National Minimum Wage

[KelferMookie]

OMG she is smiling so hard lol.... And I seen the candidates answer this question, they are all a bunch of liars. They are all millionaires so they don't give a crap about the average American citizens.

[meadbert]

Minimum wage increases both unemployment and crime. Without a minimum wage, wages adjust to where there are an equal amount of jobs and workers for those jobs. When the wage is increased you end up with more workers and fewer jobs. For minimum wage this primarily effects low wage earners. Teens and ex-cons make up many of low wage earners thus they find themselves unemployed. Teens and Ex-cons also commit a high number of crimes, thus the large numbers of teens and ex-cons increases crime.

[joemo75]

It's depressing how dumb all of these questions are... Anyhow, anyone with just the slightest bit of economic understanding knows that "minimum wage" laws serve only one purpose - they are used by sleazy politicians to buy votes. Whats more, they have a drastic effect on our economy because minim wage lays kill jobs and/or force prices UP. Either way, the poor get screwed. Furthermore, what right does the government have to come into your business and tell you how to run it? NONE!

[songe55]

Hmmm... So how do you feel about slavery?

[Grunty06]

what does slavery have to do with it?

is it becasue they are black?

i hope you die you racist scum.

[duffusd]

Also, that stupid guy who said he won't rest till the min. is 10 is pretty well out as well, raising min. that drastically will just cause inflation and make this country's money worthless cause if they raise the minimum wage that much, they'll have to raise all of the people who do job that require higher skill/education, compared to most minimum wage jobs that you get right out of high school.

[songe55]

I don't think it would cause inflation. Inflation shows up when more money is added to the economy but not value. Instead, I think a lot of people would lose their jobs...and this would be pretty dangerous too. The minimum wage needs to go up, but I do think it should be gradual. Perhaps over the space of several years. I'm not an economist...so it'd be nice to hear someone else's opinion of it.

[duffusd]

i understand, but a raise of 4 dollars in 4 years? thats not good for the economy, and i'm glad that the min. wage finally went up, but 10 dollars is WAY too much, it will cut in half how much a dollar is worth, so everyone will get like a 50% raise. I can see the min wage going up after 3 terms, but its not going to happen in two without serious repramands

[songe55]

4 in 4 is a lot. Like I said, I don't think it will result in inflation. A lot of people are going to lose their jobs though. A lot of companies will simply be unable to hire as many employees as before. It'll reduce production. It'll reduce revenues. I think they've done a good thing, but it's not over. It's a change that's just beginning. They are going to need to watch over this change like a hawk and nurse it into health like a baby. I hope they will deal with it carefully.

[duffusd]

liars: 5

honest: 3

i say the people who said yes should be kicked out of the election right now, there's no way those people would work for min wage, its ridiculous, their weekly ration of toilet paper costs more than our weekly food.

[merzblau]

hello,

here downunder in australia we have a similar problem. our wages go down but not the corparate boses or politicians.

all the best dominic

[Klashbash]

Stupid question.

Minimum wage worker = Unskilled worker.

Congressman = Skilled worker.

Economics: Supply & Demand

Skilled worker = higher pay.

[MaryGalore]

This was an excellent question. I do believe that the national minimum wage should be raised. How can a single person or family live off of $5.85 an hour?

[Klashbash]

I love how you include family into that. If you're going to have a family isn't it YOUR responsibility to have the means to care for them? Anyway as for a single person that's why it's important to get a good education. Whose fault is it if the person doesn't get a good education?

[songe55]

For more information on this, you should look up what the Psychologist Abraham Maslow said. He had a thing called the "Heirarchy of Needs." In it he basically proves how poverty increases crime.

In 1950s, the minimum wage was, in today's dollars, more than double what it is today. Unsurprisingly enough, the crime rates then were a lot lower as well.

IOW, if you want lower crime rates, help the poor make an adequate living. An adequate minimum wage is one way to do this.

[Klashbash]

The crime rates were lower because there wasn't as big as a population.

[feetnycam2]

This is a country very diverse based on location. Cost of living in rural pennsylvania is much lower than Baraq Hussein Obama's Chicago. Therefore, it is the State and local minimum wage that is relevant, the federal is a starting point to keep BJ Bill Clinton's disatrous Arkansas and Lib Democrat thieves in Louisiana from having it at slave labor rates. (remember the south slave labor was a democrat stronghold, only the republicans were able to save them from absolute slavery).

[Aspra]

Raising it is wrong. Your just giving more money to people who should be getting a more appropriate  job for there situation. those jobs are for newbs to the world not for a family to live off of thats usually the reason there poor. so they ask for more money instead of getting a better job.

[tomfoolery11]

Also, any basic economics professor can tell you that although theoretically "less jobs are created," that number is insignificant when compared to the number of people who benefit from a higher wage.

I wonder if any Republicans who are running for President would support a raise in the minimum wage to something more of a living wage?

[Klashbash]

What basic economics professor did you listen to? A socialist? Could you explain how artificially raising the productive value of a worker would help an economy? I'm sure your basic economic professors taught you supply and demand did they not?

[songe55]

Would you pay someone $0.25/hour to work for you if they were willing to accept it? How about if you knew that they had no other alternatives? (I.e. discrimination, physical/mental handicap, etc...)

See the movie "A Beautiful Mind" sometime (Russell Crown, Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly). They talk about the economist Adam Smith's theories on the economy. They also talk about the mathmatician John Nash and how he revised those theories. They make a very important point in it. 100% vital.

[Klashbash]

I would have no problem paying someone $0.25/hour. Job hiring is voluntary both ways. I've seen Beautiful Mind and it was pretty boring. I don't remember the economics of the movie but I am not going to watch it again just for you. I'm not a laissez-faire capitalist but I come pretty close.

[songe55]

What if your kids found themselves in these circumstances? No jobs except for those that guaranteed them a life of poverty. How will you feel about those who took advantage of their distress?

Next, how will you feel about an employer who comes along, sees their poverty, and pays them well adequately though he didn't have to?

Another good movie that talks about this subject is "The Grapes of Wrath." Just because you can get someone to agree to something doesn't mean that it is just or moral.

[Klashbash]

First off I'm never going to have kids because those who never exist cannot be deprived. I can think of no greater evil than to force others into a world filled with suffering. A world filled with suffering no matter what happens. Political policies one way or the other can only do at best decrease the suffering but by no means abolish it.

[songe55]

"The world is what you make it."

[Klashbash]

Even if I were to have kids they would be well educated so I wouldn't have to worry about them in poverty. Unless they became of poverty through their own choices and if so then I could care less.

"How will you feel about those who took advantage of their distress?"

I would see the advantage both ways.

[songe55]

Accidents happen. Planning and preparation won't save you from earthquakes, illnesses...etc.  It's nice when your community isn't so blood thirsty that they take advantage of your pain when hard times come.

You sound like Ayn Rand. You're in good company. You'd love her books. She very well-respected as well. I just disagree with the coldness of her writings. You're supposed to love your neighbor. Things just don't work out when the love dies.

[Klashbash]

If you live in an area with earthquakes that's your fault. Illnesses shouldn't become everyone else's problem.

I dislike Ayn Rand. Sometimes I can wildly applaud her and other times I sit in disgust. She's more for pure capitalism than I could ever be for. She believes humans are noble and I do not. Last but certainly not least she committed adultery which I believe is one of the most selfish, avoidable things you could ever do to someone.

[songe55]

Well, you should at least consider the differences between John Nash and Adam Smith. Adam Smith was an economist that said that any individual who pushes solely for his own self-interest was assisting the economy. He considered them to be the driving engine of it. John Nash though, mathematician, came in later on and said that an individual could profit more from doing what was both best for himself as well as the group. See the movie for a good example of it. (A Beautiful Mind).

[songe55]

The analogy I like to make of it is this:

Imagine two goats butting heads with one another on a hillside. One represents business owners, the other employees. The owner goat pushes as hard as he can all of the time to make as much as profit as he can from everyone. The employees push back, as hard as they can, to make a decent wage. There is equilibrium if both sides push equally as hard but the equilibrium is achieved through the use of much energy. This is Adam Smith.

[songe55]

Now imagine the same hillside, but instead of goats, there are two sheets of plywood nailed together at the top. They are leaning on one another rather than pushing one another. They are using one another for support. It is still equilibrium, but it costs much less energy to achieve it. This is John Nash.

[songe55]

The difference between the two circumstances is this: the goats are constantly expending all energy in order to keep their equilibrium. The plywood doesn't have to expend any. Of the two therefore, which will survive better when unexpected disasters arrive?

[Klashbash]

"Next, how will you feel about an employer who comes along, sees their poverty, and pays them well adequately though he didn't have to?"

The employer is an idiot. A business is a business not a charity. The employer apparently doesn't understand there is competition involved and he or she is going to lose out in the market.

[songe55]

Jeremiah 22:13 Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; [that] useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;

The above seems to apply to those who out and out refuse to pay. I wonder how God feels about those who underpay their workers to the point where the workers can't afford to live or eat?

IMHO: If an industry must underpay workers in order for it to survive, the industry might not be an honorable or valuable one.

[Klashbash]

Using the Bible as an argument will not convince an atheist such as myself. The industries I'm referring to have workers coming at them a dime a dozen.

[Klashbash]

"Another good movie that talks about this subject is "The Grapes of Wrath." Just because you can get someone to agree to something doesn't mean that it is just or moral."

Once again, I'm not going to watch an entire movie just for you.

[songe55]

Well, without sounding belligerent, Sir, you can do whatever you want. If you want to learn something though, it's a good resource.

P.S. A Beautiful Mind got the academy award for best picture that year. Grapes of Wrath was nominated and got two other academy awards for best director and best actress. You might actually enjoy watching the shows.

[songe55]

It's not voluntary if you're starving and there are no other options.

[Klashbash]

They may be good movies songe55 but I don't have that much time to invest into a debate. The old starving ruse huh? Yeah and how much money and free time did they waste in their lives beforehand?

[songe55]

Wow. What a smile! You guys are beautiful.

[Aspra]

This is a stupid question. People don't realize that if the minimum wage is increased, product prises will have to go up and/or they will have to hire less employees thus creating less jobs. Minimum Wage is for people that are just starting out in life or just getting a job for the heck of needing one for a little cash ITS NOT TO LIVE ON! Get that through your thick heads

[Gargess]

Actually Aspra, the point of minimum wage is to protect workers on the lower income level. As the value of the dollar changes along with the standard cost of living so do wages and salaries. The fact of the matter is it is impossible for 2 people with 2 or more children to live on minimum wage. It is also impossible for a single parent w/ 1 or more children to live on minimum wage without living on the poverty level.

[Aspra]

Your Right it is imposible to raise kids single or not on minimum wage jobs. Know why? YOUR NOT SUPOSE TO! Its easy to figure out. Minimum wage jobs are for people that just want some cash, not to live off of. If people where smarter and didnt have kids when there 16 or drop out of school and not have family's they cant pay for they wouldn't be screwed. Businesses can only pay so many people if the wage is raised. Then theres less jobs.

[songe55]

The problem with this argument though is that people are actually out there trying to live on it. I'm certain that all of them would prefer to make more and would jump at job that would give them more, but perhaps those opportunites just aren't available to them.

Employers have the responsibility to pay their employees enough to live on.

[Aspra]

They need to face facts There not suppose to be for raising kids on those kinds of jobs.Its for people that just want it for the heck of it. minimum wage is not for family's to live on it never was and never should be for that. And you say that they would jump at a job that pays more like there just suppose to wait for one. they need to look for a job, i know of plenty of jobs that will teach you the skill you need to know for that job and be able to raise a family on it very well.

[songe55]

So, there are good paying jobs out there for everyone who wants one? Are you sure about that?

I think that you need to realize that there are people out there who simply don't have any other alternatives. Just because those jobs are "intended" to be used one way doesn't mean that's how people are going to use them.

[Klashbash]

Minimum wage jobs are entry level jobs for the labor force. If you didn't get the good free education that is available to all Americans, that is your own fault. There is so many financial aid and scholarships available it is unbelievable.

[rsmiller23]

Awesome question! Got a great response from the candidates. Thanks for your contribution.