Breakfast Inflation

[Caustic Burno]

Quite the contrary! I am a current business owner of a small business just as Luck speaks of. And we, in the last year sold another business that is still thriving today. Before that I grew up with my family owning multiple businesses, none of which ever went under. So the stereotype that you use that says everybody that is in favor of a minimum wage increase is an entry level, low wage worker does not work here. I also disagree on the stated "fact" that all minimum wage workers do not work hard or deserve more. It's simply not true! There will always be those that have no ambition to better themselves, but there's nothing we can do to fix that. Especially at the demise of those that do want to better themselves.
Everybody seems to want the government to stay out of their business, that's true for all of us. But too many times we pick and choose what we want government involved in. Like manufacturing moving overseas? We sure want government involved there. We as individuals cannot make the differences needed. We don't say it in so many words, but what we say is government should do their jobs when it's something that's good for me, me, me. But when it's good for somebody else and harder on us we say it's a conspiracy and the government should stay out of our lives.
Condpiracies that were going to destroy our country have been around and festering long before we were all alive. If we could ever stop looking at everything as a coup and a conspiracy we might make some progress.

The government drove manufacturing overseas with over regulation along with taxation. Corporations don't pay taxes they collect them from consumers. When they can no longer be competitive, manufacturing moves to cheaper labor and regulations.
Only thing that moves manufacturing is the return on capital employed. Neither China or India don't give a rats butt about environmental regs and labor is definitely not a problem.

 

[Brute 23]

It's a dual part. Until Americans decide it's more important to buy quality domestic products over the latest cell phone or car it will be hard to bring manufacturing back to the US. Americans are addicted to cheap, disposable, dependable, junk.

 

[callmefence]

Regulations and unions hurt manufacturing. I really don't think we're missing much. There's plenty of good jobs available. Alot of manufacturing is very dirty. Just like the oil industry that doesn't take up any space has destroyed a good portion of the upper Texas coast. We don't want to become dependent for sure. But if we can buy it cheap enough from someone else without polluting our land..."why not".. there's plenty of work for anyone willing that's not even a issue.

 

[OBAX]

It's a dual part. Until Americans decide it's more important to buy quality domestic products over the latest cell phone or car it will be hard to bring manufacturing back to the US. Americans are addicted to cheap, disposable, dependable, junk.

you're absolutely correct. Unfortunately we live in a world today that everybody has a genuine need for a cell phone, and a car, and appliances, clothes, the list could go on and on. Buying American made is probably preferable but unattainable for a huge portion of the population. That's where the government comes in. Either they raise wages to help Americans buy American, or they regulate imports from China and India, and etc., or both.
No matter the reasons for manufacturing moving overseas, it is a reality and more affordable to a budget. No matter the stand against a corporation or foreign products, me as an individual or my "group" cannot make a difference.

 

[EasTex]

Remember when Walmart promoted "made in the USA"?? That ship has long since sailed! I worked there in high school when that was going on in the late 80's. I was making $3.45/hour which was 0.10/hour more than minimum wage at the time.

 

[KAstocker]

I believe Thomas Sowell said true minimum wage is always $0. The government tries to raise it, and more people go to true minimum wage.

An economy's wealth is measured by the amount of goods and services it produces, not currency units. Raising minimum wage does not increase the amount of good and services produced, so thinking it will make people more wealthy is ridiculous. And it doesn't transfer wealth from the top to the bottom. If anything, it lowers the bottom creating a larger wealth gap.

 

[Brute 23]

Remember when Walmart promoted "made in the USA"?? That ship has long since sailed! I worked there in high school when that was going on in the late 80's. I was making $3.45/hour which was 0.10/hour more than minimum wage at the time.

The things I read say Sam Walten treated the employees good. Most of the negative things have come about since the kids taking over.

 

[KAstocker]

I worked at a Walmart logistics center for a summer about 10 years ago. They paid me $16 an hour, so I was pretty happy. They seemed like a good company to work for that really takes care of their employees. They do that to make sure they don't go union. They do make you work for your money, but I don't blame them. My brother has worked there 13 years and I'd guess makes $22-25 an hour with 6 weeks vacation. They also promote within heavily. I know a guy that started as a summer temp and worked his way up to #2 at a logistics center. That position paid $150k 10 years ago. I have positive thoughts about Walmart as an employer.

 

[ccr]

I believe Thomas Sowell said true minimum wage is always $0. The government tries to raise it, and more people go to true minimum wage.

An economy's wealth is measured by the amount of goods and services it produces, not currency units. Raising minimum wage does not increase the amount of good and services produced, so thinking it will make people more wealthy is ridiculous. And it doesn't transfer wealth from the top to the bottom. If anything, it lowers the bottom creating a larger wealth gap.

KAstocker it's good to see Thomas Sowell mentioned. A wise man that many would benefit reading.

 

[OBAX]

I believe Thomas Sowell said true minimum wage is always $0. The government tries to raise it, and more people go to true minimum wage.

An economy's wealth is measured by the amount of goods and services it produces, not currency units. Raising minimum wage does not increase the amount of good and services produced, so thinking it will make people more wealthy is ridiculous. And it doesn't transfer wealth from the top to the bottom. If anything, it lowers the bottom creating a larger wealth gap.

There are millions of people that can't be concerned about the economy's wealth, or being personally wealthy, because they are too busy worrying about feeding their kids and buying school supplies. Wealth is not a concern when you're trying to survive.

 

[Caustic Burno]

There are millions of people that can't be concerned about the economy's wealth, or being personally wealthy, because they are too busy worrying about feeding their kids and buying school supplies. Wealth is not a concern when you're trying to survive.

They are not worried as the government has guaranteed income and health benefits along with a free cell phone.
Just chains of enslavement envisioned by LBJ .
The Great Society has almost been achieved.

 

[greybeard]

You know the hog trough is being plenty kept full when states are having to offer people 'signing bonuses' to get a job.

Mass. Senate Republicans want to pay the unemployed $1,200 to return to work

State Republican senators are behind a proposal to give $1,200 to jobless residents who land a new position.

www.boston.com

Will Massachusetts offer back-to-work bonuses like Connecticut and New Hampshire?

Connecticut and New Hampshire are offering $500 to $1,000 return-to-work bonuses to certain workers.

www.masslive.com

At least theirs's are spread out over a full year and 3 equal $400 payments, with the last one only if they stayed employed a full year. One state recently offered a deal where the worker got the $$ as soon as they had completed only 30 days on the job.

 

[D2Cat]

There are millions of people that can't be concerned about the economy's wealth, or being personally wealthy, because they are too busy worrying about feeding their kids and buying school supplies. Wealth is not a concern when you're trying to survive.

It all depends on where they are on the triangle of needs. Many people stay in the rut because it's easy, some get out because they don't like it there and work extra jobs to get out.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is an idea in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper "A theory of Human Motivation"

 

[KAstocker]

There are millions of people that can't be concerned about the economy's wealth, or being personally wealthy, because they are too busy worrying about feeding their kids and buying school supplies. Wealth is not a concern when you're trying to survive.

You missed the point. Raising everyone's wage does not raise everyone's standard of living, not even that of the bottom. Government should focus on policies that raise the standard of living, not policies that just raise currency units.

 

[OBAX]

You missed the point. Raising everyone's wage does not raise everyone's standard of living, not even that of the bottom. Government should focus on policies that raise the standard of living, not policies that just raise currency units.

I agree with you. What I would like to know is how do we raise the standard of living? It is near impossible to stop reduce the cost of living. Wages have not kept pace with cost of living for many years in most cases.
I think it would be great if we could live comfortably for $8-$10 an hour.

 

[Caustic Burno]

It all depends on where they are on the triangle of needs. Many people stay in the rut because it's easy, some get out because they don't like it there and work extra jobs to get out.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is an idea in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper "A theory of Human Motivation"

View attachment 4646

It all depends on where they are on the triangle of needs. Many people stay in the rut because it's easy, some get out because they don't like it there and work extra jobs to get out.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is an idea in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper "A theory of Human Motivation"

View attachment 4646

This nails it!
I hired in a laborer for a major refinery and ended up in charge nights and weekends.
Every time I would be up for advanced position the company would give an IQ test.
Finally after about the third one I ask the psychologist why they tested each time.
He explained you could have the IQ of Einstein and be happy living under an overpass. You could be ate up with drive with a 100 IQ. Then he went on to explain that while being an excellent employee you would never run the place as you couldn't juggle that many complex problems.
He went on to explain regardless of ones IQ most become satisfied at some station in life. I saw that with myself and a lot of other mangers,
One of the most interesting things he showed me was the average American IQ from somewhere around 1980 it was in decline. He stated as more became dependent on social programs the decline would increase. It made perfect sense we were incentivizing the poor and uneducated.
The government always gets what it subsidizes.

 

[shaz]

I suspect IQ is in overall decline. When I was a kid I used to love to build tree houses. This is difficult when you have nothing but a hammer, nails and scrap lumber and, most importantly, NO HELP. No Google either. I had to figure it out and rely on no one but me.

 

[OBAX]

You're right but the poor and uneducated come in multiple forms. Those that choose to be and those that have no choice. If we incentivize working in return for a living wage rather than staying home with the kids because child care costs more than you can make, and get an affordable education, then we could see a difference. We can't catch all the fish with the same bait, but we could catch a mess.

 

[KAstocker]

I agree with you. What I would like to know is how do we raise the standard of living? It is near impossible to stop reduce the cost of living. Wages have not kept pace with cost of living for many years in most cases.
I think it would be great if we could live comfortably for $8-$10 an hour.

Make it easier for the amount of goods and services produced to be increased. That would be primarily through lower taxes and less regulation. The government is very inefficient so keeping money in the private sector will produce a better standard of living than giving the money to the government. The money that the government does spend should be on improving infrastructure. The highway interstate system was a terrific investment by the government to increase the amount of goods and services produced. Welfare programs don't increase goods and services produced. I'm not saying all government programs that don't increase goods and services produced should be eliminated because there are other considerations than the economy. But to think those programs make people more wealthy is incorrect.

 

[Kingfisher678]

It's a dual part. Until Americans decide it's more important to buy quality domestic products over the latest cell phone or car it will be hard to bring manufacturing back to the US. Americans are addicted to cheap, disposable, Undependable, junk.

Fixed it for you. THats all a lo