So, there's an issue you're not addressing. The current minimum wage effectively creates working poor. Working poor are subsidized by government in a number of ways. So, someone can work a full time job, and still be eligible for multiple government sponsored subsidies. So, your argument that the minimum wage should stay low is effectively an argument for continued welfare programs of another kind.
We have an extremely low unemployment rate. What jobs do come available tend to be the minimum wage ones. I'm all for people working hard. But, I'm also all for people being able to stay in the community in which they live and being able to get a living wage. By the way, I work full time at a pretty decent job. As a family of three, we're about $1000.00 a year from qualifying for "moderate-income" assistance, because our median income (and cost of living) in this city is so high. If we were a family of four, we would qualify. The proposed "living wage" was no where near what I make, or even what my husband makes. So, even a "living wage" in Madison is not going to provide for a comfortable lifestyle. It'll probably put a rented roof over your head, but chances are good that if you're paying your own heating costs, that you're going to need heating subsidies. And, chances are good that you'll be making trips to food pantries occasionally to fill out the cupboards if you're trying to feed any kids. I have some friends who are youngish with 2 young kids. Both work at a place in town that insists on paying a living wage. They just moved in with her mother, because she really wants to go to nursing school, but can't afford to pay for the tests and the application fees - even with 2 "living wages" and no childcare costs. They're lucky that they have family support and will probably make it. On 9/27/05, Gruss Gott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Deanna wrote: > > The state wage is significantly lower than the city wage was to be, and > > there's no provision for incremental increases like there was in the > city > > version. > > > > That's the problem with the minimum wage: it isn't trying to solve any > problem, just mask the symptoms. And in doing so, it creates more > problems. > > Quick example. I know a guy who makes roofing knives for a small > business. He used to pay people the minimum wage to do the final > assembly until he figured out it's much cheaper to send the parts to > China for assembly. Bye, bye jobs. > > If the minimum wage increases, however, those people out of job can > find another one that comes with a pay rise! Why did they get rise? > Because they earned it through skills acquisition? No. Because the > gov't gave them a hand out. What message does that send? Do nothing, > get raises. > > The only problem is those jobs are going to China and the ones that > stay train people to stay stupid. > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:175129 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
