Good Read and some should take note.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour and see what happens. I doubt it will have the effect you think it will.

The minimum wage once was at well over $10.00 an hour (in today's dollars). The economy was doing much better then. And there were fewer people dependent on government assistance. Might have something to do with working people being able to take care of themselves from the fruits of their labor. This race to the bottom we're on benefits only a select few.

[Peikko 1,575]

And you would suffer someone to spend decades as a drooling diapered bottle fed lump . Why ?

Have you ever interacted with the disabled? I have a suggestion for you, instead of advocating vile views on message boards, go out and volunteer your excess free time with an organisation that assists the disabled then that question will be answered for you.

[Peikko 1,575]

The minimum wage once was at well over $10.00 an hour (in today's dollars). The economy was doing much better then. And there were fewer people dependent on government assistance. Might have something to do with working people being able to take care of themselves from the fruits of their labor. This race to the bottom we're on benefits only a select few.

Wherever the money is going, it's not trickling down to anywhere near enough people to promote a vivrant economy. Wealth is there, but it's mostly invisible, playing stock market games.

[Karee 4,191]

The minimum wage once was at well over $10.00 an hour (in today's dollars). The economy was doing much better then. And there were fewer people dependent on government assistance. Might have something to do with working people being able to take care of themselves from the fruits of their labor. This race to the bottom we're on benefits only a select few.

Looks like it was $10.56 in today's dollars back in 1968 according to this chart:

I'd argue that we weren't competing on a global scale back in 1968. That didn't start happening until the last 20 years or so. Also, in 1968 we had a large domestic manufacturing sector which has largely gone overseas.

It seems raising the minimum wage could have a few negative effects.

1. It would more than likely raise prices on goods and services. Raise inflation etc. The companies will simply pass the higher cost of doing business on to their customers.

2. In order to not raise prices, companies would be forced to offer products at the same price with less labor. Meaning you're making more money, but you're also doing more work.

3. Raise unemployment. See #2.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Nature culls the weak and those that can not thrive and the species improves. Man tries to do the opposite. They try to incorporate the weak and defective and lower the standards to that of the east capable. It is the core of the downfall of America. It has eroded every system , work , education, health, government.

Your statement describes democracy and a civil society, and indicates that you would have been well suited for leadership in Nazi Germany.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It seems raising the minimum wage could have a few negative effects.

1. It would more than likely raise prices on goods and services. Raise inflation etc. The companies will simply pass the higher cost of doing business on to their customers.

2. In order to not raise prices, companies would be forced to offer products at the same price with less labor. Meaning you're making more money, but you're also doing more work.

3. Raise unemployment. See #2.

I'd agree that raising the minimum wage in isolation doesn't make sense as it would probably do as much damage as good. Just as squeezing wages has done tremendous damage to our economy. Virtually all bottom line growth of corporate America comes from cutting costs these days and just about none from improved sales revenues. Why? Well, because all that cost cutting is also cutting demand so the dollar you bring to the bottom line today cutting comp is a lost dollar in tomorrow's revenue which will force you to cut the next dollar with the same result. That's what corporate America has been doing for quite a while now - a decade plus. We're about at the end of that rope and once we're there, it's the 1920's all over again. One can only hope that we get smart enough to reverse course and start climbing on that rope so that we may avoid reaching the end of it.

[Karee 4,191]

I'd agree that raising the minimum wage in isolation doesn't make sense as it would probably do as much damage as good. Just as squeezing wages has done tremendous damage to our economy. Virtually all bottom line growth of corporate America comes from cutting costs these days and just about none from improved sales revenues. Why? Well, because all that cost cutting is also cutting demand so the dollar you bring to the bottom line today cutting comp is a lost dollar in tomorrow's revenue which will force you to cut the next dollar with the same result. That's what corporate America has been doing for quite a while now - a decade plus. We're about at the end of that rope and once we're there, it's the 1920's all over again. One can only hope that we get smart enough to reverse course and start climbing on that rope so that we may avoid reaching the end of it.

Funny you bring that up. I recently completed a contract with a large telecommunications company here in the U.S. I found myself questioning their policies related to not hiring employees full time and also sending the vast majority of their software development to India. The offshore stuff was actually pretty ignorant, at least in the way they implemented it. Their contractor policy is also somewhat ignorant in that they will only hire contractors for 2.5 years and then they have to leave for 6 months. Just getting someone on board and somewhat trained on the internal systems took months, not to mention getting them up to speed on the tasks they would be performing. No benefits, no paid holidays, no vacation etc. It was at least W-2, so I didn't have to get nailed with a 1099 at the end of the year.

I also questioned if this company wasn't actually shooting itself in the foot in the long term, because if every company followed their policies, who would be left to purchase their services? It seemed a very short sighted policy to me. Also, who is going to buy a house or make any other long term financial commitments with that kind of employment scenario? I know I wasn't. While I was glad to get the contract, it was a little unsettling walking in the door knowing in 30 months I'd have to start looking for another job no matter how well I performed. You can plan any kind of future like that.

Also alot of their contractors were H1-B visa workers that worked for another company on paper. This way they are insulated from any liability or bad press. If the contract company mistreats them (Which I saw quite a bit) what's their recourse? B1tch about it and get their work visa cancelled and put on a plane back to whatever poverty stricken country they came from. I can also tell you these H1-B workers weren't exactly contributing to the U.S. economy. 5 or 6 of them would get a 1 bedroom apartment and send every dollar they could back home. Now I don't fault these workers at all for this. If I was in their shoes, I'd do the same thing. I had to laugh when they complained about paying FICA, because chances are they'd never see any of that unless they somehow turned their H-1B into a green card and later citizenship, which a few of them did.

On the flip side, I know their largest competitor was doing exactly the same thing so it made sense for them to do it also to try and stay competitive. In their mind anyway.

It's a complicated issue that I don't see any easy solutions for.

[sly_wolf 199]

And today we have all the wacko shoppers out for the hunt.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/29/21669088-violence-flares-as-shoppers-slug-it-out-for-the-best-black-friday-deals?lite&gt1=43001

[luckytxn 2,265]

I wish I didn't have to go armed just to go shopping.

And today we have all the wacko shoppers out for the hunt.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/29/21669088-violence-flares-as-shoppers-slug-it-out-for-the-best-black-friday-deals?lite&gt1=43001

[sly_wolf 199]

I wish I didn't have to go armed just to go shopping.

Yes, and that's just for shopping. Could you imagine the scenario of armageddon. It would be madness for sure. A good number of people are just nuts.

[Pooky 3,840]

People should use Black Friday as the preparation for a zombie apocalypse. I mean, don't most movie zombie scenarios unfold in a shopping mall?

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

The safety net today has become a hammock. Failing to feed your child used to be called neglect. How do you get a raise if your on welfare? Have another kid.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The safety net today has become a hammock. Failing to feed your child used to be called neglect. How do you get a raise if your on welfare? Have another kid.

What's your solution (besides Formaldehyde)?

Edited November 29, 2013 by Papa Lazarou

[Peikko 1,575]

Utube videos of Ted Nugent probably

[Karee 4,191]

Utube videos of Ted Nugent probably