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SOTU Address:[W: 378; 1310; 1451]

Which doesn't matter for squat. We were not competing in a global economy then. Such as the auto unions paid ridiculously well then too.

Times have changed. Get a couple roommates. Cook at home. And make yourself worth more.


Unions in Germany pay their auto workers far far far more than in the US. I don't see German auto industry dying.
 
Re: SOTU Address:

There's no effort on my part to insult Conservatives. You guys do that all by yourselves. Your very comment in protecting the earnings of business owners while overlooking the plight of the working poor is evidence enough of how off-base and out of touch many of you on the Right truly are. Your every defense against raising taxes is all about how to get people from unemployment to employment. But you never discuss "how" to prepare the workforce of the future nor what to do to ease the economic burden on those who are struggling financially until they are able to find full, meaningful employment. In the minds of most Republicans, those who are unemployed are truly on their own.

I need my hip-waders on just to read this nonsense. Hardship is the Mother of all Motivators. What you advocate is an ever-expanding government teat, funded by our children and grandchildren.

**** that. Take a roommate. Move in with relatives. Stop looking for free-stuff.
 
Re: SOTU Address:

No, the President sets energy policy.

And that policy will increase, or lower, gas prices.

You don't really believe what you are saying do you?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/o...ts-gas-prices-just-another-gop-myth.html?_r=0

Because oil is a global commodity, increasing domestic production will do very little to bring down retail prices, although it does help narrow the trade deficit as America spends less on imports. On this score, America is doing much better than the Republicans will admit. In 2005, oil imports accounted for nearly 60 percent of America’s daily consumption. In 2010, for the first time in recent memory, imports were less than half of consumption, and last year, imports were only 45 percent — 8.6 million barrels a day of the 19 million consumed. There are two reasons for this welcome shift: production is up and oil consumption is down. Production of crude oil and other liquid fuels, onshore and offshore, reached about 10.3 million barrels daily in 2011, its highest level since the late 1980s.
 
Unions in Germany pay their auto workers far far far more than in the US. I don't see German auto industry dying.

This is so dumb. Whatever the Germans pay, they are competitive. If they pay more, they get more. I guarantee you they do not pay for stupidity and laziness.
 
You are wrong too in 1970 it was $6.47, I read accross to 1998 by mistake. ;)
 
Re: SOTU Address:

There's no effort on my part to insult Conservatives. You guys do that all by yourselves. Your very comment in protecting the earnings of business owners while overlooking the plight of the working poor is evidence enough of how off-base and out of touch many of you on the Right truly are. Your every defense against raising taxes is all about how to get people from unemployment to employment. But you never discuss "how" to prepare the workforce of the future nor what to do to ease the economic burden on those who are struggling financially until they are able to find full, meaningful employment. In the minds of most Republicans, those who are unemployed are truly on their own.

Once again, you open with a backhanded swipe at people.

Of course, it's to be expected from the type of people who defecate on police cars.

I said NOTHING about "protecting the earnings of business owners," but you just blindly assume that I do.

Obviously you don't understand that the average profit on a dollar to a retailer is about 1.5 cents, with labor usually being his highest cost.

If he has to pay MORE for labor, he'll either do without it, or pass any price increase onto the CONSUMER, so the increased wage gets eaten up in the increased costs for goods and services at the same time the total number of employed drops.

It's not my JOB to help "the working poor."

Nor is it the governments.

It's the working poor's job TO HELP THEMSELVES, and many, many of them climb out of poverty by their own resources and hard work, as I did.

Now, some people hate poverty, and go to schools to find good paying jobs doing something they enjoy.

Some people don't mind not making a lot of money, because they love the arts, and would rather do something they enjoy....

In America, if there's TRULY something you want to do, with hard work and sacrifice, you can usually find a way to go do it....
 
Re: SOTU Address:

You don't really believe what you are saying do you?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/o...ts-gas-prices-just-another-gop-myth.html?_r=0

Because oil is a global commodity, increasing domestic production will do very little to bring down retail prices, although it does help narrow the trade deficit as America spends less on imports. On this score, America is doing much better than the Republicans will admit. In 2005, oil imports accounted for nearly 60 percent of America’s daily consumption. In 2010, for the first time in recent memory, imports were less than half of consumption, and last year, imports were only 45 percent — 8.6 million barrels a day of the 19 million consumed. There are two reasons for this welcome shift: production is up and oil consumption is down. Production of crude oil and other liquid fuels, onshore and offshore, reached about 10.3 million barrels daily in 2011, its highest level since the late 1980s.

Oil is a fungible commodity.

When you understand the mechanics of what that means, you'll understand why the above is nonsense.
 
Minimum wage was $1.60 in 1970

U.S. Minimum Wage History


According to your calculator that's $9.47.


Here's a history of minimum wage in Constant dollars

Federal Minimum Wage Rates, 1955

That's true...now use the numbers (from an official site, btw):

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage

Run them from 1990 to current and point out where the current minimum wage is not higher than inflation adjusted ones...then get back to us.
 
Unions in Germany pay their auto workers far far far more than in the US. I don't see German auto industry dying.

You're right again...that's why they moved over here (the US) to produce cars...


especially in RTW states...
 
You are wrong too in 1970 it was $6.47, I read accross to 1998 by mistake. ;)

Technically I was right because I said 1968 but as for 1970 yes. My point still stands that inflation has not kept up compared to either of those years.
 
You're right again...that's why they moved over here (the US) to produce cars...


especially in RTW states...


If companies could use slaves for work they would. Which is why they want wages as close to slave labor as possible.
 
Re: SOTU Address:

Explain California junior.

Explain this: Norway and Denmark retained the pole positions they held last year in the overall prosperity measure, while Sweden leapfrogged Australia and New Zealand into third. Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Ireland rounded out the top ten.
In its sub-indexes, Legatum named Switzerland the strongest economy and home to the best system of governance. Denmark is the most entrepreneurial and New Zealand has the best education, while health is best in Luxembourg and Iceland is the safest. Canadians enjoy the most personal freedom and Norwegians have the greatest social capital. Every one of them is a liberal government.
 
Re: SOTU Address:

That actually verifies what I said.

After all the expenses are paid, the actual profit to the government is 11-12 percent.

It's far less to everyone else, with the possible exception of the supplier of the oil, primarily someone overseas.

....The oil companies are the suppliers....
 
If companies could use slaves for work they would. Which is why they want wages as close to slave labor as possible.

non sequitur…if labor could get $1,000/hour they would...I see now how fun this is...

thank you for this :lamo
 
If companies could use slaves for work they would. Which is why they want wages as close to slave labor as possible.

If anything, it's DEMOCRATS who are making that a reality......

The more cheap labor (insert illegal immigrants), the lower the wage you need to pay.

The FEWER the workers available, the MORE one has to pay to find workers.

That's why workers at Wal Mart in some of the oil boom areas in America right now are starting at 12 an hour, entry level.
 
Technically I was right because I said 1968 but as for 1970 yes. My point still stands that inflation has not kept up compared to either of those years.

Indeed, yet that is a two edged sword. If Obama were to admit that inflation is higher then COLA adjustments for federal/military retirement and SS would cause the federal deficit to balloon out of control even more. The basic problem is that welfare (in all of its many forms) now pays more than a minimum wage, full time job. Shifting that cost to those employers that pay such wages will cause many to simply cut jobs (or work hours) netting a decrease (or at least no increase) in the use of that low wage labor. The answer is to cap welfare BELOW the lowest labor rate for a single full time worker - then work would actually pay more than welfare.
 
non sequitur…if labor could get $1,000/hour they would...I see now how fun this is...

thank you for this :lamo


It's very relative. The point is that if wages do not rise while costs continue to rise, we continue to approach virtual slavery.

Creating a living wage is nowhere near asking for $1,000/hr. It's asking for a right to live a basic living.
 
Re: SOTU Address:

The Third Reich. A conservatives wet dream.

The NAZI's were Socialists, who believed in the power of the state over the rights and freedoms of the individual.....

You know, like Liberals.

Conservatives believe in the rights and freedoms of the individual over the power of an oppressive state.

When you look in YOUR mirror, you're FAR closer to seeing one than I am when I look in mine......
 
Why must I start from 1990? Did everything not exist before then?

No, because these minimum wage rates were more progressively adjusted in the 90's in an effort to maintain parity with inflation (of course monitary policy limiting inflation did have an effect also). This was done because as you accurately stated that prior to they were not...but now they are right in line if not a little ahead...check it out.
 
Indeed, yet that is a two edged sword. If Obama were to admit that inflation is higher then COLA adjustments for federal/military retirement and SS would cause the federal deficit to balloon out of control even more. The basic problem is that welfare (in all of its many forms) now pays more than a minimum wage, full time job. Shifting that cost to those employers that pay such wages will cause many to simply cut jobs (or work hours) netting a decrease (or at least no increase) in the use of that low wage labor. The answer is to cap welfare BELOW the lowest labor rate for a single full time worker - then work would actually pay more than welfare.
yes, do that and then those who are without the means to pay for the essential services they require - thru no fault of their own - but which care is now covered by welfare, will be left to die
another example of the vaunted compassionate conservatism
 
Indeed, yet that is a two edged sword. If Obama were to admit that inflation is higher then COLA adjustments for federal/military retirement and SS would cause the federal deficit to balloon out of control even more. The basic problem is that welfare (in all of its many forms) now pays more than a minimum wage, full time job. Shifting that cost to those employers that pay such wages will cause many to simply cut jobs (or work hours) netting a decrease (or at least no increase) in the use of that low wage labor. The answer is to cap welfare BELOW the lowest labor rate for a single full time worker - then work would actually pay more than welfare.

Yes, that is exactly the problem. But the conservative problem is that you believe the bad part of that is the government and not the horrible private wages. Minimum wage hikes throughout history have not caused any significant increase in unemployment. Prices will rise no doubt, but the wage increase will more than compensate for those adjusted prices.
 
Re: SOTU Address:

How much tax do you pay on a gallon of gasoline? Any idea? You don't think the President energy policies affect gasoline prices or taxes don't affect gasoline prices? What risk does the govt. have to develop that gallon of gasoline?

Explain it to me?

HowStuffWorks "Gas Price Breakdown"

Taxes: 13 cents
Distribution and Marketing: 8 cents
Refining: 14 cents
Crude oil: 65 cents

This is what the average breakdown looked like in April 2011. Let's look at those components in more detail.

Crude oil - The biggest portion of the cost of gas goes to the crude-oil suppliers. This is determined by the world's oil-exporting nations, particularly the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which you will learn more about in the next section. The amount of crude oil these countries produce determines the price of a barrel of oil. Crude-oil prices averaged around $35 per barrel (1 barrel = 42 gallons or 158.99 L) in 2004. And, after Hurricane Katrina, some prices were almost double that. In April 2008, crude-oil prices averaged around $104.74 per barrel. During that month, the price of oil reached a record price of almost $120 a barrel [source: DOE]. By May 16, prices had topped $117 per barrel [source: MarketWatch]. On May 22, markets in New York and London reported prices past $135 per barreland, and on July 11, oil hit an all-time high of $147 [source: Forbes, New York Sun]. Analysts speculated that everything from investment in oil futures to increasing demand from countries like India and China contributed to the spike in price.
 
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