Was doing some web surfing and saw some links to current events and possible discussion of some of the recent democrat calls for a guaranteed annual minimum salary paid for of course by taxing the rich and the corporations. Oh yes and there was or is no apparent requirement to actually perform any work to qualify for the wages either. I got to thinking just why do all the current proponents of the guaranteed "living" wage" think they have a "brand new Idea?" The earliest I can remember was Hubert Humphrey trying to get it added to the platform of the democrats way back in 1968 during the nomination convention. Not that there weren't other people proposing the same thing earlier either. After all socialist have been around for lots longer than the sixties. Of course I was all of 16 back then and part of the discussion included making the wage start at age 18 and possibly even younger if the person was already employed in any capacity in a part time job after school. Which would have been great for me since I was a part time short order cook in a White Castle style restaurant and could then quit working and actually get more from the national guaranteed wage. Really fun discussions in my history class back then and just how many of the students actually said if there was a guaranteed annual wage then there was no reason for them to attend college or take shop classes to learn a trade. They could get the money right after school and spend the time at the beach or doing whatever they wanted since they would not have to work. More than a quarter of all the students in the class did profess they hoped the measure passed so they could avoid having to do all the hard work to earn a living. Then of course there were also the other side proponents that over joyously proclaimed that made it even easier for then to get the good paying jobs because there would be less competition because of the "free loaders" not even trying. Yeap not all the great new ideas are all that new.
Just a random thought
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Re: Just a random thought
What I have noticed here in California is that as more and more fast food change are being forced to pay a minimum of $15.00 is that is takes considerable longer to get your order. Most likely due to reduction of the number of employees. -
Re: Just a random thought
It is kind of funny when the proponents of higher minimum wage are so silent when their objective is met they are strangely silent over how many people were let go in order to actually pay the people left on the job. There was one story online about a store in I believe Seattle where the store owner actually had an increase in profits because he didn't have to pay the salaries of the seven employees laid off , nor the benefits costs of those employees too. Which in cases of older part time workers can be a real real big expense. I have also noticed that the kiosk order and pay systems are also being installed here where the cross state owners are realizing the amount of money they save by actually installing a machine that works 24/7 versus paying three employees to do the same job that one machine handles. I have also noticed that where there used to be four or more cashiers in the local fast food joints most with the kiosk order pay have one actual cashier in case of a problem with the machines. Or like in my case a special order that the kiosk does not easily set up. So I actually order from the one cashier instead.Comment
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Re: Just a random thought
Alaska Dividend: Each Resident To Be Paid $900 From Oil Trust Fund | Newsmax.comComment
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Re: Just a random thought
It is kind of funny when the proponents of higher minimum wage are so silent when their objective is met they are strangely silent over how many people were let go in order to actually pay the people left on the job. There was one story online about a store in I believe Seattle where the store owner actually had an increase in profits because he didn't have to pay the salaries of the seven employees laid off , nor the benefits costs of those employees too. Which in cases of older part time workers can be a real real big expense. I have also noticed that the kiosk order and pay systems are also being installed here where the cross state owners are realizing the amount of money they save by actually installing a machine that works 24/7 versus paying three employees to do the same job that one machine handles. I have also noticed that where there used to be four or more cashiers in the local fast food joints most with the kiosk order pay have one actual cashier in case of a problem with the machines. Or like in my case a special order that the kiosk does not easily set up. So I actually order from the one cashier instead.Comment
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Re: Just a random thought
My partner works for social services and sees very few people who want to be on government assistance. Yes there are some, but not anywhere near a majority. Most people want to work.
Gneebore, you seem to resent people on government assistance but you also don't seem to want them to make a living wage.
There are many studies around that show a raise in minimum wage causes a boost in the economy. Try Google, it is easy.
When Ontario increased the minimum wage to $14.00 the jobless rate actually dropped and the economy improved. Again, easily researched.Comment
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Re: Just a random thought
My partner works for social services and sees very few people who want to be on government assistance. Yes there are some, but not anywhere near a majority. Most people want to work.
Gneebore, you seem to resent people on government assistance but you also don't seem to want them to make a living wage.
There are many studies around that show a raise in minimum wage causes a boost in the economy. Try Google, it is easy.
When Ontario increased the minimum wage to $14.00 the jobless rate actually dropped and the economy improved. Again, easily researched.
But there have also been studies that dispute what you say about the vast majority of public assistance people preferring to not be on welfare. The average reports of welfare only include the basic assistance amount per month. Not the added rental, food and utilities assistance also. In some areas those benefits add up to the equivalent salary of 40,000 dollars a year without being taxable. Oh yeah I was actually in the possible need for food stamps a few years ago when I went on disability. Mortgage, utilities, insurance on the car house and life insurance all added up to make it very difficult to pay for simple things like food/ But one very simple little problem. My gross yearly disability benefit from Social Security was 500 more a year than the poverty level so I did not qualify for food stamps. The local food stamp office even told me so when I went there as a follow up for my disability claim. But here is a link to a recent study by the Cato Institute on welfare
Why Get off Welfare? | Cato InstituteComment
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Re: Just a random thought
I seem to remember one restaurant, possibly in Seattle, where the owner decided to pay all his workers the same, I think it was $25 an hour. The quality workers got pissed that the lazy bums were being paid the same amount and quit. I think he lasted about 6 months before going belly up.Comment
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