BILL MOYERS JOURNAL | Holly Sklar on Wages and Work | PBS

[FireweedFarm]

Related to this, here's an amazing fact: from 1942-1952 America had living wage farm commodity prices! That was with no subsidies. It came from Henry Wallace and the New Deal. Price floors for corn, etc. were set at 90% of "parity," and we balanced supply and demand to support it, plus we had a price ceiling up somewhere about 110% of parity (and reserve supplies to protect that). Starting in1953, price floors were lowered (ie. to eliminate 1/3 of farmers in 5 years). It went to zero in 1996

[chellebell07]

This was a wake-up call, America failed to listen...now take a look at where this country is at today!!! WAKE-UP PEOPLE!!!!

[ismite123]

as long as those outside the country believe we are crumbling...i say great job, keep it up and more power to you

[EvanChaim]

Microeconomics 101: Price ceilings (price cannot exceed a certain amount) create shortages

Price floors create shortages (price cannot go below a certain amount) create surpluses

-In this case raising the minimum wage would create unemployment (ceteris parabis) and really hurt the most vulnerable low income workers..

Please. If you really care about the poor, then let the market determine what is a fair wage!!!

[Sicknose]

What you're saying only appeals to the people who already agree with you.

Its like trying to explain the difference between a hunting rifle and an assault rifle to a man who's child was shot. He doesn't care about the details. He feels pain.

People are suffering. That's what they feel. They don't trust the market to determine anything with any amount of ethics.

There must be a balance. Right now, the market's fair wage is starvation for most, luxury for a few. Dark ages.

[oslinde]

I would like to see something about wage inequality, if you have please post. I really need it

[mediacritic]

That was a wonderful, illuminating discussion. If only America was watching THIS instead of American Idol. Americans are the hardest working imbeciles on Earth. We'll buy anything.

[herpescrabman]

aaahhh

your empire is collapsing prematurely?

it takes talent and brains to keep an empire going for a few hundread years-

your lasted 60 years.

they don't make empires like they used to.

[herpescrabman]

ironic how many people u.s. killed in south america and how many governments it overthrew, to keep socialism from their shores.

now socialism is goint to come to the u.s. because of greed and inbalance of wealth.

[CrowdPleeza]

Why are unions in decline in America?

Why do some workers reject unions?

[randoozer351]

Unions are in decline because the rich (ie Republicans) have done a very effective job in convincing the poor that the effect of unions is to make the products produced by union workers expensive. Nevermind the fact that, in practice, this actually does happen because the people at the top won't stand a drop from making $2M a year to making $ 1.8M a year... unions ARE positive because they give workers the stability necessary to let them spend their money and drive the economy.

[4ourthofjuly]

I think theyre stable at 9% of non governmental employees, and have been for a while. Unions were repeatedly broken by government and private power for a hundred years, what do you expect?

I would say workers reject unions because theyre imperfect. But you probably wouldnt get rid of all government because it's flawed, would you?

[RojoPirata]

Brief answer to 'CrowdP'..."manufacturing decline important since union power traditionally strong in large industrial companies,like steel & auto. Globalization has increased the competition outside control of unions in any country, including production by employees abroad of same company. Government provisions of unemployment, retirement, health benefits, & various regulatory controls have substituted services of unions...laws & attitudes toward unions less favorable in US than other nations."

[jocamiah]

The reason there is not more indignation is because we are conveniently distracted enough to not care. Buy more, watch more TV, look out for yourself, drive more, and drink more. We are distracted. Of course a problem of this magnitude has more than just one reason why there is not more anger, but this one seems to be the most obvious. Wake up people!

[NatureLegalized]

go here

ni4d us

vote org

citizen-power us

[anmoose]

Brilliant discussion. I think I'd vote for Holly Sklar for president.

[randoozer351]

Yep. That won't happen though so we ought to do the next best thing, vote for a president who is smart enough (or humble enough) to surround themselves with a cabinet full of people like her. I think that maybe the worst part about bush was the cronyism that let his stupidity leak much farther through the fabric of our government. Such a thing deserves a name... my vote is "super-stupidity."

[StephanAOTTO1]

We have only ourselves to blame, as those who are best friends with the corporate raiders...and much worse keep getting themselves elected...by the people.

We can't moan about getting kicked in the ass when we saw them puttin' on their shoes looooong before they were put into office.

[cosmlayla]

we are set for another great depression.

[ubuibiok]

Think about this, the fate and the future of one of our most Basic Rights for over 301,140,000 U.S. CITIZENS was saved by ONE VOTE.

Only one vote saved us from the loss of our 6th and 7th Amendment Rights ..." the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury ".

Only 1 Vote out of over 301 million possible votes saved you and your family and friends from the Loss of the Basic Right of 'Habeas corpus'.

In memory of Tim Russert, Please Pose.....