Mr Khan said:
BMaker11 said:
Baalzamon said:
While the general argument for a minimum wage increase is inherently flawed, there is an justifiable argument completely separate from it that is not flawed.
The general argument you hear is that the minimum wage should be a sufficient "livable wage," or so it is called, and is often pegged around $15/hr. The problem with an immediate wage increase of this much is, it will lead to some pretty significant inflation (especially at smaller businesses and thus the $15/hr no longer being "livable"), some industries going out of business completely (I'm especially looking at the bar industry, as people simply wouldn't be willing to pay 50% more for their burger, fries, and beer at their favorite local joint on a lazy afternoon), as well as the current moderate wage workplaces having some pretty upset workers. If somebody at McDonalds is able to make $15/hr, than why am I only making $26/hr with a 150 credit degree and 3 letters after my name (CPA).
Now, the legitimate reason why the minimum wage should be raised, and how it should be? It should always be attached to inflation, plain and simple. Why is a minimum wage worker today making $7.25/hr, when a minimum wage worker 10 years ago made $7.25/hr. I realize they don't have a college degree, but I also realize that they are making effectively 30% less money than 10 years ago for doing the exact same thing, which is by no means fair. |
No one seems to take that into account (tying minimum wage to inflation). I am, personally, not just utterly opposed to raising the minimum wage. But people are asking for $15/hr. That's insane. I make more than that, but not a whole lot. And I'll tell you what: I can afford my rent, my stupidly expensive car payment for what the car is (mother had bad credit, but I had no credit leaving college and I needed a car. She just got one from one of those "bad credit, we'll take you!" places and the payments were transferred to me), my student loans, and a credit card bill. And you know what, I still travel to places like Vegas and Atlanta, buy Playstations, got into cycling (not a cheap hobby), and more. That's what $15/hr will get you. Point being, $15/hr is not a "living" wage. It is very much a "luxury" wage. My essentials...essentials that not everyone even have (credit card bill, student loans, car payment...but I still have to pay them, unlike getting a PS4) are covered as well as a roof over my head and food on the table. And on top of that I can do all that extra stuff. This is what people who want a higher wage want. Not a "living wage", they want the extra stuff. They're accustomed to living outside their means, and now that there's a movement behind it, people think they are entitled to that lifestyle. You can live on a lot less than $15/hr, and I'm living proof of it.
Now, if you made the mistake of having kids with a scumbag, and he's not around to take care of it: your fault. If you have a job in such a niche field that it wouldn't translate to anything else if you got laid off: your fault. If you don't work and someone else is the breadwinner and they die, and in the time you were together, you do absolutely nothing that would have the slightest relevance on a resume: your fault.
But don't turn around and say you need $15/hr to "live". I "live" on a lot less. No, not ramen and hot pockets either. And the additional money I make goes to extra stuff you have no business partaking in if you're only qualified enough to work at McDonald's.
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I agree with you to a point. I crunched the numbers, and i could almost support myself on my $8/hr job if i worked it full time (can't, though, grad school and all).
My question is: are you single and/or childless?
Poverty and the wage debate usually isn't about unmarried 20 somethings.
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I am single and childless. And I also know that something like 50% of people working minimum wage are single mothers, and not grimy teenagers with a summer job. But I addressed that in a prior post. People are using that as an argument to pull on people's heartstrings because we should feel bad for the situation they're in. But, like I said before, a job that takes no training and can be done by a high schooler shouldn't be paid the same as a job requiring high skills. I don't care who's working that job: single mothers, divorcees, the elderly, college students....it doesn't matter. If you're completely expendable because your job doesn't require much to complete the task and getting a replacement is as easy as picking some guy up off the street, it shouldn't be paid the same as a job that requires a college degree, technical skills, a few years experience in the field, etc. Unless we also increases the wages of higher skilled workers, which would then put minimum wage workers in the same predicament they were before, once the markets adjust.
It's not my fault a woman went and had a bunch of kids without going to school. That's on her. That's not on the employer to raise wages to accomodate her irresponsibility. It's on her to better herself to manage the lifestyle she got herself into. And if she 's a single mother because she ended up a widow (if divorced, she gets child support, unless her boyfriend or husband isn't the father...again, her fault for fooling around with scumbags), it's still her fault for not doing anything to boost her skills while she was a housewife. For example, you know you can go to code academy and learn the basics of SQL in under an hour, right? Slap that on a resume and start searching for jobs and you'll get $14/hr minimum (at least around where I live) for an entry level SQL Specialist job.
I read that the average household income in the US is like $51 or $52K, and that's 2-income with 3 children and living in a house. 3 children and a house! And that's living comfortably. You mean to tell me 1 person needs over 60% of that to live?! Because, remember, people like to focus on the least common denominator, so while that may seem like candy and rainbows to a single mother, the shitty 17 year old that always gets your order wrong is making that much as well. It's 100% a person's responsibility to be able to accomodate children and a house if they choose to go that route. Not the employer. You don't want to make $7.25? Get a better job. It's not the employers fault you put yourself in a situation where you need more money but don't have more skills. Also remember that minimum wage work isn't meant to be a career. If you're trying to raise a family by working at McDonald's, you're not doing it right. Minimum wage is meant to support your needs, not 3 more kids
