$15 Minimum Wage

[Ann]

Positive or negative for the economy, workers, the United States? State your case.
 

Biden continues to push $15 federal minimum wage
 

President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support for raising the federal minimum wage -- gradually -- to $15 an hour at CNN's town hall on Tuesday.
 

</snip>
 

Romney-Cotton bill seeks wage hike, barring illegal aliens from taking jobs
 

Republican senators Mitt Romney and Tom Cotton will introduce legislation aimed at raising the minimum wage while addressing concerns about illegal immigrants taking American jobs.
 

</snip>

[Ann]

Mike Rowe had an interesting response to a $15 minimum wage.

[Foxx]

Hell, at the rate states are raising it to $15, it is likely that the fed will be far behind here.

[snafu]

Should be a state-by-state decision.

I don't know why every policy needs to be one size fits all.  At least if there's a Federal minimum wage it should be adjusted to regional economies.

[GG1]

23 minutes ago, snafu said:

Should be a state-by-state decision.

I don't know why every policy needs to be one size fits all.  At least if there's a Federal minimum wage it should be adjusted to regional economies.

 

Even within states there are huge differences.  I'm not aware of any jobs in NYC tristate paying under $15.  Can't say the same about jobs north of Rockland County.

[Just Joshin]

29 minutes ago, snafu said:

Should be a state-by-state decision.

I don't know why every policy needs to be one size fits all.  At least if there's a Federal minimum wage it should be adjusted to regional economies.

Agree.  Even within a state there are variances - NYC and Perry NY have a different cost of living.

 

I think the wage floor should be low and let the market set the rate.  At times you see rates for fast food jobs go above the minimum when there are labor shortages.  

 

There also needs to be exceptions.  High school students need the life lessons from a first job then $15/HR.

 

Last point: the politicians do not understand economics.  They believe that it is just cheap owners keeping people repressed.  In reality they will make a decision to keep the business running.  That means automation, staffing reductions, benefit reductions, etc..  The businesses hit hardest are small business where the guy running the donut shop has in effect bought himself a job with hopes of hitting it big. The big box stores can afford the minimum pay hike and even welcome it because it will put the little guys out of business.

Edited February 18, 2021 by Just Joshin

[snafu]

3 minutes ago, GG1 said:

 

Even within states there are huge differences.  I'm not aware of any jobs in NYC tristate paying under $15.  Can't say the same about jobs north of Rockland County.

 

Long Island is below $15/hr on a fairly regular basis (the minimum was just raised from $13 to $14), though what employers are paying is increasing on its own.

 

 

[GG1]

2 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

Long Island is below $15/hr on a fairly regular basis (the minimum was just raised from $13 to $14), though what employers are paying is increasing on its own.

 

 

 

That's what I mean.  Nobody in tri-state is paying the mandated minimum wage.  All starting level jobs are $15 or above.

[Alaska Darin]

Standard ignorance from politicians that will have predictable poor results.  We literally have the most mediocre humans running trying to make policy.

[mead107]

All for $15 dollars an hour as long as the people making $17 per hour get the same percentage increase. 
not fair for anyone making over minimum wage not to get more money. 
 

social security should have a minimum 

$2,400 per month also. 

[devnull]

 

[Alaska Darin]

On 2/18/2021 at 9:41 AM, Just Joshin said:

There also needs to be exceptions.  High school students need the life lessons from a first job then $15/HR.

What mechanism would you put in place to enforce that?

[Foxx]

1 hour ago, Alaska Darin said:

What mechanism would you put in place to enforce that?

Parental guidance? Teaching the value of money and the earning of it? An allowance for chores preformed?

oh right.. those values are outdated...

 

 

Personally, My first 'job' was picking cherries. Of which I went on to become a paper boy. After which I got a full time job at the local farm at the age of 16 and have been supporting myself ever since.

[Just Joshin]

2 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

What mechanism would you put in place to enforce that?

I am assuming that you mean how do you tell a 16 year old from a 24 year old for payroll?

 

Seems like a simple solution with automated payroll.  If manual payroll for a small business, then both sides need to ensure compliance.

[KD in CA]

2 hours ago, Foxx said:

Parental guidance? Teaching the value of money and the earning of it? An allowance for chores preformed?

oh right.. those values are outdated...

 

 

Personally, My first 'job' was picking cherries. Of which I went on to become a paper boy. After which I got a full time job at the local farm at the age of 16 and have been supporting myself ever since.

 

I inherited the local paper route from my brother when I was 12.  Did that for four years before passing it on to my best friend in the neighborhood.

[Chef Jim]

On 2/22/2021 at 10:07 AM, KD in CA said:

 

I inherited the local paper route from my brother when I was 12.  Did that for four years before passing it on to my best friend in the neighborhood.

 

Same thing same age but I only last a year before passing it on.  I needed to take a sabbatical at 13 before I started at my dad's restaurant at 14.  Have worked ever since.   

[KD in CA]

1 minute ago, Chef Jim said:

 

Same thing same age but I only last a year before passing it on.  I needed to take a sabbatical at 13 before I started at my dad's restaurant at 14.  Have worked ever since.   

 

I'm always amazed by people who don't have a real job.  What do they do all day?  I would be a zombie.

[Chef Jim]

9 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

 

I'm always amazed by people who don't have a real job.  What do they do all day?  I would be a zombie.

 

I was scheduled to retire at the end of the year.  I will likely keep a handful of my best clients and work "full time" a few weeks a quarter and extreme part time in between.  Essentially check my emails when I get up and again before bed.  I've worked my ass off for over 40 and it's time for me to sit by the pool and relax......like I'm doing now.  We just finished our pool and landscaping and it's awesome.  

[Ann]

19 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

 

I'm always amazed by people who don't have a real job.  What do they do all day?  I would be a zombie.

Lately, I play here.

I do have my own blog. Years ago that took 60+ hours per week. Now? It is part-time (and does better monetarily). 

Honestly? Sometimes I wonder when I had time to work.

 

[B-Man]

 

 

 

"We are deeply disappointed in this decision. We are not going to give up the fight to raise the minimum wage to $15 to help millions of struggling American workers..."

 

"... and their families. The American people deserve it, and we are committed to making it a reality." 

 

Said Chuck Schumer, quoted in "Biden’s minimum wage increase runs afoul of budget rules/The Senate parliamentarian has issued a ruling that could jeopardize the rest of the president’s $1.9 trillion Covid relief package" (Politico).

 

Speaking of reality, do you think he's really disappointed? I imagine he's relieved. He and his party have the benefit of looking as though they tried and the benefit of not having the potentially deleterious policy actually imposed on us.

 

 

 

Who are you kidding Chuck ?

 

The Democrats can introduce a stand-alone bill to raise the minimum wage to $15.

They can do it later today, if they really want to do so.

 

They want the issue, not the responsibility.