What's the point of labor laws...

[Anarchist420]

To raise the unemployment rate.

 

[Jhhnn]

Why the LOL? Do you have any clue what has happened in American Samoa due to the imposition of federal minimum wages, or do you just like the feeling of your head in your ass?

American Samoa is a special case, and anybody with half a brain knows it. The 2 tuna canneries had a stranglehold on the economy because they were the largest employers- hell, almost the only employers.

It's also obvious that the cost of living is pretty low in American Samoa. OTOH, in this country, it's a little different- who's going to buy all that oversized overbuilt real estate on $4/hr? pay for heat in the winter? support the taxbase? So forth and so on?

 

[nonlnear]

American Samoa is a special case, and anybody with half a brain knows it. The 2 tuna canneries had a stranglehold on the economy because they were the largest employers- hell, almost the only employers.

It's also obvious that the cost of living is pretty low in American Samoa. OTOH, in this country, it's a little different- who's going to buy all that oversized overbuilt real estate on $4/hr? pay for heat in the winter? support the taxbase? So forth and so on?

It's not like I claimed it was anything but a special case. In fact that's exactly what I said it was...

 

[PaperclipGod]

What you leave out of your analogy (intentionally, I'm sure) is that those 5 workers (countries) also happen to buy the vast majority of the products that the factory produces. The solution is for those 5 countries to agree not to buy from the company that fired them. Of course, MN corporations would never tolerate that. So here we are.

It's not just MN corporations that wouldn't tolerate it, though... it's the general public. It'd be political suicide for an elected leader to suggest that it's better for people to suddenly pay $2000 for a netbook (by way of banning imports from cheap labor countries), even if it would be better for them long-term (more domestic manufacturing jobs to compensate for the increased prices).