charger — Jul 09, 2014[quote author=Hookbender link=1404776484/0#1 date=1404786206]Seems to me like this article is a bit one sided. Makes sense, but higher wages forced on companies like Walmart etc will surely also have negative effects. Right? And I'm not so sure putting more money in these uneducated people's hand will do them that much good. I think our schools should be training our children how to handle money. Until then, i'd be in favor of companies making handling money be part of their training. You can give many uneducated people $500,000 and that shit would be gone in a year or 2 and they'd be right back to where they started. Not much will ever take the place of education. Interesting read.
So basically, you think that if people made $15 an hour, they wouldn't know what to do with it? I have a friend who is 40, single, works full time as a butcher, and makes $11 an hour. Her monthly take home pay is around $1400. She shares a house with three other people, and pays $900 for rent. She gets federal assistance, without it she would not be able to pay for everything she needs to live. That a person can be employed full time and not be able to afford to live without federal assistance is the root of the problem.
WalMart is the nation's largest employer, and their employees take home an average of $1000 in federal aid each. As the article points out, walmart could pay a million workers $10,000 more per year and still make 15 billion in profit per year.
It strikes me as odd that not one of you thinks that the minimum wage being higher would be a good thing, even with all the arguments made. We've done it in California, and the article points to the highest job growth areas of Seattle and San Francisco, where the minimum wage is even higher.
I think that everyone cares too much about the rich keeping their money. I felt like this guy was an ass when I read the first few paragraphs too. My instinct was to think, ok, give some of that money away, asshole. But that's not the point; the point is paying more to the poor and middle class benefits everyone. The rich are richer than ever, fewer people control more wealth than ever, and this is absolutely not sustainable. Eventually fewer and fewer people will be able to buy the products that keep these companies growing and rolling in dough. The consumer base will be so narrow that these companies will start making 10 or 15 billion less per year anyway, without any benefit to anyone... And eventually they will collapse. That's how it works. There aren't enough rich people out there to support the system, especially because they don't consume enough. Sure, they invest in the stock market. When's the last time that benefited the poor or middle class? Most people don't even own stock in anything. Most money made in the stock market goes to the same people who already have money.
I'd suggest reading the article again without your political filter. Look at the raw numbers and think about the possibility that some rich people will make less, versus the possibility that everyone will make nothing. We're looking at a reality that is destined for collapse.
I'm saying, basically, not in a insulting way, that the person is who they are man. It just won't help much. It will only burden employers with higher payroll, imo. These people made poor decisions to be in the position their in. They, themselves, and their position, is evidence of that. You know, it's odd that people that have no job, and are living solely on funds from government, can afford a pack of cigs or so a day at what, $4 to $8 bucks depending on where you live, isn't it? Poor decision making, lack of education, maybe screwed up horrible family life.... whatever, these people are the victims of, probably their parents. It would seem that we could change the pattern somehow. Anyway, their decision making won't get better because they have more money to mishandle, that was my point. And if your friend has that much trouble living in the area she does, maybe she should relocate, cause she can't afford to live there.... (I'm assuming it's California) She could easily live on that in Alabama, for example. ;D
Min wage?? Higher? That it needs to be considered is kinda scary to me.
This collapse thing has been discussed for years. I think I accidentally come across it in an article once a year or so.
All this makes since but their are so many other variables to consider.
Our government can't and doesn't handle money well. They overspend. They go without budgets for years at a time, and when they do have a budget, they ignore it and just take more from the taxpayers. Notice I said take, not borrow. They took all this money, wasn't it 800 Billion or something to fix roads and bridges, last I read, not even half that money went for the intended purpose. So governments stupidity, the people that are really stupid and unlawful pricks that steal and lie, fuck up and the next thing that happens is the innocent, in this case the taxpayers, have to pay the price, be punished, for the wrong-doers actions. They get taxed more. So if you raise the min wage, the employers get punished for the people who made some poor decisions, or whatever. So they have to pay people who make poor decisions even more money to make poor decisions in their business. ;D It's just a bandage, in my opinion. These people need a high school education, then college. They need to be given a plan with achievable goals to work their way out of their current situation. Help them that way, thats what I think, which doesn't mean much but hey, just giving my opinion. Throwing money at problems doesn't always work. If you came to me and said a plan is in the working to help these people in the ways i mentioned, but until then, we need to help these folks out, then you get the benefit of the doubt, maybe. But that would be honesty, can't have that in politics can we. :)