they didn't see it.


So I'll paraphrase and ask it again:

How is it the pro-illlegal crowd insists that without millions of illegals here working for poverty wages, no one could afford food or produce or virtually anything. According to the amnesty crowd, cheap illegal labor drives the economy.

But cheap.citizen labor? Suddenly everything does a complete 180. Suddenly its the greatest crime on earth to pay someone less than $15 an hour for things like flipping a burger. Suddenly,.wages can be increased sky high and not have one smidget of impact on the price of goods and services.

How do people square those two opposing viewpoints?

I've long said you can't possibly be for higher wages AND amnesty and illegal immigration, and really, people that are are just doing the usual burning it at both ends.

It's called wanting to have your cake and eat it at the same time. For politicians is just a nice way to pander to idiots who think they can get something for "FREE", well not "FREE" free but more like at someone else's expense.

 

[Rakehellion]

what jobs are still paying a federal min. wage nowadays anyway?

Retail, foodservice, sanitation, that sort of thing.

 

[Rakehellion]

So I'll paraphrase and ask it again:

How is it the pro-illlegal crowd insists that without millions of illegals here working for poverty wages, no one could afford food or produce or virtually anything. According to the amnesty crowd, cheap illegal labor drives the economy.

I think you're looking for a different thread, mate. This discussion is about minimum wage laws.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Lets drop it to damn near zero. Heck, make it zero. Lets bring back slavery.

Also, lets make sure we subsidize the costs of businesses as well. Do they need to spend $x for every product they sell at $y? Well, let the tax payer's money (which said businesses will never have to contribute) pay for $x!!

I mean, lets ensure NO money is being spent by businesses - just that they make it.

These fucking whine-athons about how businesses are being hurt is such bull shit. And, it's all based on some asshole mom n pop shop that knows fuck all about balancing and dealing with their budget and spend.

Then, when their business closes down, herp-a-derps come out in droves, crying how immigrants ruined said mom n pop shop's dream, because herp-a-derp herp-a-derped and there is herp-a-derp as a result. Herp-a-derp.

Stow it.

Business has been booming for quite a while in America,.. for the business owners. What has NOT been booming is the working class. They get gutted all the time. There is no trickle down economics.

And, the worst of it all, work class traitors being volunteer talking heads for the rich. Here is a wake up call; they don't know or care who you are - you will not be rewarded for your cheerleading efforts on the Koch Brothers Team. Because, much like the NFL cheerleaders,.. you are NOT making any money off of your ra-raing; you are being used and cheerfully announcing it to boot. Idiots.

 

[Genx87]

We also need a maximum income.

I say 95% tax on income over 1,000,000 a year.

You are a clown

 

[Genx87]

Lets drop it to damn near zero. Heck, make it zero. Lets bring back slavery.

Also, lets make sure we subsidize the costs of businesses as well. Do they need to spend $x for every product they sell at $y? Well, let the tax payer's money (which said businesses will never have to contribute) pay for $x!!

I mean, lets ensure NO money is being spent by businesses - just that they make it.

These fucking whine-athons about how businesses are being hurt is such bull shit. And, it's all based on some asshole mom n pop shop that knows fuck all about balancing and dealing with their budget and spend.

Then, when their business closes down, herp-a-derps come out in droves, crying how immigrants ruined said mom n pop shop's dream, because herp-a-derp herp-a-derped and there is herp-a-derp as a result. Herp-a-derp.

Stow it.

Business has been booming for quite a while in America,.. for the business owners. What has NOT been booming is the working class. They get gutted all the time. There is no trickle down economics.

And, the worst of it all, work class traitors being volunteer talking heads for the rich. Here is a wake up call; they don't know or care who you are - you will not be rewarded for your cheerleading efforts on the Koch Brothers Team. Because, much like the NFL cheerleaders,.. you are NOT making any money off of your ra-raing; you are being used and cheerfully announcing it to boot. Idiots.

Why is it so many are working for more than min wage?

 

[nehalem256]

I think you're looking for a different thread, mate. This discussion is about minimum wage laws.

And supporting importation of illegal 3rd world labor obviously has an affect on prevailing minimum wages.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Why is it so many are working for more than min wage?

That's the problem, isn't it, traitor?

 

[Genx87]

That's the problem, isn't it, traitor?

What is the problem?

 

[soulcougher73]

The minimum wage should be set to a fixed "low," then adjusted by cost of living by city, then annually adjusted for inflation / cost of living adjustments.

Your poll is insufficient.

This. "One wage to rule them all" doesn't work as a whole for the US. Some places its poverty and others its a modest living.

 

[brandonb]

I picked $0. Let the market decide. It's called economics. Let supply/demand of products dictate price as well as let supply/demand of skills and people dictate the wage they make.

If two factories sit side by side, one pays $2/hr, and the one next door pays $15/hr, where do you think the talent is going to go? The other factory will have to raise its wages if it wants any decent employees, and it will. Unless a monkey can do the job, and why pay $15 if it only takes a monkey?

 

[Newell Steamer]

What is the problem?

Wut ah do?