Post by nagasake on Feb 14, 2021 13:55:27 GMT -7
There's been talks in the United States about increasing the federal minimum wage, which is good in spirit but I fear it will do nothing. The minimum wage in America is not a living wage, as in, someone working a 40 hour a week job (in my opinion that's too many hours to begin with but I'm a lazy fuck) cannot provide for themselves. The argument that "only highschool kids get minimum wage jobs" just isn't true. There are adults who cant get better, and there's dickshit employers who only give their employees the bare fucking minimum and would pay them LESS if the minimum wage was lower. America has a serious lack of unions so a minimum wage is the best solution people have, and it ain't a very fucking good one.
If you raise the minimum wage and do nothing else to restrict a businesses response to that, prices for shit will just go up, and money will become less valuable. You may increase the literal number of dollars people get but you will not increase their value. The people seen as on the 'bottom' of society, the people that some don't even respect enough to say they deserve to take care of themselves, are not valued for what they're worth, and increasing the minimum wage won't do anything about it. (side note but IMO this country needs a labor movement NOW!)
I consider myself right-wing economically but America is REAAAAAAAAALY far right economically to the point where people call democrats socialist and they aren't joking, AND they forced you to buy private healthcare or get a government fine (yes the fusion of private industry and government in this country is beyond disgusting but that's a different, though related thred)
So does anyone have a solution that will actually increase the value and power of those at the bottom of the economic ladder? Do you restrict the price increase of all goods in relation to the minimum wage increase? instate a maximum wage? I don't know what to do but it's petty clear nothing's gonna change this way.
If you raise the minimum wage and do nothing else to restrict a businesses response to that, prices for shit will just go up, and money will become less valuable. You may increase the literal number of dollars people get but you will not increase their value. The people seen as on the 'bottom' of society, the people that some don't even respect enough to say they deserve to take care of themselves, are not valued for what they're worth, and increasing the minimum wage won't do anything about it. (side note but IMO this country needs a labor movement NOW!)
I consider myself right-wing economically but America is REAAAAAAAAALY far right economically to the point where people call democrats socialist and they aren't joking, AND they forced you to buy private healthcare or get a government fine (yes the fusion of private industry and government in this country is beyond disgusting but that's a different, though related thred)
So does anyone have a solution that will actually increase the value and power of those at the bottom of the economic ladder? Do you restrict the price increase of all goods in relation to the minimum wage increase? instate a maximum wage? I don't know what to do but it's petty clear nothing's gonna change this way.