Should California's expensive regions consider increasing the minimum wage to $15.00/hour? (San Diego: transplants, employment)

[Moriarti]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Ummm, yea, Are you new here? Do you realize hundreds of thousands of people do this and they do it every single day? Remember, LA county stretches all the way to Long Beach.

Oh..I didn't know that ALL the low wage workers in LA actually live outside LA in little apartments they are able to rent for $200

[eccotecc]

mysticaltyger,

As I read it, there are 92,000,000 able bodied citizens who choose not to participate in the national labor force. Could it be because they get more in the way of financial support than what they would earn if working for minimum wage? Is the current minimum wage a disincentive to participate in the labor force? If business is looking for labor and encouraging immigration, then why are so many citizens choosing not to participate in the labor force?

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by slo1318

Not really going in circles, you just arent acknowledging my points. Teens are just one component. The key is that people in min wage jobs have an avenue for advancing.

We are going in cirlcles because you mentioned teenagers yet again when I've already stated that the majority of people working those jobs are not teenagers. If I didn't acknowledge your point, perhaps I missed your point due to this coming up again.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

mysticaltyger,

As I read it, there are 92,000,000 able bodied citizens who choose not to participate in the national labor force. Could it be because they get more in the way of financial support than what they would earn if working for minimum wage? Is the current minimum wage a disincentive to participate in the labor force? If business is looking for labor and encouraging immigration, then why are so many citizens choosing not to participate in the labor force?

Excellent question and post!

[Tulemutt]

I haven't seen a post yet in this thread about the concept of "B.I.G." The "Basic Guaranteed Income". Perhaps none of you are aware of this. It is a concept embraced by a surprising number of erudite economists crossing all socio-political lines: conservative, liberal, and libertarian.

In a nutshell, B.I.G. is a guaranteed living income for every citizen - regardless of whether they work or not. However, it works by completely eliminating all other forms of social welfare including: welfare, food-stamps, medicaid, etc.

Here are three links. Fascinating concept.

Guaranteed minimum income - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
USBIG: What is BIG?
Swiss consider welfare overhaul with guaranteed income

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by Moriarti

Oh..I didn't know that ALL the low wage workers in LA actually live outside LA in little apartments they are able to rent for $200

Yea, you must be new. Why do you think millions of people commute rather long distances here everyday? Because they love to sit in traffic for hours? It's because they can't afford to live near where they work, so they live in cheaper areas and drive to their jobs. It's only been this way for like 50 years....

[Moriarti]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Yea, you must be new. Why do you think millions of people commute rather long distances here everyday? Because they love to sit in traffic for hours? It's because they can't afford to live near where they work, so they live in cheaper areas and drive to their jobs. It's only been this way for like 50 years....

No one can afford a roof over their head at min wage. Period.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by Moriarti

No one can afford a roof over their head at min wage. Period.

So you think people making minimum wage right now are what? Living in a park or in some homeless camp? Lol. I have a good friend who makes minimum wage and rents a room in a big house and lives just fine. I just listed plenty of cities where one could get a roof over their heads for less than half of what they would make a month. Not to mention cheaper options by living with roommates. Again, you are very wrong.

[Moriarti]

Originally Posted by mbell75

So you think people making minimum wage right now are what? Living in a park or in some homeless camp? Lol. I just listed plenty of cities where one could get a roof over their heads for less than half of what they would make a month. Not to mention cheaper options by living with roommates. Again, you are very wrong.

Yes. A good percentage of homeless people actually have full time jobs. (44% according to one study)

The new homeless: Working, but without housing - am New York

National Coalition for the Homeless

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Moriarti

Yes. A good percentage of homeless people actually have full time jobs. (44% according to one study)

The new homeless: Working, but without housing - am New York

National Coalition for the Homeless

mbell is only half right. It is true that one can live in an area that is cheaper but this does not mean that people can just up and move entirely to another part of the state or out of state. Some people may need to be in a certain area for various other reasons. Some may be prone to heat exhaustion so those desert areas mentioned are quite likely not the best option for them. Some need to be near certain doctors, or family. There are many people who are homeless and working. I was one of them at one time and I was above minimum wage. A guy I work with now, works full time but lives in his van. Perhaps this won't always be the case with him. Either way, no one who is willing to work full time should ever be homeless. if we're willing to accept this and blame them for the problem then the problem is with our society and our lack of compassion for not only fellow Americans but human beings.