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Actually we are bringing the middle class down to be the working poor. Started with keeping minimum wage down, which helped to keep low skilled and skilled workers salaries down. Next up state workers make to much lets bring those teachers, postal workers and road workers down because we don't have the money to pay them and we don't because because many in the middle class have had their wages stagnate. Tell our kids they need a college degree in order to live a decent life only to find many can't find a job and have to take a job that once did not require a college degree at one time. Making those who were once able to hold a middle class job that now requires a college degree to go out and find a minimum wage job. All while the CEO's are making more than they ever did and the difference between their pay and their employees pay has increased over the years.
The only way to counter the CEOs who have no problem taking money from the non-ceo's, is to have more CEOs and more educated workers so that they can demand more money from them through market forces.
High-tech businesses or businesses that serve the emerging markets that bring back money to the USA, will be the only way the USA can afford to have a high standard of living.
a single person on minimum wage can not even afford a 1 bed room apartment on minimum wage in this nation without some kind of help, so take the family argument out of it.
They should be living at home or renting a room somewhere or have roomates. I had four roomates when I graduated from college. As each of us earned more money, we got our own place. I am talking three civil engineers and a software developer.
The thing is, older people have INVADED the minimum wage job market.
Take a look around, sure there are jobs that go to students, but there is a LARGE number of older and middle age people taking entry-level retail jobs and holding them.
They are not taking anything. They are the best qualified applicants. Employers value people with previous work experience who need a job over a flaky apathetic teenager.
Actually we are bringing the middle class down to be the working poor. Started with keeping minimum wage down, which helped to keep low skilled and skilled workers salaries down. Next up state workers make to much lets bring those teachers, postal workers and road workers down because we don't have the money to pay them and we don't because because many in the middle class have had their wages stagnate. Tell our kids they need a college degree in order to live a decent life only to find many can't find a job and have to take a job that once did not require a college degree at one time. Making those who were once able to hold a middle class job that now requires a college degree to go out and find a minimum wage job. All while the CEO's are making more than they ever did and the difference between their pay and their employees pay has increased over the years.
You do make some valid points. Look at the the income gap between CEO's and the workers. But do I think raising minimum wage is the answer? No. Why? Well, raise minimum wage, then guess what? Guess who is going to feel it? The consumer will, as companies will raise the cost of their goods to offset the increase. Not to mention, more and more people will be laid off, as a company can only raise the price of their product so much.
As for the issue with college. Personally, I think it is a cash cow and a racket! Young folks are lead to believe that by simply having that degree they're guaranteed that successful high salaried job! Not everyone is cut out to be a doctor, a lawyer, a stock broker...ect..ect. Like it or not, what made this country great is manufacturing and the fact that Americans make things (well, they used to). I think we need to get back to that. The CEO's also need to stop being greedy, and selling out their fellow Americans so they can pay someone one in China slave wages. The unions also need to stop making their money grabs as well. They are certainly not helping matters these days, and are doing a great disservice to the employees that they represent. Hostess anyone? Now that isn't to say that it all falls on the union, because I believe management is just as much at fault at running that company into the ground.
Back to education. We need more trade schools. Streamline the education process. If I'm going to college for let's say meteorology, why in the Hell do I need to take an elective such as Phys Ed, or basket weaving? It certainly doesn't help that there are college graduates out there who went to school to better themselves, yet can't find anything and end up continuing to work at low wage jobs like Walmart, while they're burdened with the debt of student loans.
I do feel it is important to maintain a strong middle class, and working to bring the poor up. There will always be poor people, yes. That is just a harsh reality. But raising the minimum wage will only increase the gap between the rich and the poor as the middle class is further eroded.
So what do we do with low skilled workers once robotics start to take over?
If the liberals had their way, they would have the government outlaw automation. ATM machines and robots would be banned in business and factories. The way Mao kept employment so low in China was to refuse to allow robots to take the job of a person. One robot equalled 10 unemployed peasants. Banks would have to hire more tellers if there were no ATMs. Grocery stores would have to hire more checkers if there were no self-serv registers. Lets roll back to 1960!!!!
Last edited by Spaten_Drinker; 02-14-2013 at 07:47 AM..
Actually we are bringing the middle class down to be the working poor. Started with keeping minimum wage down, which helped to keep low skilled and skilled workers salaries down. Next up state workers make to much lets bring those teachers, postal workers and road workers down because we don't have the money to pay them and we don't because because many in the middle class have had their wages stagnate. Tell our kids they need a college degree in order to live a decent life only to find many can't find a job and have to take a job that once did not require a college degree at one time. Making those who were once able to hold a middle class job that now requires a college degree to go out and find a minimum wage job. All while the CEO's are making more than they ever did and the difference between their pay and their employees pay has increased over the years.
You do make some valid points. Look at the the income gap between CEO's and the workers. But do I think raising minimum wage is the answer? No. Why? Well, raise minimum wage, then guess what? Guess who is going to feel it? The consumer will, as companies will raise the cost of their goods to offset the increase. Not to mention, more and more people will be laid off, as a company can only raise the price of their product so much.
As for the issue with college. Personally, I think it is a cash cow and a racket! Young folks are lead to believe that by simply having that degree they're guaranteed that successful high salaried job! Not everyone is cut out to be a doctor, a lawyer, a stock broker...ect..ect. Like it or not, what made this country great is manufacturing and the fact that Americans make things (well, they used to). I think we need to get back to that. The CEO's also need to stop being greedy, and selling out their fellow Americans so they can pay someone one in China slave wages. The unions also need to stop making their money grabs as well. They are certainly not helping matters these days, and are doing a great disservice to the employees that they represent. Hostess anyone? Now that isn't to say that it all falls on the union, because I believe management is just as much at fault at running that company into the ground.
Back to education. We need more trade schools. Streamline the education process. If I'm going to college for let's say meteorology, why in the Hell do I need to take an elective such as Phys Ed, or basket weaving? It certainly doesn't help that there are college graduates out there who went to school to better themselves, yet can't find anything and end up continuing to work at low wage jobs like Walmart, while they're burdened with the debt of student loans.
I do feel it is important to maintain a strong middle class, and working to bring the poor up. There will always be poor people, yes. That is just a harsh reality. But raising the minimum wage will only increase the gap between the rich and the poor as the middle class is further eroded.
Right on.
Not to mention that raising the minimum wage will raise the cost of living and raise prices on all goods and services for everyone - including the poor.
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It certainly doesn't help that there are college graduates out there who went to school to better themselves, yet can't find anything and end up continuing to work at low wage jobs like Walmart, while they're burdened with the debt of student loans. 
