State of the Union: An exercise in truth stretching

[J.K. Gregg]

What raising the minimum wage will do is kill jobs, and make the minimum wage jobs more labor-intensive, meaning they won't necessarily be "low-skill" jobs. A call center that starts each of its customer service representatives at minimum wage is going to have higher labor costs. They'll need to cut back on personnel, and they'll only hire people with customer service experience, as opposed to being more willing to take a High Schooler in and teach them a few things. People with no skills will have no job and this will disproportionately hurt the young.

Short of pure dictatorial power, you simply cannot force businesses to increase their labor costs without them reacting in some way (i.e. scaling back). For examples of this, see how businesses almost always pass along the cost of tax increases onto customers.

Personally, the minimum wage is a horrible idea. It artificially increases the cost of doing business. Why not just let companies set their own wages? If people can't live off of that wage, then they don't have to work there, and when no one accepts their job offers, then the company could raise its wage offers. This is one thing that I think the free market could clearly take care of. There are enough businesses in this country to compete with, if Flower Shop A isn't offering good wages but Sandwich Shop B is, people will look for other jobs and quit when they find a better one.

Also, for the young, 16-18 year olds, having a job would be great for their self-esteem and introduce them to personal financing early, and low-wage, low-skill jobs would be perfect for them.

[Indy]

So when the gov't sets a minimum wage, it's tyranny.

When business does it and makes it whatever it wants, it's not. Hey: f*** you! You can go work somewhere else!

This is the "free market," Ayn Rand-style.

You know what I realized? You scream about any gov't rules impinging upon your liberty but when it's a private corporation, you get out the knee pads.

So you want to be a subject, but just for private despots instead of gov't ones.

Yup, seen this before way too many times.

[J.K. Gregg]

You're such a drama queen. The difference between government setting wages and business setting wages is one is based on force, and the other is voluntary and consentual. Besides, my "rights" aren't violated if I'm paid less than $9.00/hr. lol

[Indy]

Right: because any gov't regulation is "force" according to you.



So when the gov't sets wages that's "force" but when the employer does you're not being "forced' to accept that wage.

Yooookay....

Hey why not turn the clock back to the industrial age. Maybe we can get child labor going again too while we're at it? No workplace safety rules either, because that's "force"!

The "free market" will protect workers! Yeah! And you know, history sure has shown that...

[J.K. Gregg]

[Indy]

[J.K. Gregg]

[Indy]

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Wee this fantasy world is like fun!

Because people typically open businesses to answer employment demand, as opposed to consumer demand.

[J.K. Gregg]

Why wouldn't I? I could have the best people, and make the most money. My competitors wouldn't make as nice a product, nor deliver it as timely as I could. I could easily destroy a few competitors that refused to adjust to the market value of labor.

[exploited]

Nice example.

Now account for jobs that have zero skill requirements, like flipping burgers.

Are you gonna hire the best burger flippers around and everybody will flock to your business because your employees are just so appreciative of being paid maybe $15,000 a year?