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Gallup: 76% Of Americans Support A Minimum Wage Increase

Kobie said:
However, the cost of living has gone up over the years and the MW has stayed the same. The current federal MW was set at $7.25 in 2009. I don't see $9-10 being an issue now.

And to those who claim this raise will cost jobs ... BULL****. McDonalds could raise the price of a Big Mac 5 cents and have their wage differential set.
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It probably should be adjusted to inflation every 3-5 years. That would get us closer to $8 than $9.
 
Fenton said:
Then 76% of those polled are as stupid as a bag of hammers.

Increase the minimum wage or mandate a "living wage" and all you've done is raised the bar as consumers are forced to pick up the extra cost of the mandated wage increase.

Haven't you people screwed the middle class enough already ?
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So then you're all about giving the people what they want, until it's something you don't want them to have. Got it.
 
TheNextEra said:
So then you're all about giving the people what they want, until it's something you don't want them to have. Got it.
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:shrug: I will not support using the coercive power of government to F*** over poor people. I'm fine with my position if I find myself in the minority in that.
 
Kobie said:
And to those who claim this raise will cost jobs ... BULL****.
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Not at all. Labor exists on a supply/demand curve, the same as any other good or service. When you put a price floor on it, just like any other good or service, therefore, you reduce demand. That was the intent of the minimum wage, after all, and that is how it functions.
 
Kobie said:
Yes, because every college graduate who can't get a job in this market is what you described.

What color is the sky in your world?
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We're not talking about just this market, we're talking about ever. You can't use current circumstances to dismiss all the people who have been working minimum wage jobs for years because they've made bad decisions in their lives. That's patently dishonest.
 
Dittohead not! said:
which, in turn, is what happens when every student is put on an academic course of study, regardless of his/her aptitudes and desires. College simply isn't for everyone.
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I never said it was. However, being fiscally and personally responsible is for everyone, whether they want it to be or not. I don't care if a person goes to college so long as they can get a job and live within their means.
 
cpwill said:
:shrug: I will not support using the coercive power of government to F*** over poor people. I'm fine with my position if I find myself in the minority in that.
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But the people WANT a raise in the min wage. Conservatives can't have it both ways without being hypocritical. Conservatievs have been parroting that the majority want to get rid of ACA, so the GOP should fight to get rid of it. Now the people want a raise in the min wage, now you're saying the GOP shouldn't fight for what the people want.
 
TheNextEra said:
But the people WANT a raise in the min wage. Conservatives can't have it both ways without being hypocritical. Conservatievs have been parroting that the majority want to get rid of ACA, so the GOP should fight to get rid of it. Now the people want a raise in the min wage, now you're saying the GOP shouldn't fight for what the people want.
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:shrug: my opposition to the ACA isn't predicated on the fact that it's unpopular (though I am more than happy to leverage that). Some of the dumber aspects of the ACA (such as not allowing insurance to act as insurance) are, in fact, popular. Conservatives oppose the ACA because it's destructive policy. Much like the minimum wage.

Hell, I support entitlement reform - how "popular" is that?


Those who would argue for a minimum wage increase based on it's popularity (rather than the dubious idea that it is wise policy) are the ones here who place themselves at risk for hypocrisy.
 
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cpwill said:
Not at all. Labor exists on a supply/demand curve, the same as any other good or service. When you put a price floor on it, just like any other good or service, therefore, you reduce demand. That was the intent of the minimum wage, after all, and that is how it functions.
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Paying people more money increases demand.
 
pbrauer said:
Raising the minimum wage is good because the money is immediately spent boosting the economy plus there is little evidence it lowers employment levels. Of course conservatives will come up with anecdotal evidence trying to prove their point, but whenever the minimum wage is raised in Oregon employment isn't hurt.


Gallup: 76% Of Americans Support A Minimum Wage Increase

More than three quarters of Americans support an increase in the minimum wage, according to a Gallup Poll released Monday.
Seventy-six percent said the minimum wage should be raised to $9 per hour, a five point jump from March. A law that would raise the minimum wage and tie future minimum wage increases to inflation got slightly less support at 69 percent.

Fifty-six percent of Republicans said they oppose linking the minimum wage to inflation, while only eight percent of Democrats opposed that type of measure.

Voters in New Jersey approved a measure Tuesday that raises the minimum wage in the state to $8.25 and ties further increases to inflation.
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And 75% of Americans are clueless about the increases in price for the goods and services that will result from an increase in labor.

They are also clueless that a substantial price increase can quickly slow economic growth if the demand for those goods and services drop due to the corresponding price increase.

They also do not understand that economic demand should drive the price of labor, not the government.

Finally, when they can no longer afford said goods and services, then they will complain about high prices.
 
sangha said:
For the things that the people making more money want, by the people who are making more money
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But, simultaneously, the prices of some goods will be rising, which will reduce their availability / attractiveness to some consumers.

As wages increase, prices will also increase at the same time.

If one gets more, but has to pay more, then what is gained?

In many cases, getting more wages is offset by having to pay more.
 
SMTA said:
But, simultaneously, the prices of some goods will be rising, which will reduce their availability / attractiveness to some consumers.

As wages increase, prices will also increase at the same time.

If one gets more, but has to pay more, then what is gained?

In many cases, getting more wages is offset by having to pay more.
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Prices don't necesarily rise in response to higher wages. That is just a fiction.
 
Kobie said:
So now everyone who works a minimum wage job is "lazy"? ]
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If all they are working is forty hours a week then yes they are lazy. You'll find no sympathy here.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
I have no objection raising the minimum wage or tying it to the CPI (indexing). What I would insist upon in exchange for that is a maximum combined (federal, state and local) social program annual benefit of 2000 times that hourly rate (regardless of how many dependents they may claim);. it makes absolutely no sense to pay folks more not to work than those working full time at the minimum wage can earn.
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I would support such maximums alongside a robust minimum wage if everyone was guaranteed employment.
 
pbrauer said:
Not true, the selling price of items is mostly controlled by supply and demand.
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That's silly and pardon me if I don't take your economic assertions seriously. I mean you DO defend the party that' responsible for our current economic situation. I mean you people don't have much credibility left.

You people actually thought that Obama care was going to shrink premiums and make health care "affordable". It's clear you have no real substantial knowledge of how our free market system works so spare me your rhetoric about how " the cost of goods is dependent on supply and demand"

I mean if you people haven't learned by now WHY are you even responding ?

Raising the minimum wage would do one of TWO things. It would lower the number of entry level positions and actually reduce the number of jobs as employers struggle to make up the extra cost OR, Businesses would raise the price of their inventory to make up for demand.

Your so lacking in fundamental knowledge on the concepts of a free market economy you actually think arbitrary cost increases as mandated by the Government are a GOOD thing.
 
sangha said:
Prices don't necesarily rise in response to higher wages. That is just a fiction.
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Maybe in your world.

Small businesses, especially fast food, can expect their costs to be about 1/3 labor, 1/3 raw material / food, and 1/3 overhead.

If their labor costs increase by 25%, then 1/3 of their sales cost just increased by by 25%.

They will have to raise prices to make money, or they get out of the business.

My best friend has run a pizza shop for years, and this is exactly his cost structure.
 
Dezaad said:
I would support such maximums alongside a robust minimum wage if everyone was guaranteed employment.
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Any fool who guarantees employment will not be in business very long.
 
SMTA said:
Maybe in your world.
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As the owner and partner of several businesses, my world is the business world.


Small businesses, especially fast food, can expect their costs to be about 1/3 labor, 1/3 raw material / food, and 1/3 overhead.

If their labor costs increase by 25%, then 1/3 of their sales cost just increased by by 25%.

They will have to raise prices to make money, or they get out of the business.

My best friend has run a pizza shop for years, and this is exactly his cost structure.
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If they are so incompetent that they can't deal with increased costs, then they deserve to be run out of business. Then, a competent business manager will take up the slack created by their demise
 
SMTA said:
Maybe in your world.

Small businesses, especially fast food, can expect their costs to be about 1/3 labor, 1/3 raw material / food, and 1/3 overhead.

If their labor costs increase by 25%, then 1/3 of their sales cost just increased by by 25%.

They will have to raise prices to make money, or they get out of the business.

My best friend has run a pizza shop for years, and this is exactly his cost structure.
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A lot of big businesses have lowered the weight on items they sell... think cereal being in a 12-ounce box now instead of the usual 14-ounce size...but still charge the old price, in order to remain competitive. I guess if people wouldn't mind a hamburg the size of a quarter, and eight fries per package at McDonalds, that's one option! :mrgreen:

Greetings, SMTA. :2wave:
 
SMTA said:
Any fool who guarantees employment will not be in business very long.
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Well, if there aren't going to be enough jobs for everyone, then I can't see how we can tell people "our society doesn't have a job for 3 million of you to do, but it is your fault we don't, and so we are going to let you starve".
 
sangha said:
Paying people more money increases demand.
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Er, no. Net increase in wages over increase in prices increases demand. Simply artificially raising the wage floor achieves neither of those things.
 
sangha said:
As the owner and partner of several businesses, my world is the business world.




If they are so incompetent that they can't deal with increased costs, then they deserve to be run out of business. Then, a competent business manager will take up the slack created by their demise
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Obviously you do not understand business.

You can't just 'take up slack'.

In many cases there is no slack.
 
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