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But,KING GEORGE SAID Leave no conservative behind! Full speed ahead!

King George has let the consevatives down!!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Democratic-controlled House voted Wednesday to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, bringing America's lowest-paid workers a crucial step closer to their first raise in a decade.

The vote was 315-116, with 82 Republicans joining Democrats to pass it.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/10/minimum.wage.ap/index.html
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$7 phr is nothing, over 3 years?

They are always claiming that raising the minimum wage will hurt small business, and in a way it will because business is down. Even our business is hurting but we have been starting at $7 phr for years and if it looks like you will stay, it goes up dollar by dollar to $10 phr in a few months. But then they are stuck there for years. My salery has been stuck for years also and I use to have my own business selling antiques on the side but that is dead also.

But more money in the pockets of workers will not only raise the quality of their lives but it will help businesses because they will spend it. But it's not enough, they need at least $12. The problem is the wealth is concentrated at the top and it's not "trickling down" to the people. We need to increase the taxes on the wealthy and give tax breaks to the middle class, while there still is one. The wealthy pay more and are supposed to pay more. That's how the system works, "the more you get out of the system the more you put back in" and it is the governments responsibility to see that the systems serves all citizens, not just the wealthy.
"Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" for all.

The minimum wage was last raised in 1997, and we also found that Congress raised its own wages eight times during that same period of time. But even if you look at that minimum wage raise to $7.25 an hour in 2009, that will not even bring people up to the level of poverty. In fact, we found that if you increase the minimum wage by 70 cents for every year, it would take up to the year 2013 to even reach the poverty level.
quote:
Originally posted by PBA54:
But,KING GEORGE SAID Leave no conservative behind! Full speed ahead!

King George has let the consevatives down!!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Democratic-controlled House voted Wednesday to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, bringing America's lowest-paid workers a crucial step closer to their first raise in a decade.

The vote was 315-116, with 82 Republicans joining Democrats to pass it.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/10/minimum.wage.ap/index.html


I hope the people making minimum wage don't think for a second that they just became richer. Actually employers just had to raise the cost of their business because the government decided for them what they could pay their workers. Thus, making those who are paid wages higher than minimum wage a little poorer. Great job donkey party.
quote:
Originally posted by grease_lightning:
quote:
Originally posted by PBA54:
But,KING GEORGE SAID Leave no conservative behind! Full speed ahead!

King George has let the consevatives down!!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Democratic-controlled House voted Wednesday to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, bringing America's lowest-paid workers a crucial step closer to their first raise in a decade.

The vote was 315-116, with 82 Republicans joining Democrats to pass it.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/10/minimum.wage.ap/index.html


I hope the people making minimum wage don't think for a second that they just became richer. Actually employers just had to raise the cost of their business because the government decided for them what they could pay their workers. Thus, making those who are paid wages higher than minimum wage a little poorer. Great job donkey party.


Personally, I think that employers who don't pay that kind of money to start with is making the big bucks, I think they CAN afford it, they just dont want to do it.

The Rich will always get richer off the poor, and the middle class is crumbling, but for goodness sake, the five bucks they have been paying for years is absolutley NO money these days,.. it is amazing that anyone would work for them if that is all they had to offer.

Don't kid yourself, the rich keep on getting rich by shafting the poor and middle class.

I just wish that the gov't would put Income Tax at a 15% "Across the board" tax on each and every person who works, or owns businesses and forget April 15th tax date. Let 'em just keep it. THEN we might see people who can actually afford to feed their kids instead of groveling.

I am thankful that I have the job I have, and that the pay raises yearly is negotiated, but I am in the minority on that in this area.

But I am a VOICE for those in need... If we had the 500 billion TAX dollars that WE paid, maybe then the economy would be completely straightened out...
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
No one is stuck in their job. If you don't like how much you make, find something that makes more. I worked for minimum wage, now I make more. I'm not going to let the government dictate how much I should be making. How do you think people get rich anyway?


So true, Nash. While having an ultasound on my thyroid recently, the technician, who was probably in her mid to upper 40's, told me as a single mom she decided to balance that and go back to school to change her career path so she'd make more money and be subject to better healthcare. That's just what she did.

Just like the man who mailed himself some DVD's from his local post office to see if it can be done, later creating a mulit-million dollar industry (which our family uses) known as Netflix, he made himself rich.

The only reason I see of someone being stuck in their job is because of health insurance.
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
No one is stuck in their job. If you don't like how much you make, find something that makes more. I worked for minimum wage, now I make more. I'm not going to let the government dictate how much I should be making. How do you think people get rich anyway?


Nash, if you think THAT, then you just don't know as much about our area as you say you do... there are people who are stuck. There are people with children to feed, cannot afford to go to college, cannot afford to make that next step. Yes, of course they SHOULD have thought of all that... but haven't YOU ever made a wrong decision in life? Of course you have, now think back on it, and realize that there are so many around here that cannot afford to miss even one minute's work for fear of losing their mickey mouse job, because someone is sitting there waiting to grab it... we are in a depressed economy right now... sad but true.
quote:
Originally posted by Kindred_Spirit:
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
No one is stuck in their job. If you don't like how much you make, find something that makes more. I worked for minimum wage, now I make more. I'm not going to let the government dictate how much I should be making. How do you think people get rich anyway?


Nash, if you think THAT, then you just don't know as much about our area as you say you do... there are people who are stuck. There are people with children to feed, cannot afford to go to college, cannot afford to make that next step. Yes, of course they SHOULD have thought of all that... but haven't YOU ever made a wrong decision in life? Of course you have, now think back on it, and realize that there are so many around here that cannot afford to miss even one minute's work for fear of losing their mickey mouse job, because someone is sitting there waiting to grab it... we are in a depressed economy right now... sad but true.



Yes, and in this area, education isn't even always the answer. Sure there's a difference between high school diploma opportunities and college, but there is a ceiling also. Ph.D. in hand, and making less than probably half of what many of you here make. I just base that on the people I know with diverse education backgrounds and their salaries. Friend with H.S. diploma only makes 4x what I do. The job market here may, in fact, be better geared for those who work the industrialized labor jobs with baseline salaries rather than those that are - in other areas - the kinds that lead to promotions and raises.
No one is stuck unless they choose to be stuck. This is the land of opportunity, you just have to work hard and take advantage of it. Plenty of people go to school with kids, my mom did. Plenty of people move to other areas with better opportunities, I did and so did my sister. If you don't like how much you're making, find a different job. If you need more education, make time and get it. Minimum wage is not meant to raise a family on. Raising it just hurts those who are trying to by making it cheaper to fire them and hire illegals. This was a huge mistake by Bush.
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Originally posted by Kindred_Spirit:
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
No one is stuck in their job. If you don't like how much you make, find something that makes more. I worked for minimum wage, now I make more. I'm not going to let the government dictate how much I should be making. How do you think people get rich anyway?


Nash, if you think THAT, then you just don't know as much about our area as you say you do... there are people who are stuck. There are people with children to feed, cannot afford to go to college, cannot afford to make that next step. Yes, of course they SHOULD have thought of all that... but haven't YOU ever made a wrong decision in life? Of course you have, now think back on it, and realize that there are so many around here that cannot afford to miss even one minute's work for fear of losing their mickey mouse job, because someone is sitting there waiting to grab it... we are in a depressed economy right now... sad but true.


KS, I beg to differ. Absolutely every action taken by an individual is by choice. Preceeding every action is a decision. For an individual to tacitly continue working a low wage/dead end job and never try to do something different is their decision. Before work, at lunch or after work....what is so sacred about these times that one cannot seek out a better situation for themselves? Bad decisions in the past? Why not use the negative outcome as a learning tool? Dropped out of High School because ____________? Why not get a GED? My mom teaches free GED classes at NWShoals. Present circumstances can always be attributed to decisions made in the past. Why not decide to get a better paying job?
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Originally posted by NashBama:
Plenty of people move to other areas with better opportunities, I did and so did my sister. If you don't like how much you're making, find a different job. If you need more education, make time and get it.


Nash, you made my point. Sure, a person *may* be in a position wherein he or she can get more education to advance his or her employment and payment opportunities. But that usually tops out with the Ph.D. in a good field, which I have. And yes, one can move to another area to do the same. But it's hard to get a decent salary in THIS area. That means - even if one has had the opportunity to get as much education as possible - one still has to make the decision of whether it's worth it to live in this area for such lower wages. It's just a balance to look at. I chose to stay because I love the Shoals enough to make it worth it. At the same time, I miss all my friends who moved away for the better job & salary opportunities. Beyond basic economics, it's the sad part about the area.
You don't have to get a PhD in a field to make money. Learn a skill, get certification, find a job. Sure it may pay a little lower than other places, it's the Shoals. If you can make enough to support a family, save, and invest, you're doing fine. If you're looking to the government to give you a raise because you lack the ambition of getting out of a bottom rung job, that's your problem. Why reward that while hurting small business at the same time? Like I said, with illegals willing to work for $3 and hour and we just raised the cost to hire Americans to $7, who is that really helping?
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
You don't have to get a PhD in a field to make money. Learn a skill, get certification, find a job. Sure it may pay a little lower than other places, it's the Shoals. If you can make enough to support a family, save, and invest, you're doing fine. If you're looking to the government to give you a raise because you lack the ambition of getting out of a bottom rung job, that's your problem. Why reward that while hurting small business at the same time? Like I said, with illegals willing to work for $3 and hour and we just raised the cost to hire Americans to $7, who is that really helping?


I agree 100% with you Nash. I'm tired of the U.S. Government thinking they know what is best for businesses. If you don't like the job you've got....then get another job. It may not happen tomorrow, but you have to put the ball in motion. Stop waiting on someone to feel sorry for you. I could give you the sob story of feeding kids and barely making ends meet. It is no fun, but instead of having a pity party, I decided to work toward better. And thank God it is! Thanks Nash for your views on this.
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Posted 11 January 2007 04:09 PM Hide Post
What kills me, is the fact that area employers want PROFESSIONAL workers, doing PROFESSIONAL-quality work....for SUB-professional pay levels.

And the dang reason is just the same, we are still here. Companys know the workforce in a given area, and this area is well know as a wonderful place to live and have a family.So Darn good we ,the people, will work for less to be able to stay here.I think big Biz has done the reasearch.
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
No one is stuck in their job. If you don't like how much you make, find something that makes more. I worked for minimum wage, now I make more. I'm not going to let the government dictate how much I should be making. How do you think people get rich anyway?


Let us know when you get rich Nash... (just kidding) Oh, and PLEASE let us know HOW to get rich, I wanna be rich before I retire, hehe....

I know what you are saying, but the gov't controls what I make, because I work for them, lol...I get paid good... but I also see SOOOOOO many people and SOOOOOO few jobs that most people just have a hard time.

Heck, all of us these days have a hard time, everything is just SOOOOO expensive, and even us old=timers who make pretty good salaries are just trying to make it through the Bush Era.

Too many people, not enough jobs, the Employer's market!!! When it is the Employer's market (as proven by history) they just don't pay anyone a 'livable' salary... now when and if it becomes an Employee's market, you shall see many changes.

I have lived through both sides of that coin. But thankfully I have kept the same job for nearly 27 years. Good money, good retirement, good benefits... but I am one of the lucky ones.

For every ONE of me, there are hundreds, if not thousands who are not lucky enough to have the kind of job I have, and absolutely cannot get it, Employers are doing this on purpose for the most part, because they know there is another poor person out there with a family that has been laid off and cannot find ANYTHING around here, so Employers use that to their benefit.

I am totally amazed at the LACK of humanity on this post. I bet you guys dont even grab a name of a child off an Angel Tree for Christmas either...

Tolerance of others lifestyles, educations, lack of education and those who just cannot be educated DESERVE a chance to at least have a REAL life.

Karma again,... What goes around COMES around... those you are judging today, just may be your boss tomorrow. Somehow or another, things have a way of working out that way sometimes.

Hell of a lot better than sending a billion dollars a day to Iraq...
Yes, my wife and I participate in the Angle Tree program and we donate to other charities.

How did you get your job, Kindred? Did you work hard, get experience, and advance your career? I'm guessing you did. I worked low paying jobs, but I didn't want to be stuck there. I worked hard, got an education, and moved up. I don't like what I'm currently being paid, so am I going to gripe and moan about my mean ole employers? No, I'm updating my resume. It's a method that works for anyone, no one is stuck where they are.

The Shoals may have less jobs than workers, but for the rest of the country there are plenty of good paying jobs out there. All you have to do is set a goal, work hard towards it, be smart with your money, and you'll do fine. Successful people do this all the time. Unsuccessful people believe it when they are told they are stuck. They are not smart with their money and make no attempts at advancing their career. Raising the minimum wage does nothing to help them. It actually hurts them because it makes it more appealing to fire them in favor of a cheaper illegal. Do you want more of your tax money taken out of your check to support more welfare recipients? That's what's going to happen by raising the minimum wage.
One day a few years ago, I was working in retail management in Nashville. A woman walked up to me and asked, "Is there no one here to help me?" I was struggling to do paperwork and run a cash register at the same time and it was that way day after day. Being pretty well fed up with retail life, I said, "No mam, I'm sorry." She commented that she used to have to fight off all the kids coming up to her, asking if they could help. Then she wondered what happened to all those kids. I know I shouldn't have but I went ahead and said it. "When they kept raising the minimum wage, companies like ours had to get rid of all those young people." She just had a puzzled look on her face. That told me right away she was a defacrat. She didn't have a clue just like many of the posters on this board. Businesses are only in business to make a profit and since giving good customer service just went out the window with the minimum wage raise, the two obvious ways to do this are: 1. Raise prices 2. Cut labor costs By artificially jacking up the cost of doing business by $2 an hour, these companies will probably have to do both. So you dim-ocrats had better learn to help yourselves because there won't be anyone there to help you. Is it any wonder the democraps picked the ass for their party symbol?
The passing of the minimum wage hike is going to affect about 5% of the workforce in a positive way. However, the negative impact will be far greater. Contrary to belief, not all small business owners are wealthy. They will have to raise prices or hire less workers to compensate for this increase. Also, each state should be able to set their own minimum wage due to the differences in the standard of living across the country. Another point about the ineffectiveness of the minimum wage is that most workers who make minimum wage are either supported by their parents because they are still in school or they have a job where they earn tips. If you average in the tips to their pay, the hourly wage is well over 7.25. This is just another attempt by liberals to appear concerned about the poverty in this country. With the extra wages now should we expect a tax hike.

As for the job situation in this area. I agree that it is heavily industrial and there is not much of a need for highly educated individuals overall. I am a recent graduate of UNA with a double major in finance and economics. However, I can't find the work I want so I am going to work in a factory until something opens up in my field of study. This is the price I am willing to pay to live in the area. Everyone has choices and there are costs associated with these choices. If you want to make more money get a degree. Then you can have choices. If you refuse to leave this area then you can't complain about the wages.
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Originally posted by dogsoldier0513:
What kills me, is the fact that area employers want PROFESSIONAL workers, doing PROFESSIONAL-quality work....for SUB-professional pay levels. Roll Eyes

Arguement, 28 states have minimum wage laws with higher rates than the US federal minimum.
I may have been misinformed, but, it is my belief that Alabama does not have a minimum wage law at all.
quote:
Originally posted by NashBama:
This just gave employees more incentive to hire illegals for low wages, putting American workers out of a job, making welfare more appealing, and attracting more illegals to this country. Good going Bush.

NashBama,

One of the issues concerning reconstruction after Katrina is the Bush exemption from "PREVAILING" wages on Federal contracts. The major consequence of that exemption has been the hiring of potentially undocumented workers to do the cleanup and construction work. American workers will clean up a work place, preventing the use of illegals, only if the wages and working conditions are satisfactory.
American workers will not take pittance wages, unsafe working conditions, or excessive hours and they will not compete for jobs that include those conditions.
I usually read the other posts before replying; this is one topic THE DOG don't give a **** what anyone else thinks. It is about time the people who work the hardest, including those who work in the so-called "mailroom" of the Times-Daily, get the wages they deserve. It is a shame and disgrace that the folks who are stuck at the bottom of the wage chain usually perform the hardest jobs: eg: Burger King, Mc Donalds. Dollar General all the stores you see multiplying around the Shoals. Thanks Forrest! And I just dare Sam "The Sham" Pendleton to address the public with be grateful for your minimum wage jobs in his final remarks one more time. Is it no wonder this area is shrinking? Maybe now that the Democrats are looking out for the "little people" the fat cats will lose some weight! THE DOG GROWLS!
quote:
Originally posted by MADDOG 20/20:
I usually read the other posts before replying; this is one topic THE DOG don't give a **** what anyone else thinks. It is about time the people who work the hardest, including those who work in the so-called "mailroom" of the Times-Daily, get the wages they deserve. It is a shame and disgrace that the folks who are stuck at the bottom of the wage chain usually perform the hardest jobs: eg: Burger King, Mc Donalds. Dollar General all the stores you see multiplying around the Shoals. Thanks Forrest! And I just dare Sam "The Sham" Pendleton to address the public with be grateful for your minimum wage jobs in his final remarks one more time. Is it no wonder this area is shrinking? Maybe now that the Democrats are looking out for the "little people" the fat cats will lose some weight! THE DOG GROWLS!


I started in a really crappy job paying very little, as it was what was available at the time. I worked my a** off for raises. Taking risks, working extra long hours, doing what no one else would do, learning to do everything I could.

I still have a crappy job, paying enough to support my family until I finish college, through my hard work to earn raises. With this however, my hard work will be for nothing, as the better part of those raises will go away, and I'll bet 90% of employers will not add such raises ontop of the minimum hike. And most if not all business owners will raise their cost of business by $3 or more an hour to offset the increase. Prices will increase due to that offset, and those that were "getting by" will be in the same shape as someone starting at Mcdonald's.

The people making $7-$10 will carry almost all of the weight of this hike in minimum wage. They will be back at minimum wage, after years of hard work, so that work was for nothing. Yeah, I feel really "helped"!
"
quote:
The major consequence of that exemption has been the hiring of potentially undocumented workers to do the cleanup and construction work. American workers will clean up a work place, preventing the use of illegals, only if the wages and working conditions are satisfactory.
American workers will not take pittance wages, unsafe working conditions, or excessive hours and they will not compete for jobs that include those conditions.


First of all, an undocumented worker is an illegal alien. Second, Americans will work under any working conditions if the pay is enough for them to support a family. Just look at the factory workers during the late 19th century, the coal miners in the early 20th century, look at all of the workers during the depression of the 30's. My great-granddad owned a lumber mill in Lauderdale Co in the late 30's. He employed people for 50 cents a day. Those weren't 8 hour days, they were sun up to sun down days. It was a very dangerous job but the pay was just enough to live on during hard times and he had no problem finding people willing to work. So don't give me that crap that Americans won't work in certain conditions, that's an insult to those Americans that built this country working in far worse conditions than post Katrina N.O. It's the business owners who are trying to increase their profit by hiring illegals who undercut American workers. They aren't concerned about minimum wage, they'll work for much cheaper.

Pay an American a fair wage for a job, and they'll work any job. It's that simple.

quote:
It is about time the people who work the hardest, including those who work in the so-called "mailroom" of the Times-Daily, get the wages they deserve.


They do get the wages they deserve. Those are bottom rung jobs requiring no skill. I know because I've worked them. If someone in those jobs wants more money, then learn a skill and get a better job. That's why the turnover rate is so high with these jobs, most of the workers move on to better paying careers. Why is that so hard for people to understand?
quote:
Originally posted by Kindred_Spirit:
I am totally amazed at the LACK of humanity on this post. I bet you guys dont even grab a name of a child off an Angel Tree for Christmas either...

Tolerance of others lifestyles, educations, lack of education and those who just cannot be educated DESERVE a chance to at least have a REAL life.

Karma again,... What goes around COMES around... those you are judging today, just may be your boss tomorrow. Somehow or another, things have a way of working out that way sometimes.

Hell of a lot better than sending a billion dollars a day to Iraq...


Everyone doesn't a right to a great paying job. Everyone does have a right to an education though. People have to live with their choices. Enough of this fairness junk, this is a capitalist country not a socialist. Acoording to Churchhill, "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings: the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries". I do agree that everyone who is fortunate enough should do their part to help out the less fortunate, but I do not believe in this being forced upon us through mandated wage hikes which help about 5% of the workers in this country.
You defacrats need to get a dose of reality. There are several million of your fellow dimocrats in this country who will never go to work at ANY wage. You know it, Bob Dole knows it, the American people know it. You see them everyday: one jobless (worthless) woman, a string of 5 kids aged 4 to 10, going into a local supermarket to spend $200 worth of MY money in foodstamps. Or the 4 jobless (worthless) guys with their pants hanging around their knees with their cellphones permanently pasted to the side of their heads. These defacrats have learned that they will never have to work as long as they keep voting for the new age communist party (dimocrat) and the stupid tax paying vote right along with them. Talk about a dog biting its on tail! I guess kindred spirit thinks this is ok. I've got a good idea. If you think paying all these dopeheaded, reproductive machines with more tax dollars as long as they vote for the leftist dummycrats, YOU PAY FOR IT! Instead of making all of us pay for it, just pull out your little checkbooks and sign your hard-earned money away. It will not bother me, trust me.
quote:
Originally posted by grease_lightning:
quote:
Originally posted by PBA54:
But,KING GEORGE SAID Leave no conservative behind! Full speed ahead!

King George has let the consevatives down!!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Democratic-controlled House voted Wednesday to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, bringing America's lowest-paid workers a crucial step closer to their first raise in a decade.

The vote was 315-116, with 82 Republicans joining Democrats to pass it.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/10/minimum.wage.ap/index.html


I hope the people making minimum wage don't think for a second that they just became richer. Actually employers just had to raise the cost of their business because the government decided for them what they could pay their workers. Thus, making those who are paid wages higher than minimum wage a little poorer. Great job donkey party.


Here is a fair question, have you ever worked for low wage jobs? Why does it take a law to make people pay a fair wage? other wise you would not make it at all. I do not know how anyone could live on min wage. So,What do you think is fair wage if not min wage?Q: How do you shoot a red elephant?
A: Hold his trunk shut until he turns blue, and then shoot him with the blue elephant gun.
Last edited by Jan55
quote:
Here is a fair question, have you ever worked for low wage jobs? Why does it take a law to make people pay a fair wage? other wise you would not make it at all. I do not know how anyone could live on min wage.


You're not supposed to live on minimum wage. I've worked for minimum wage, it's not very much at all. It's more motivation to get a better paying job. Besides, with the illegal immigration problem getting worse, there will be fewer minimum wage workers and more illegals working for less than $7 an hour.
quote:
Originally posted by kperk:
You defacrats need to get a dose of reality. There are several million of your fellow dimocrats in this country who will never go to work at ANY wage. You know it, Bob Dole knows it, the American people know it. You see them everyday: one jobless (worthless) woman, a string of 5 kids aged 4 to 10, going into a local supermarket to spend $200 worth of MY money in foodstamps. Or the 4 jobless (worthless) guys with their pants hanging around their knees with their cellphones permanently pasted to the side of their heads. These defacrats have learned that they will never have to work as long as they keep voting for the new age communist party (dimocrat) and the stupid tax paying vote right along with them. Talk about a dog biting its on tail! I guess kindred spirit thinks this is ok. I've got a good idea. If you think paying all these dopeheaded, reproductive machines with more tax dollars as long as they vote for the leftist dummycrats, YOU PAY FOR IT! Instead of making all of us pay for it, just pull out your little checkbooks and sign your hard-earned money away. It will not bother me, trust me.

kperk, give me a break. We do and you do too. I want to, you don't. My side outnumbers your side. Democracy works that way. I don't find welfare cheating tollerable, I insist that people who ask for government assistance provide credible evidence of need. I insist that the able get ambitious.
kperk, one of the biggest government giveaways in history was the World War Two GI Bill. The whole cost to the government (you and me) of that program has been repaid in tax revenues by a factor of four. For every dollar spent on that program the estimated increase in tax liabilty has provided 4 dollars of tax revenue.
We could provide two year college educations to EVERY citizen who is able to meet the demands and produce millions of people who were in careers they were happy with, millions more who could cover the cost of another two years of education, with the increased earning power the Associates Degree provided, and Create a progressive society that could compete with ANY society. But, that would require taxes.
At the moment, and you KNOW this, minimum wage will not provide a high school graduate with enough income to pay for college, and still leave him time and energy to go to college. The supply of unskilled labor is UNLIMITED. An astrophysicist in good health can clean vegetables on a food processing line. But, a high school graduate cannot calculate the orbital speed needed for a geosynchronous orbit. But, some high school graduates can learn to be astrophysicists. The qualifier is money to pay for the education.
THAT IS REALITY. And, you benefit from the astrophysicist. You may get Sattelite TV. You may work on an assembly line putting satellite radios in cars. You may be rescued by a fireman using a GPS device to find you from the coordinates provided by your cell phone. BUT, NOT IF THE KID WASHING VEGETABLES DOES NOT GET EDUCATED.
People need to quit looking at this as a moral issue and just look at the eonomics. I'm all for helping the poor and needy, but this is not the way.The popular misconception is "if your against raising the minimum wage, your a rich, cold hearted, conservative Republican." If your for raising the minmum wage you must be a more caring individual. That's just BS the politicians want you to believe. Rich against poor, liberal against conservative, Democrat against Republican. It's just a way of buying votes.
The mninmum wage was never intnde to be a living wage. It was intended to be a starting point.
Raising the minimum wage is a way for government to redistribute money. I have seen so many arguments citing places such as Walmart, Burger King, McDonalds etc., but for every one of them there are ten small private businesses out there struggling to make ends meet.
Think about the numbers. If , as Rep. Bill Pascrell said, it will put $4,400 in poor familys pockets. Where is that money going to come from ? A business can either lay someone off (which will happen some), increase his prices (which will happen a lot therby defeating an increase) or pay the increased cost of labor himself ( redistributing money).
Sure a guy making a million a year with 50 minimum wage employees can afford it more than the guy making 40g a year with one minimum wage employee. Unfortunatly it's raised for everyone.
An employees' wages should be determined by his employer and his moral standards not by some politician 2000 miles away. As was quoted in an earlier post, the government is resposible for Life,Liberty, and pursuit of happiness, not Life, Liberty, and Happiness.
I heard a report tonite that Ms. Pelosi wanted to grant an exemption to the tuna industry. I want one of those also. Wink
This is just another example of the government "not doing anything, but it sounds good". Now go out and vote for me. Roll Eyes
Here it is for even the dimmest of liberal bulbs to understand. Lets take it back to the 1930's scale to make it easier to understand. I own a lemonade stand. I employ a youngster to work the stand. I pay him 10 cents an hour and we sell the lemonade for 10 cents a cup. Suddenly the dimocrats tell me I have to pay the youngster 15 cents an hour. To keep my profit margin I raise my lemonade to 20 cents an hour. On his off day, the youngster comes to the stand and pays 10 cents more for a cup of lemonade, then goes next door and buys a candy bar that has also gone up a dime because of the dims, and a pack of babeball cards for more money than the day before. Now tell me, how has he been helped by that extra nickel. As a 17 year old, I worked for 2.35 an hour, I moved up to 3.10 an hour with my next job. Then I hit the jackpot! $4.14 an hour! By then I was 20. I now make a decent living but it took many years of looking for a better paying job each time out. And by the way, I DON'T have a college education. I just kept working and looking and to this day I'm STILL looking. The problem is, millions of people have been suckered into believing that they are entitled to good money right off the bat and if they don't get it, then just sit at home and draw welfare. If thats the way it worked, hardly anyone would be working! We'd all be sitting at home on our big fat cans, collecting welfare and making more dependents.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by kperk:
"Here it is for even the dimmest of liberal bulbs to understand."

Okay. Waiting.

"To keep my profit margin I raise my lemonade to 20 cents an hour."

20 cents an hour? That's a good deal. On a hot day, I could drink a gallon in an hour.

"And by the way, I DON'T have a college education."

No need to overstate the obvio...nevermind.
"At the moment, and you KNOW this, minimum wage will not provide a high school graduate with enough income to pay for college, and still leave him time and energy to go to college."

I used Pell Grants, student loans, endured lots of late nights and long days when I was in school. The degree hanging on the wall near my computer proves the quoted statement wrong.

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