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Originally Posted by pan6467
paying people better would lessen the tax burdens off the rich, such as paying people enough to live on raises their self respect and their ability to live with a minimum of government support, such as the tax spectrum will equalize more thus bettering schools, and communities.
I have more than offered up my views and beliefs. Where are yours besides the old "prices will go up." fearmongering?
Give me a legitimate reason you feel we do not need to pay a person who works 40 hours a week enough to live on at a standard of living that is not at poverty levels.
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Because it is not for the government to decide how much a business should pay its employees. Wages should be set by the market, determined by the supply of willing workers with certain skill sets and the demand for them. I know that the McDonalds near my house starts it's new employees at $7 an hour, which is higher than minimum wage. I know that walmart pays its lowest wage-earning employees higher than minimum wage. I know that the senior partner (my boss) at my firm pays our lowest wage earning staff $7.50/hr, (but they know this is not a full time job and work is dependent on projects) All these prices are set by the market, not by the state of florida. It is not for the government to tell business owners how much they have to pay their employees. Whats next, telling employers they can't pay more than a certain amount to their top executives? Telling walmart that they can't sell this item for more than a certain price? The government was not created to run a business.
To further my arguement I pose the question, at what price should the gov't mandate employers to pay their employees? Jorgelito says a living wage in LA is $13.75 an hr. So why would a proponent of minimum wage be satisfied with any government mandated price floor less than $13.75 an hour? What's the point of raising the minimum wage by $.50 or $1 an hour?
As I mentioned earlier and Ustwo also posted, but seems to be ignored roundly, is the union aspect of the minimum wage increase.
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Originally Posted by Ustwo
the main reason the democrats (unions) were in favor of every minium wage increase they could get was that it created the baseline for where unions could set their wages. After all if UNSKILLED labor gets X then highly skilled Union labor should get X+Y at the very least.
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So in effect, the minimum wage arguement is just a power grab by unions. Most of the bottom wage earners still make more than minimum wage, regardless of what it is set at, but unions are the main proponent of it so they have a baseline to argue for higher wages for their members.
Finally, the minimum wage was never intended to be a liveable wage. It was never intended to be a wage at which a single mother raises three children on. Thats not what the minimum wage is. It is an entry level wage for first time workers and teenagers. If you are still making minimum wage in your 30's you probably don't even deserve to be paid that.
Minimum wage was an idea lobbied stronly by union leaders, and to the average person, like host points out, seems like a good idea. It has gained popularity politically, but still holds not economic merit. Its bad policy and belongs no where in a free market.