WtF? WHAT? WTF? Oklahoma Legislators and the Minimum Wage

[sportage]

I though I had heard it all.
Imagine passing a ban against raising a workers wage?
The dictionary defines that practice with the term WTF.
If ever there were a use of the term WTF, this would be it.
You'd had better be sitting down for this one....

http://newsok.com/gov.-fallin-signs-minimum-wage-hike-ban/article/3955375

Cities banned from setting minimum wage standards

Oklahoma’s cities and counties are banned from setting their own minimum wage standards under a bill signed into law Monday by Republican Gov. Mary Fallin.

“Senate Bill 1023 protects our economy from bad public policy that would destroy Oklahoma jobs,” Fallin said in a prepared statement. “Mandating a minimum wage increase at the local level would drive businesses to other communities and states, and would raise prices for consumers.”

Fallin’s action appears to thwart efforts by an Oklahoma City group that had been circulating a petition calling for a local vote on whether to increase the city’s minimum wage from the national standard of $7.25 an hour up to $10.10 an hour.

“Of course we’re disappointed that the governor and the Republican Legislature stood in the way of the people having the right to vote on whether they want to raise minimum wage,” Slane said. “We’re looking now at the possibility of a constitutional challenge to the law that was signed because we think that it abrogates the people’s right to have an initiative petition. ... We’re going to explore all options, including the possibility of a statewide initiative petition.”

Immoral

State Rep. Eric Proctor, D-Tulsa, argued against the bill on the House floor, contending it was “immoral” to have a minimum wage so low that a person could work full time and still be classified as living in poverty.

Fallin, however, said that raising the minimum wage would hurt Oklahomans.

“Many are high school or college students living with their parents in middle class families. Mandating an increase in the minimum wage would require businesses to fire many of those part-time workers. It would create a hardship for small business owners, stifle job creation and increase costs for consumers. And it would do all of these things without even addressing the goal of reducing poverty.”

Everybody, all together now... W T F ???
Or better yet... Republicans! WTF !!!!!

 

[AViking]

Wages are so low in some US states that European companies are sending manufacturing to the US to exploit the US labor force. In Sweden I can make $16 an hour working at McDonalds. In the US they can get people to build cars for $7 per hour.

 

[QuantumPion]

I though I had heard it all.
Imagine passing a ban against raising a workers wage?
The dictionary defines that practice with the term WTF.
If ever there were a use of the term WTF, this would be it.
You'd had better be sitting down for this one....

They didn't pass a ban on raising wages. They passed a ban on local governments raising the minimum wage.

Second of all, for a liberal you sure are a bigoted racist. Everyone knows that minimum wage laws hurt minority employment the most. Why do you hate black people and immigrants so much?

 

[fskimospy]

They didn't pass a ban on raising wages. They passed a ban on local governments raising the minimum wage.

Second of all, for a liberal you sure are a bigoted racist. Everyone knows that minimum wage laws hurt minority employment the most. Why do you hate black people and immigrants so much?

I thought conservatives believed in local government? Or is it just local government so long as they only do things you like?

 

[bshole]

Hopefully they pass a ban prohibiting LAWMAKERS from getting a raise.

 

[QuantumPion]

I thought conservatives believed in local government? Or is it just local government so long as they only do things you like?

Well you are in favor of big centralized government so I guess that means you supported every policy of the Bush, Nixon and Reagan administrations too, right?

And you are in favor of socialism so you support every policy of Cuba, North Korea, Stalin, Mao, Hitler, etc? Do you see how mindlessly childish your argument is?

 

[Pulsar]

Wages are so low in some US states that European companies are sending manufacturing to the US to exploit the US labor force. In Sweden I can make $16 an hour working at McDonalds. In the US they can get people to build cars for $7 per hour.

Thanks for that useless and incorrect data point.

To begin, a Swedish Mcdonald Value meal is around $10 US. We pay around $6. So while our minimum wage is lower, the buying power is relatively the same.

Next, the entry-level jobs at the big 3 are double what you are quoting. The starting range at Ford is at $14 an hour, and after 10 years your wages double.

So please, don't be an ass. Mcpwned already throws around enough bad data.

 

[dank69]

You have to understand the conservative thought process. They actually believe that poor people making more money is bad for the country. In their mind, it would be better for American children to be working fields for $1/hr than some filthy illegal. If it wasn't for the minimum wage, every American could have 5 jobs, just as God intended.

 

[fskimospy]

Well you are in favor of big centralized government so I guess that means you supported every policy of the Bush, Nixon and Reagan administrations too, right?

And you are in favor of socialism so you support every policy of Cuba, North Korea, Stalin, Mao, Hitler, etc? Do you see how mindlessly childish your argument is?

I'm not in favor of centralized government explicitly, I'm in favor of the right tool for the job.

Do you understand how badly you missed the point? Whether or not you are in favor of a city's choice to raise or lower their minimum wage, shouldn't conservatives believe that is their choice to make?

 

[Londo_Jowo]

You have to understand the conservative thought process. They actually believe that poor people making more money is bad for the country. In their mind, it would be better for American children to be working fields for $1/hr than some filthy illegal. If it wasn't for the minimum wage, every American could have 5 jobs, just as God intended.

It's obvious the liberal thought process is to repeat the same lie over and over in hopes that it will be considered the truth.

 

[dank69]

It's obvious the liberal thought process is to repeat the same lie over and over in hopes that it will be considered the truth.

You just described the Fox News MO. Project much?

 

[Londo_Jowo]

You just described the Fox News MO. Project much?

Considering the lie you previously posted I have to come to the following conclusion: Liberals/Left = Fox News.

Imagine that, people from both sides lie their ass off to create fear/get what they want.

 

[nehalem256]

I thought conservatives believed in local government? Or is it just local government so long as they only do things you like?

I believe that Republican's believe in STATE's rights. Oklahoma would be what exactly?:sneaky:

 

[QuantumPion]

I'm not in favor of centralized government explicitly, I'm in favor of the right tool for the job.

Do you understand how badly you missed the point? Whether or not you are in favor of a city's choice to raise or lower their minimum wage, shouldn't conservatives believe that is their choice to make?

lol ok let me dumb it down for you. Just because conservatives want government to be local does not mean we have to agree with and support everything local governments do. Just like just because you are a socialist doesn't mean you agree with and support everything Hitler did. Got it?

 

[QuantumPion]

You have to understand the conservative thought process. They actually believe that poor people making more money is bad for the country. In their mind, it would be better for American children to be working fields for $1/hr than some filthy illegal. If it wasn't for the minimum wage, every American could have 5 jobs, just as God intended.

Yup, conservatives want everyone to be poor and miserable. We want to take away your health care. We want to take away your house. We want to make the environment dirty. We want the climate to change and to destroy the earth. We are the cartoon villains from captain planet. Oh noes, you found us out.

Do you honestly believe this? That conservatives are evil cartoon villains? Could you just for a moment considered the possibility that maybe conservatives want people to be happy and successful, and its just that their idea of how to accomplish that is different than yours?

 

[dank69]

Yup, conservatives want everyone to be poor and miserable. We want to take away your health care. We want to take away your house. We want to make the environment dirty. We want the climate to change and to destroy the earth. We are the cartoon villains from captain planet. Oh noes, you found us out.

Do you honestly believe this? That conservatives are evil cartoon villains? Could you just for a moment considered the possibility that maybe conservatives want people to be happy and successful, and its just that their idea of how to accomplish that is different than yours?

Do you understand that we've tried all your ideas and they have all failed miserably?

 

[QuantumPion]

Do you understand that we've tried all your ideas and they have all failed miserably?

I'm not feeding you any more troll until you answer my previous post. No more deflecting.

 

[CPA]

I thought conservatives believed in local government? Or is it just local government so long as they only do things you like?

Since unemployment compensation is a state issue and is based on wages, it could easily be argued that minimum wage is a state issue, not a local one.

 

[glenn1]

I think minimum wage as currently applied is dumb, but would oppose efforts like this to prohibit localities from adjusting it as they saw fit. Now if this were an issue impacting worker safety, discrimination law, or something along those lines I could make a case for a state-wide standard.

 

[QuantumPion]

Since unemployment compensation is a state issue and is based on wages, it could easily be argued that minimum wage is a state issue, not a local one.

You're completely missing the point too! It's a bullshit irrelevant argument to begin with. For example, I am against gay marriage but ultimately I think it is a state's rights issue. But just because I think it's a state's rights issue doesn't mean I'm not allowed to vote against it if it came up on the ballot. Make sense?

 

[pauldun170]

Did I read this article correctly?
The state government has said it should be illegal for localities to set their own individual wage policies. That policy should be at the state and federal level.

I have no problem with this.

Since unemployment compensation is a state issue and is based on wages, it could easily be argued that minimum wage is a state issue, not a local one.

Very good point

 

[dank69]

I'm not feeding you any more troll until you answer my previous post. No more deflecting.

What answers do you want? Do I think all conservatives are cartoon villains? I suppose, if you count mindless minions in that category. Don't worry, I don't blame all of you for being stupid and easily manipulated. I know it isn't your fault. Feel better now?

 

[Jaskalas]

They didn't pass a ban on raising wages. They passed a ban on local governments raising the minimum wage.

Sounds like a power grab I'm not comfortable with. Though it's hard enough to get States recognized. The rights of smaller localities are for future generations once we sort out the bigger mess.

For now I'll oppose this while not knowing who ultimately should set wages.

 

[Newell Steamer]

LOL @ Rethuglican "no Big Government" arguments,... you guys sure drop that pretty quickly when it comes to exploiting the workers, huh?

 

[glenn1]

I'm not in favor of centralized government explicitly, I'm in favor of the right tool for the job.

Do you understand how badly you missed the point? Whether or not you are in favor of a city's choice to raise or lower their minimum wage, shouldn't conservatives believe that is their choice to make?

You and other progressives have already used the federal government to trump the ability of state and local governments to set their own lower limit on minimum wage, so you really can't complain too much if a state turns around and sets an upper limit you don't agree with.