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Wal Mart is not really fair to use as an example. Their business model is based on support from ebt as well as subsidies to their employees - either direct or indirect by the federal govt as low income assistance
Costco may be a better example in how to be a responsible retailer
edit: good read:
http://demonocracy.info/infographics/usa...-SNAP.html
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I'm not so sure raising minimum wage is the answer... I bet you top dollar once you raise the wage to 15 an hour in 3-6 months an average #1 meal will cost close to 15 dollars. It's already pushing 7-8 bucks for fast food meal.
Not that I eat there a lot. So I could care less what it cost to eat at their but I find it interesting to keep track of it since... It's a marker standard for the worlds prices. The gold standard was that a #1 meal cost about an hours worth of work at minimum wage.
I'm all for giving people more $ per hour but not if inflation is just going to creep up and we are now paying 15 or so for a crap meal. Imagine a family of four? You'd have to bring 100 bucks to go out and eat @ fast food. Once inflation goes up... The only people you really hurt are the people that are retired and have 20-40K in the bank. Now EVERYTHING just doubled and the savings in your bank will only buy Half of what it use too.
Careful what you wish for I guess.
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Given that minimum-wage-earners have to subsidize their income with generous taxpayer-funded handouts (EBT, welfare, housing, etc), what happens to those programs if the new minimum wage is "enough"?
Funny system we have here; shame it doesn't work for most people.
There Is a complete failure to understand basic economics here. Raising minimum wage will only finish off what's left of a struggling over regulated market. We need to free the market, not bury it under more rules. There are countries that have been down that road of complete control and failed, how little we remember the past. Look at china, they tried that, failed and now they are releasing the control and replacing us as the most prosperous country while their standard of living is rising faster then any other in the world. Soon China will have the thriving middle class we once had.
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If a young person doesn't have a good work ethic, they are doomed in the work force. I was lucky, as my parents instilled a great work ethic in me, and they did it by example. Though I certainly had some very lean years, especially when I was working and supporting myself and going to community college, I was never out of work. I remember once, when I was in my 30s, I was thinking of getting back into the airfreight field as a ramp serviceman. I had worked for Flying Tiger Lines for 5 years before they got in financial trouble and laid off huge numbers of employees. I was at an Alaskan Air hiring event where there were literally maybe 400-500 people filling out applications. The guy next to me asked me what he should do. I asked what he meant. He said that there wasn't enough rom on the paperwork to write down all the jobs he had had. Here was a young man that was going from job to job. That is a red flag right there. I was offered the job, but decided to stay where I was working (which was a 24 year run for me at the same job till I changed professions at 53 years old, as I was sick and tired of the 2 hour daily commute). I have owned and run two businesses with a partner, and that was a great education too.
I never had a problem getting and keeping a job, and when I left, they always begged me to stay. Not because I am a magically wonderful person. Because I have a great work ethic. I am NEVER late to work. I have gone more than one ten year period without missing ANY work. I am always there doing my job, and no one has ever felt that they had to constantly ride me to be sure I was doing that job. Trust like that is built by constantly showing your boss what you can do.
I have seen people that were late to work on their first day at a new job. Or on the second day asking for time off for some reason. Or they can't get along with coworkers. Education is more and more important. But without a great work ethic, you are doomed to failure. I'll take a worker that always shows up on time ready willing and able to do their job over one with a wonderful education and no work ethic any day. I never had a high end education, yet I worked and owned my homes and raised two kids and always provided for my family, and a day never went by when we were without health care and dental. I was even able to retire at 58 and move to the Big Island and live among you wonderful people. I am working a very part time job...teaching two chess classes at E.B. Desilva Elementary in Hilo.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Jon in Keaau/HPP
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I'll rephrase.
Raising the minimum wage: "job-killing regulation, employers will have to fire people to make up the difference, small businesses will go bankrupt".
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: "necessary price supports to guarantee stability for America's farmers".
We "the Public" are paying for both (for the privilege of paying a third time). There must be a better system, but the people who run things are happy with the way this one makes plenty money for them -- feel free to "vote" for some "change" in the next "election", citizen.
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quote:
Originally posted by kalakoa
I'm a sole proprietor; even without employees, the real-world costs are ridiculous.
Side effect? After paying off State and County, all I can afford is Walmart...
Yeah the reason why Walmart is all you can afford is because your tax dollars are paying their employees. Walmart employees need social services and welfare to make ends meet. This is the most insidious type of monopoly this world has ever seen. They have you hooked because you pay so much in taxes which they force their employees to use by under paying them and then they have people believing they have cheap prices so it is the only place tax payers can afford. What a scam! Then they keep prices low by supporting outsourced labor. They are exploiting everyone in all ways.
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UNIONIZE!
The decline of union membership mirrors the decline of middle class income. The sugar ( & coal, railroad, garment, auto, shipping, steel, construction, et al.) companies were happy with the way things were at one time. Don't expect the government to do your work for you, organize. We need a Jack Hall for the Wal Martyrs etc.
The mon and pops won't get crushed by one size fits all government solutions, because only the megaliths will be unionized. Then the rising tide will lift all boats.
Unions are not always perfect or always act responsibly, but by and large the America we take for granted today was built by Union members.
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Actually, the rising tide will lift all cost of living for the rest of us. - not good.
IMHO, most anyone only making minimum wage after 25 years is in serious need of skills and /or work ethic.
When I was making minimum wage, buying land or a house was not in my budget either.
I'm gonna guess that a fair number of the "wealthy" folks here didn't make $15/hr either.
Many of us aren't here because we are wealthy, but because we applied ourselves and lived frugally many many years (and still being frugal)
I would support an increase to minimum wage at the same 1.5% some on this forum consider too generous.
David
Ninole Resident
Please visit vacation.ninolehawaii.com
Ninole Resident
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if we are to increase minimum wage for the young folk - may I respectfully request that we look into the current 0.5% interest return for those of us who have saved our whole lives.....
banks are awash in cash.... cash is way to cheap these days for the big boys while us "rubbuh slippah" folk pay 24% on our credit cards.....
There is a huge disconnect on this island state and nation imho
