"They'll just raise prices if thy raise the minimum wage."

[Heywood]

If you're going to consider minimum wage, you should know who makes it. In 2012, only 2.8% of American workers were at or below (e.g. waitstaff) the federal minimum wage, and half of them are under 25 years old.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/201...imum-wage/

Any worker with a bit of work ethic will get raises and make more than minimum wage. Back in the day, I started at minimum wage at a gas station. Since I showed up when I was scheduled, I was better than most of the people they hired, and soon got raises and benefits. I had to work overtime to make ends meet, but guess what - I was young and just starting out and that's the way it is.

But why should it be necessary to get raises just so you don't have to work overtime, or multiple jobs, to make ends meat?

Why are you entitled to a 40 hour work week and no more?

When we were swinging from the trees, we worked as hard as necessary to make our nut. Do you think early hunter/gatherers stopped hunting and gathering after 8 hours and took two days off whether or not they found food? Negative Chad...they kept going and going if that is what they needed to do to survive.

There is nothing intrinsically wrong about having to work overtime if that is what is required to sustain your existence.

[John V]

I am honestly tired of this ignorant line. That line itself is why there are so many problems that never get fixed.

I don't think the concept that young, inexperienced people need to work hard to get ahead is a problem that needs to be fixed.

Just because that's the way it is does not mean the way it is happens to be the best solution for the way we live. Just because that's the way it has always been does not mean that is the way it should continue to be.

And I didn't rely only on the way it is. That's all that you quoted. I also noted that anyone with a decent work ethic will not be making minimum wage for long.

People need to wake up and realize that for a real change for the positive to take effect, they must stop relying upon the false belief that things are good the way they are.

Good or bad are matters of opinion. You don't get to unilaterally declare that those who think things are OK as is have a false belief.

[Mister Agenda]

My personal experience as a minumum wage worker who went through two minimum wage hikes in the eighties was that my wage increase was completely eaten by the following hike in prices a couple of weeks later, both times. Food and clothing involve a lot of minimum wage workers, and at the time, those things took up a much bigger percentage of my budget than they do now.

That said, the takeway might be that if you want the minimum wage raised, be smart about it: smaller, more frequent increases rather than spaced-out dramatic ones. Timing it for periods of strong economic growth and low inflation should magnify any benefits and minimize any harmful consequences.

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An alternative to minimum wages would be subsidized wages: If we think the minimum wage should be ten dollars, we can make up the difference between people's current wages and the new wage by reimbursing employers the difference with tax money.

[Chad32]

But why should it be necessary to get raises just so you don't have to work overtime, or multiple jobs, to make ends meat?

Why are you entitled to a 40 hour work week and no more?

When we were swinging from the trees, we worked as hard as necessary to make our nut. Do you think early hunter/gatherers stopped hunting and gathering after 8 hours and took two days off whether or not they found food? Negative Chad...they kept going and going if that is what they needed to do to survive.

There is nothing intrinsically wrong about having to work overtime if that is what is required to sustain your existence.

I doubt that hunters and gatherers worked from dawn until dusk if they didn't have to. My job is not my life. My job is there so I can have a nice life and do what I want. If I work 12+ hours a day, 5-6 days a week, I have little energy left to do anything else besides eat and sleep. Why should that ever be acceptable?

I can understand doing it if you absolutely have to, but no one should have to live like that.

[John V]

I doubt that hunters and gatherers worked from dawn until dusk if they didn't have to. My job is not my life. My job is there so I can have a nice life and do what I want. If I work 12+ hours a day, 5-6 days a week, I have little energy left to do anything else besides eat and sleep. Why should that ever be acceptable?

I can understand doing it if you absolutely have to, but no one should have to live like that.

IOW, Society owes me a nice life and the time and money to do the things I want to do.

Er, no, it doesn't. You have to earn that.

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Look around Heywood, if they weren't greedy bastards they'd already be paying a fair wage.

IOW, When I want more I'm just being fair. When you want more it's greed.

[Chad32]

Yes, that's exactly what I said. Not that I shouldn't be expected to spend most of my awake time working, but that society owes me something. You sure hit the nail on the head with that one.

[John V]

Yes, that's exactly what I said. Not that I shouldn't be expected to spend most of my awake time working, but that society owes me something. You sure hit the nail on the head with that one.

No one expects you to spend most of your awake time working. Many people don't. Ask CapnAwesome. He makes little money, does what he wants to do, and feels he has a nice life. You're free to join him.

[KUSA]

but no one should have to live like that.

Why not? I did it for many years until I got in a position where I didn't have to.

[John V]

but no one should have to live like that.

Why not? I did it for many years until I got in a position where I didn't have to.

Me too, and in order to have a "nice life," I still do it three months a year. Every year from 1/15 - 4/15 (today's the end! ) I work 65 - 70 hours a week. I'm not rich, but I do OK - I make low six figures in a low-housing-cost area. My wife doesn't work, and during those three months, when aside from work all I have time for is eating and sleeping, she takes care of everything else. And we're grateful for what we have.

[Chad32]

I guess I just have different ideas of what is acceptable and what isn't than you guys.