Gitzo Loc: Indiana

A lot of people think that raising the minimum wage would make life much better for "no-skilled" to "low-skilled" people needing employment; we hear it daily........"people can't survive on minimum wage". Guess what......that's only about half true, and the other half is the familiar "stinky stuff", commonly referred to, as "pure horse "puckey"; I don't remember any more what the year was when the so-called "Federal Minimum Wage" was first started, but I CAN tell you, it was years and years AFTER I graduated from high school (in 1950 ), and started supporting myself. I can also assure you that between 1950 when I graduated, and 1997 when I retired, the so-called "Federal Minimum Wage" never made 15 cents difference, one way or the other in my making a living.

Did the minimum wage make it "easier" for people just entering the labor market, "way back then"? The answer to that question is "yes and no"; (exactly like it is now, 2013, 63 years later ). If you really want to make "your life easier", by far the best way to do it is to "learn to make yourself useful"; the best way to start is by graduating from high school; hopefully, by then you should have learned to read and write, how to at least spell "hat", "cat" and "that", and you should have mastered at least, fourth grade arithmetic; also hopefully, you should have learned to "talk"; (so that adults can understand what you're talking about. ) Say you don't "like" adults? That's just fine, but tell me, how many teenagers do you know who "employ people"? You say you don't want an "ordinary job", and you'd prefer to go right to the "big money"; hey, that's just great! You can always be a "rock star", a "movie star", a "sports star", or a "TV star"; (but you'll still need to know a few things you probably haven't learned yet. )

There are a few other "careers" that quite a few people try, to "get right to the big bucks"........like "dope pusher", "car thief", or "burglar"; most of the people who choose that route are now either in jail, dead, or both; (and relatively few of them ever got rich before becoming "dead" ). But back to the minimum wage; it was yet another liberal "scheme" to jump the line and get ahead of the next guy; you can read below to see how well it has worked.


Insider Report from Newsmax.com
Headlines

1. Raising the Minimum Wage Has 'Unintended Consequences'

Raising the minimum wage would not necessarily reduce the $7 billion a year that fast-food workers receive in government benefits.

A widely reported study by university researchers, released in October, asserted that at least 52 percent of fast-food workers receive benefits from one or more government programs: Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program; Earned Income Tax Credit; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps); and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

The study fueled renewed calls for a significant increase in the minimum wage, which is $7.25 an hour at the federal level.
"Because pay is low and weekly work hours are limited, the families of more than half of the workers in the fast-food industry are unable to make ends meet," according to the study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
They described the $7 billion as "the public cost of low-wage jobs in the fast-food industry."

But other researchers dispute that, maintaining that if fast-food restaurants raised their wages, that would not guarantee a decline in government benefits, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Some restaurants might increase automation and cut jobs, leading to increased benefits for the laid-off workers. In some cases, a worker's family members could remain eligible for benefits even if wages were increased.
In other cases, workers might reduce their hours in response to a salary hike, and wage increases would boost the earned income tax credit received by some employees, according to the Journal.

"There are unintended consequences associated with raising the minimum wage," said Michael Saltsman, research director at the Employment Policies Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

The Journal also pointed out that the $7 billion is only about one-fifth or one-quarter as much as fast-food restaurants pay workers in wages and benefits, and it is less than 2 percent of the total benefits paid out by the four government programs.
UCLA economist Jerry Nickelsburg added that studies of the effect of minimum-wage increases are "all over the place."

The university study also disclosed that the restaurant/food services sector leads all industries in the share of workers with a family member enrolled in one or more public programs, 44 percent. Just 13 percent of fast-food workers receive health benefits from their employers.

In Louisiana, 73 percent of fast-food workers and their families receive benefits, the highest percentage in the nation. In California, 52 percent, or 227,000, get benefits.
Another analysis, by George Mason University senior scholar Antony Davies, estimates that raising the minimum wage in New Jersey by $1 an hour will increase unemployment by about 2 percent among workers without a high school education.

Gitzo again;
There are literally thousands of ways to "make money"; I know, because while I was driving a truck, I tried about half of them; some work great, some "not so great", and ALL take effort. By far the BEST way to make more money, is to find out who's making the most "bucks" doing something you can already do, (or learn to do ), then start "doing it". Example; one time when I was first married and had a couple of kids, I needed some plumbing done; when I found out what plumbers charge, I bought a couple of plumbing books and learned how to "plumb"; I never did quit my "day job" and become a plumber, but then again, I've owned dozens of houses since then, and I've never once had to pay a plumber for anything. The same thing holds true for house wiring; I actually like to do house wiring, but I never wanted to do it to make a living; but I could pay all of the electricians I've had to pay in the last 50 or 60 years with what I made in a week at my last job before I retired. ( and I still install an outlet here, a ceiling light there, and I never have to pay an electrician ! )

Or.......if you are just completely "turned off" all together by working, you can always make a living as a professional parasite, and you'll always have "the gubmint" dreaminig up more ways for you to "get free stuff"; who was it, maybe during Bill Clinton's sorry 8 years, that someone in "the gubmint" wanted to give all the welfare lay-abouts free viagra, because even "lay-abouts" "deserve" to "have fun too"; (or something equally as ridiculous as that. )

DrPhrogg Loc: NJ

For all your opinion, the current system isn't working. Henry Ford got rich by making sure his workers could afford his cars. When minimum wage was first introduced, it was supposed to destroy America. It didn't; it raised many people out of poverty. Unfortunately, while the rich have increased their wealth 10 fold over 20 years, the poor have lost buying power. It would require a minimum wage of $12/hr to make it out of poverty. The wealthy do not create jobs, they create product. If it doesn't sell because no one can afford it, there are no new jobs. Since the wealthy have increased their wealth and had their taxes cut, where are the new jobs? We have tried this "job creator" theory for 30 years: that is a full working generation. It didn't work. Until the buyers have the money, there will be no new jobs, because the wealthy are not buying enough product. Reagan called it supply side economics. Economists call it the Law of supply & DEMAND. We need to try that for a while, since the current system has not worked in 30 years.

Gitzo Loc: Indiana

Dr. Frog; You have obviously been spending too much time sitting on your lilly pad, smoking dope!

The article that I posted that you are attempting to discredit is FAR from the "last word" on the minimum wage law; for that, one must go to the REAL expert on that issue, Dr. Milton Friedman. For your convenience, I have included several links, so that you can better understand what it is that you are attempting to talk about.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca8Z__o52sk‎

www.aei-ideas.org/.../milton-friedman-responds-to-president-obamas-pr...‎

www.exploringthenews.com/.../video-milton-friedman-talks-minimum-w...‎

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Lol...it worked just fine for many years....not sure where you think that it isn't working.

I've been working since I was 17 without a break and I'm 53 now..the system works fine...for those who want to work.

TimS Loc: GA

What most people do not realize is that many union contracts have the workers' pay tied to a certain multiple of the federal minimum wage. Unions want pay raises for their members, not everybody else. That's the real motivation.

You see, minimum wage jobs are not supposed to be for supporting a family. They are, by and large, entry level no skill jobs that people can do for a little while so they can better themselves and move up from there.

A person flipping a burger, dropping fries, or riging someone up at the register should be paid based upon the difficulty of their job, their skill at doing it, and the value they provide to their employer. If they are unhappy with the wage they agreed to before accepting the position then they need to seek employment with someone who will pay them a wage they will be happy with. Employers shouldn't be forced to pay someone more money just because of the circumstances the employee finds themselves in.

Yooper 2 Loc: Ironwood, MI

Our employees have to earn their wage plus make a profit for the company. It is disheartening to see how many young people cannot write legibly, can't do basic math, can't read and don't have basic job skills. A young job applicant said before he filled out his employment application that he wanted us to know he didn't work overtime or weekends, that he wanted vacation pay, sick leave and medical benefits from day one and that he wanted a starting wage of $16.00/hour. He's been at WalMart for at least 10 years.

JBTaylor Loc: In hiding again

More reading on the minimum wage and effect on employment of minorities and those just starting out.


http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2013/09/17/minimum-wage-madness-part-ii-n1701833/page/full

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-11_15_05_TS.html

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

In other words, he actually was not looking for a job, he was looking for a "Contact" to put on his unemployment requirements (depending on the state of course...Here in Illinois, no requirements for looking for a job, money sent to you and you can take a 6month Vacation to florida..)

Mike

TimS Loc: GA

What sort if job was he applying for? What sort of business do you run?

silver Loc: Santa Monica Ca.

Can you make this statement in one simple sentence?

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

Hey, how are rich owners going to get rich paying a good decent minimum wage? That is the real American Dream we all want-the chance to become rich. That is the American Way. The Model T Ford was a great idea but that idea, like the Model T is now obsolete. The old Volkswagon bug was the last of that generation. I myself would want a no frills car purely built for function...when the Yugo came out I thought at last an affordable new car, but the American public does not want to be seen driving a "cheap" car. It is no longer the American Way. Even my socialist friend who is self employed to boot went out and bought a brand new car that for me would be expensive to impress his new girlfriend. And he is right. One female typically asks her friend with a new boyfriend, "What kind of car does he have?", I have heard it many a time. In our ideal world it wouldn't matter. But this is not ideal, it is a Ponzi scheme, we all envision ourselves getting to the top of that pyramid. And we can't do it if everyone makes enough money to survive. A lot of people must get squashed on the bottom of the pyramid. It is the American Way. Now.

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

Yeah, that's what I say, there are no unemployed, just people looking for a paid vacation. (I hope you become unemployed soon)(I just want you to have a vacation)

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

That was nice of you to offer Venture a vacation... You do know that it is you who is paying for for vacation. You sound no different than your socialist friend.

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

Well hells bells George... that is not very nice.... SURPRISE....
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I am retired so have no "Employment" Problems... The last time I became Unemployed, I spent about a week loafing, went to Quebecor Printing in Effingham, Ill. Asked if there were any jobs available... Went to work the next morning at a very reasonable wage for a "NEW HIRE"

I was only unemployed twice in my 53 years of employment, and in both cases I had a job within 2 days of interviewing (not by a Temp Service.. using shoe leather..)
and stayed with the jobs for 20, 24 and 5 years...then Retirement.... And why you may ask did I keep jobs for that length of time..... BECAUSE... I worked hard, I worked above the job description and I Wanted the job(s)



I started on the Presses and that is a NASTY/DIRTY/HOT job.... but surprise I stayed with it and before long became 2nd shift leader in the Parts department...

While on the Press, I watched at least 15 "young" men and a couple of young ladies come to work.... Of the 17, 2 men and one of the ladies stayed.... WHY YOU ASK...

I AIN"T GONNA WORK IN THIS PLACE, IT is too hot....it is too hard....I don't like the head pressman....ON and ON...

They had jobs that not only payed a reasonable wage, they had Insurance (2/3 paid by employer) and after a year a week vacation paid.....

I cannot speak for you,,,, but to the GREAT YOU... quit your bellyaching, take a job for less than what you want, keep looking for ways to rise in current job, OR look for a better job ... You cannot find a job on the computer and wishing others bad luck..

Mike