You can also look around to other countries. Minimum wage in many places in Canada is $10/hr. In Australia it's over $16/hr (with discounts for age, disability, geography etc). Raising the minimum wage doesn't blow up the economy and turn the country upside down.
You can also look at those countries, their tax structures and their government programs and realize there's a huge redistribution of wealth that happens at the very same time to support the generally increased cost of living in those very same countries.
I don't have any student loans but I'm living comfortably (living in a single family home) and saving up money with less money than that and with 3 children in the DC metro area. You could throw in student loan payments and I'd still be ok. Like he was coming down on the "fast food worker," maybe he needs to learn how to live within his means.
Here's another fun fact for you.
Construction labourers (ie, unskilled, no training, shovel monkeys) make ~$16/hr (depending on demand and geography etc etc), while a carpenter apprentice (skilled, trade school educated) makes ~$14/hr.
Sometimes you make less doing skilled work because of the upside of career advancement. The labourers will be doing labour at $16/hr + inflation forever. The apprentice will become a journeyman after a few years, and can then move up to foreman ($70k), superintendent($100k), and maybe even project manager ($150k+).
You can also look around to other countries. Minimum wage in many places in Canada is $10/hr. In Australia it's over $16/hr (with discounts for age, disability, geography etc). Raising the minimum wage doesn't blow up the economy and turn the country upside down.
Very very few countries have wealth taxes, and even the ones that do seem to be eliminating them. There's no appreciable redistribution of wealth.
They may have higher income taxes on upper brackets, but this is NOT wealth redistribution, and it's not huge compared to the US.
Besides, with a higher minimum wage, you'd have fewer people on foodstamps, which decreases government funding requirements.
I really hate the term 'redistribution of wealth'. Seems synonymous for powdering the ass of those who have not been able to make a life for themselves, by leeching onto those who have become successful.
You really just don't get it, do you. I'm not talking about raw redistribution of dollars. You in Canada have a prime example of what I'm talking about: Just look at your health care system.
I really hate the term 'redistribution of wealth'. Seems synonymous for powdering the ass of those who have not been able to make a life for themselves, by leeching onto those who have become successful.
Reminds me of the Wonder Bread plant here in Tulsa shutting down last year.
The UNSKILLED workers were striking for more money. They were already making way more than they should have been, standing or sitting and pulling levers, pushing buttons, or moving trays around. It's not a mental job, and it's barely a physical one due to automation. I was always amazed when hearing how much people made there and the amount of work that was done.
Most people I know that worked there are now working jobs paying close to half what they were making. They believed the union when they said to hold out. They were wrong.
It's a different kind of story, but the idea is the same.
You're paid what you're worth. If you're paid more than you're worth, you should feel fortunate. (And don't slit the throat of the gift horse, much less look in its mouth!)
Except you're wrong. First, people deserve a living wage, period. You're immoral to want to deny them that.
Second, that is a false history - the actual one is filled with the aggressive use of capital by less than competent investors who did poorly running the business.
The problem was them, not the lowly paid workers.
Here is a fun fact for you. Engineers (The "basis" of the middle class") coming out of college on average make ~$52k a year (4 year degree). As salary there is expectations of 40hr+ min a week. (45 is a good point). Add on top of that days the business is closed/vacation time all employees get.
$52k / 50 weeks (2 weeks of vaca/closed down time) = $1040 / wk
$1040 wk / 45 hours a week = $23.11 / hr
So if minimum wage was to drastically jump to say $15-$20 for no schooling vs $23-24 an hour after 4 years of possible debt an college. And you do not see an issue with that?
Just some fun math for everyone. It goes to show it isn't just minimum wage that is falling behind, but all wages. Thus JUST raising the minimum wage would have drastic consequences as that is not the primary issue, but an overhaul of the system (which will not happen)
Except you're wrong. First, people deserve a living wage, period. You're immoral to want to deny them that.
Second, that is a false history - the actual one is filled with the aggressive use of capital by less than competent investors who did poorly running the business.
The problem was them, not the lowly paid workers.
People do not deserve a living wage.
People deserve an opportunity to work and better themselves.
And that is an immoral, ignorant ideology. It fails to understand the issues in distribution of wealth, and supports all the manipulations sending wealth to the top only.
Wrong.
You support a formula for plutocracy with mass poverty. That's all 'your side' builds.
I'm down with that. That would mean fewer fatties on the train and fewer fatties to scowl at in general.
In recent decades, for example, taxes have been shifted off corporations and the wealth onto others.
Where is it stated that people deserve a living wage.
Only by false idealists.
Except you're wrong. First, people deserve a living wage, period. You're immoral to want to deny them that.
Second, that is a false history - the actual one is filled with the aggressive use of capital by less than competent investors who did poorly running the business.
The problem was them, not the lowly paid workers.
The ideology that you support is also flawed.
If so; all of those that believe in such would be fully implementing it. They would have no savings; no extra middle class accompaniments; all that stuff would be rejected to help those less fortunate.
Hypocrisy in action.
What they do is lip service; they want others to sacrifice more because of (pick your option).
People deserve an opportunity to work and better themselves.