Posted by
Arnie on Wednesday, January 03, 2007 10:02:28 PM
Just as expected, the democrats are making their first move
to transform and take America into a deserved different direction, a
more progressive, tolerant, diversive, and global community of
satisfied, safe and secure prosperous populace. And now, even President Bush seems to have signed on to this.
The first step: raising the minimum wage rate from 5.15 to 7.25.
So
says Nancy. “The Democrats will move to increase the minimum wage
within the first 100 hours of the new session.” According to a Chicago
Tribune story: “A report this month by the Economic Policy Institute
found that more than 6 million minimum-wage workers would see immediate
pay raises by boosting the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour”.
Can
you see these teen-agers planning what to do with all that immediate
extra cash? That’s a boost of $2.10 an hour. Wow. For those 20 hours
I’m working at Taco Bell, I’ll bring home an additional $42. Man, I
sure can use that. What is not being told also is that the increase
will take 2 more years to get to $7.25. When the kids figure this out,
then the bubble will be broken and they’ll realize only an additional
$14 for those 20 hours of work, but then the boss might just reduce
his/her hours by 3 to maintain the margin of profit, or lay off his/her
friend, and also raise the price of that taco by 25 cents. Gee, maybe
it’s not such a big deal for these kids after all.
But
the unions love it, as most of their wage contracts are indexed to the
minimum wage. So when the minimum goes up, everything else goes up and
up, except for one accompanied fact, employment goes down. Oh, what a
tangled web these politicians weave. But it makes good news, the lefty
press eats it up, and they can all feel better for helping the
unfortunate ones struggling to make a living on the minimum wage. If
you’d like to read further on who it is that works for the minimum wage
see: Characteristics of Minimum wage workers from the US Dept of Labor.
Now, wait a minute here. That Chicago Tribune story quoted the
Economic Policy Institute saying over 6 million workers would benefit.
The Dept. of Labor in their statistical estimates of 2005 say less than
2 million would receive the increase. Which is correct? Nobody
knows. Will you bet the higher number gets the show? Sure sounds
better.
Those on the receiving end think the unearned mandated increase is great till the hours are cut, or the lay-off comes along. And here we are with a 4.7% unemployment rate, the lowest in a very long time. These people on the minimum could find a higher paying job by applying some skills and good work habits. These are boom times. The economy is busting out of its seams, the market is reaching new highs, and the democrats do not like it, so do something to kill it so when 2008 comes around, the cry will be to boost the economy Bush and his cronies killed.
The
politicians don’t want to really upset the apple cart by doing it all
at once, so they figure they have to gradually increase the minimum to
make it more acceptable and tolerable to those small businesses
affected by having to pay it out. To those receiving the boost, it’s
deceptive. And the media goes along with the democrats, arm in arm,
printing out sad stories of a single mom with 4 kids who can't make it on the minimum. Or, the teen ager who can't afford gas to get to school on time or a nice formal to wear for the prom. On and on.
On
a side note. Do you see a similarity here in the way our taxes are
raised? But then we are told it is only going up a just a little bit
and only for those who can afford it.
Well,
why not raise it all at once? Skip the two-year deal. Why is $7.25 the
magic number? Why not an even number like $8.00 hour? If $7.25 is good,
won’t $9.35 be even better. Hey, let’s not hold back any. We’ll make it
$23.55 an hour. Then all these people “living on the minimum wage”
would be able to buy those wide screen TVs, monthly cable, or even the
satellite, perhaps get a cell-phone. Oh, they already have two of those. And that single mom, she don't know who the daddie(s) are.
See Additional info on minimum wage increases.
Again, it’s only as I see it.