Minimum Wage hike, you for it?

After skimming through 12 pages of this, all I can think of is-"Let them eat cake"

Such a fine example of the oblivious attitudes of those who have (at this time).

Just tie the damn MW to inflation and we won't have to involve politics in other people's income. Why do we have the people with guaranteed benefits, income, retirement (politicians) in control of those who don't have such guarantees?

In reply to oldopelguy:

+1

In reply to Bobzilla:

I was just thankful to have a job, but what I seem to have ended up with is the entry to a career in something I never knew existed.

In reply to oldopelguy:

Business opportunity, or you could just do a ponzi scheme, I hear investors love those.

yamaha wrote: In reply to oldopelguy: Business opportunity, or you could just do a ponzi scheme, I hear investors love those.

The gov't can do it, why can't we?

Beer Baron wrote: Who actually earns minimum wage. Yes, I am in favor. No, I do not agree with the proposed $15/hour figure. I have heard the sentiment a lot on this board that people find it infuriating to not get a cost of living increase year to year. That it is the equivalent of being told that your work is actually worth less than it was the previous year. That is essentially what raising the minimum wage does. It gives a cost of living bump to the pay rates for the lowest income earners. I do not see this leading to inflation. Inflation is constantly happening. This a response to inflation, not a primary cause.

Man, I can skip 12 pages and not even post my reply, someone did it already. $15/hr? Hell no. But a little more? Yes. Sure it's meant to be entry level, but as the cost of everything else has gone up, why hasn't this wage?

Jerry wrote:

Beer Baron wrote: Who actually earns minimum wage. Yes, I am in favor. No, I do not agree with the proposed $15/hour figure. I have heard the sentiment a lot on this board that people find it infuriating to not get a cost of living increase year to year. That it is the equivalent of being told that your work is actually worth less than it was the previous year. That is essentially what raising the minimum wage does. It gives a cost of living bump to the pay rates for the lowest income earners. I do not see this leading to inflation. Inflation is constantly happening. This a response to inflation, not a primary cause.

Man, I can skip 12 pages and not even post my reply, someone did it already. $15/hr? Hell no. But a little more? Yes. Sure it's meant to be entry level, but as the cost of everything else has gone up, why hasn't this wage?

Why hasn't my wage? Why should someone not willing to push forward be allowed to get what millions of others don't?

In reply to Bobzilla:

1) yours should too. Mine has, and I'm happy.

2) you're assuming everyone making minimum wage is a slacker goof-off moocher that doesn't want to "push forward". (I was going to add other assuming examples but afraid it would take a political slant, not worth it.)

Wow, and we're almost to page 13 everybody.

Lock?

Tom Suddard wrote: Ooooh, another page! https://secure.ablesoftsolutions.com/pdmg/SecurePages/NewSub.aspx?pi=grm

Not to threadjack, but is your avatar the Trooper being tracked? Cool!

Tom Suddard wrote: Wow, and we're almost to page 13 everybody. Lock?

It's up to you, but I don't see anything that merits a lock here.

Curmudgeon wrote:

Tom Suddard wrote: Ooooh, another page! https://secure.ablesoftsolutions.com/pdmg/SecurePages/NewSub.aspx?pi=grm

Not to threadjack, but is your avatar the Trooper being tracked? Cool!

Yep, I had it on Road Atlanta at the Mitty.

It was, uh, pucker-inducing. That much body roll isn't fun on Road Atlanta.

Happy Birthday Tom!

If we agree to adjust for inflation, the corrected 2013 minimum wage would be raised from $7.25 to $7.89.

Inflation is currently no where near as high as people seem to think.

$7.25 MW was adopted in July 2009.

Actual Inflation rates:

• 2010 1.5%

• 2011 3.0%

• 2012 1.7%

• 2013 1.0%

Cumulative 2009- 2013 is 8.9%

What's up with $10 or $15 per hour?? It makes no sense.

My wages have dropped by 16% in the same time period, not counting the lost benefits (worth 11% more).

But OK, I have no problem giving a true cost of living increase to match the actual inflation amount. I suggest $7.89 per hour (and won't worry about the fact that I have lost 27%).

ANY amount beyond that invalidates the inflation argument, and is nothing more than political grandstanding.

Sonofagun, it sure is SonDork's birthday. Have a happy one! And yeah I bet the Trooper wallowed like a tugboat.

ANY amount beyond that invalidates the inflation argument, and is nothing more than political grandstanding.

Unless you believe that the 7.25 is too low for cost of living, it might be if average working hours for a minimum wage employee is considered (I'd guess most are part time) I am not saying it is too low or not. Just saying there might be other reasons beyond inflation for people to call for it to be raised.

Can someone clean up the actual spam posts in here? I get that's it funny and all but there actually is some decent discussion/facts and figures coming out in what remains at least acceptably courteous discourse.

In reply to fritzsch:

Then, you are suggesting the current amount was not enough in 2009, in fact, you are suggesting MW has NEVER been enough (except for in 1968).

And it STILL invalidates the inflation arguement.

In which case, we can both agree it is a completely bankrupt system which is STILL only useful for political grandstanding.

SVreX wrote: If we agree to adjust for inflation, the corrected 2013 minimum wage would be raised from $7.25 to $7.89. Inflation is currently no where near as high as people seem to think. $7.25 MW was adopted in July 2009. Actual Inflation rates: - 2010 1.5% - 2011 3.0% - 2012 1.7% - 2013 1.0% Cumulative 2009- 2013 is 8.9% What's up with $10 or $15 per hour?? It makes no sense. My wages have dropped by 16% in the same time period, not counting the lost benefits (worth 11% more). But OK, I have no problem giving a true cost of living increase to match the actual inflation amount. I suggest $7.89 per hour (and won't worry about the fact that I have lost 27%). ANY amount beyond that invalidates the inflation argument, and is nothing more than political grandstanding.

I suggested earlier a flat $8/hr, which is darn close to what actual inflation would put it.

SVreX wrote: In reply to fritzsch: Then, you are suggesting the current amount was not enough in 2009, in fact, you are suggesting MW has NEVER been enough (except for in 1968). In which case, we can both agree it is a completely bankrupt system which is STILL only useful for political grandstanding.

I personally was only throwing it out there as conjecture. Some states feel it was too low and raised it themselves. I don't see why that leads it to being a bankrupt system though? Was the 50s and 60s not one of the most productive times in US history?

SVreX wrote: In reply to fritzsch: Then, you are suggesting the current amount was not enough in 2009, in fact, you are suggesting MW has NEVER been enough (except for in 1968). And it STILL invalidates the inflation arguement. In which case, we can both agree it is a completely bankrupt system which is STILL only useful for political grandstanding.

More hypotheticals

I disagree with it, but some on this site have postulated the the "real" inflation rate, especially for commidities, is greater than the official posted inflation rates. So IF that were true bumping the minimum wage higher than the 7.89 would theoretically make sense.

fritzsch wrote: I disagree with it, but some on this site have postulated the the "real" inflation rate, especially for commidities, is greater than the official posted inflation rates. So IF that were true bumping the minimum wage higher than the 7.89 would theoretically make sense.

...which STILL doesn't address why I am not similarly "entitled" to a cost-of-living increase as well. My purchasing power has dropped steadily - sometimes radically - since 2009 and isn't getting any better.

Why shouldn't I get a raise too? I work just as hard as I did in 2009. I sure as heck didn't work 25% less hard during 2011 when I had to take a 25% pay cut due to market conditions.

Duke wrote: ...which STILL doesn't address why I am not similarly "entitled" to a cost-of-living increase as well. My purchasing power has dropped steadily - sometimes radically - since 2009 and isn't getting any better. Why shouldn't I get a raise too? I work just as hard as I did in 2009. I sure as heck didn't work 25% less hard during 2011 when I had to take a 25% pay cut due to market conditions.

Well I wasn't responding to your situation at that instance but regardless...and I don't have all the answers but

I do think you should get a cost of living increase every year. Many jobs provide that. But if a person working a minimum wage job is scraping by with rent, utilities, and food, whether they get a cost of living increase might be the difference between choosing to pay rent or eat that week. Whereas in your situation, not recieving a cost of living increase might stink but it isn't going to necessarily going to mean you don't eat.

If I didn't recieve cost of living increases I might be inclined to ask for a raise to match that. But I also have much more flexibility than someone working a minimum wage job to either accept that I won't get the adjustment or look for another employment if I so choose.

fritzsch wrote:

Duke wrote: Why shouldn't I get a raise too?

I do think you should get a cost of living increase every year. Many jobs provide that. But if a person working a minimum wage job is scraping by with rent, utilities, and food, whether they get a cost of living increase might be the difference between choosing to pay rent or eat that week. Whereas in your situation, not recieving a cost of living increase might stink but it isn't going to necessarily going to mean you don't eat.

Which goes back to the discussion I was having with Beer Baron: Should society provide minimum existence to everybody?

In reply to Datsun1500:

Get over it, theiving, greedy, capitalist dog. We all know it's all your fault.