Forced $15 minimum wage on all business by a Big Brother Federal Government. Insane!
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Currently, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. At this rate, a single person working 40 hours a week for every week of the year without taking any sick leave or vacation time would have an income of around $13,000.00 after taxes. This is barely above the federal poverty guidelines for single persons ($11,880.00 before taxes). The federal poverty line also represents an average cost of living, which means it doesn't account for the higher cost of living in larger cities where educational and career opportunities concentrate. (For instance, the approximate cost of living in NYC for a year is closer to $13,000.00.) The current federal minimum wage can keep a single person out of poverty only so long as they have no calamities (such as unexpected medical), and it prevents them from responsibly taking out loans on things such as education, cars, and homes which are often essential to career advancement. This leaves a significant part of the domestic population financially insecure and immobile, which isn't ideal for any economy. While I agree that it is negligent for people to have children before they have secured a financially stable position for themselves, the simple fact of the matter is that people will do this unless you want the federal government to try and stop them (which would be inconsistent with your anti-federalism). If it were just the parents that suffered from their financial irresponsibility, that would be one thing. However, the children did not ask to grow up malnourished or homeless and we know that having that sort of childhood is a significant causal variable in cycles of poverty. Try thinking about a higher minimum wage as less about the stupid parents, and more about the children and future economic stability of the nation. (All that said, I would prefer it be resolved at a state level than the federal.) You are no saint. You may say you care more than him but you do not know what he feels. FromWithin most likely had a very harsh upbringing and thinks that others were correct to never have shown him any empathy. First understand psychology and politics becomes far easier to comprehend even when you totally disagree. I would agree that "forcing" that $15 minimum wage is not the best thing to do. However, what led to this is the destruction of bargaining power in the individual companies. The $!5 is basically the same as it was when the minimum wage was installed, considering inflation and dollar value. If our Congress had allowed it to keep pace, if workers still had a voice, the "force" would not be necessary. Thirty years of stagnate wages, while CEO's etc. absorb money that the WORKERS produce to a level over 300% is "insane" also! "Ye reap what ye sow". To have a great economy it MUST be somewhere near FAIR! |
