Quote:
Originally Posted by Memphis1979
Maybe, but I haven't seen a bill signed by anyone to do that just yet.
I don't like farm subsidy, should be ended.
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But think of what this would do to Canadian families!
But think of what this would do to the Canadian Peoples! You need to remember the American taxpayer (that is you) pays for
up to 50% of some of the items purchased by Canadians who visit just in order to take advantage of taxpayer funded foodstuffs.
In case you think I am trolling I'm not.
Canadians are flocking to a Costco store in Bellingham, Wash
Tell me what you think of this.
I like the idea of a two tiered minimum wage.
Those working at McDonalds and similar establishments get $8/hr and we call that a living wage for those that don't like working hard.
Then there is a second minimum wage and let's put that at $20/hr if you work as a farm employee. In fact I like the idea of $25/hr.
Seriously, in my opinion a farm laborer being paid $20/hr is not being overpaid. Every try it? It's hot, it's dirty, it's humid and nasty work not for the faint of heart or the
Nancy Boys, those brought up to believe they were born mommy's precious little snowflake, that would prefer to work the fries counter at McDonald's. You want a man's wage? Good, do a man's work and you should be able to get it.
One of the things we need to throw out though is the 40 hour week. Farming is 50 hours a week but let's have a minimum pay of $20/hr where a standard week is 50 hours. Any kid willing to work hard can earn $1,000/week in wages.
I hear your argument against my idea so let me address it now. You are afraid if we triple wages paid to farm laborers the cost of your food will triple.
This is not true.
The Costs and Benefits of a Raise for Field Workers - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com
Quote:
Philip Martin, a labor economist at the University of California, Davis, is the author, most recently, of “Importing Poverty? Immigration and the Changing Face of Rural America.”
snip
Consumers who pay $1 for a pound of apples are giving 30 cents to the farmer and 10 cents to the farm worker; those spending $2 for a head of lettuce are giving 50 cents to the farmer and 16 cents to the farm worker.
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So if we quadrupled the wages paid to the farm worker the cost of a head of lettuce would raise just 45 cents from $2.00 to around $2.45.
So the whole idea we enjoy low food prices due to illegal labor is just hogwash.
The idea farm workers are underpaid, that they earn $7.00/day which isn't enough to pay for the gasoline to get them to the job, is rubbish. In Georgia the average farm worker around Vidalia earns $400 to $500 per week. While it is more than $7.00/day I think it should be closer to $200/day.
So my question would be is there enough younger workers in America today that would jump at the chance to earn $1,000/week doing an honest,
but very tough, job? I think there are.
You figure there might be some 35 year old unemployed family man types who have exhausted their unemployment insurance that might just jump at the chance to earn an honest $1,000/week? I have to think we could find a few. Maybe more than a few.
Picking lettuce, it's a job any of us would do if the money was right. Might be you would turn up your nose but comes a point where you would do it. Suppose I offered to pay you $500/hr to pick lettuce? What if I offered to pay $1,000/hr? Yeah, I would do that and most likely you would too.
Here is how we fix a multitude of problems.
Institute a two tiered minimum wage system.
All undocumented (illegal workers) get deported.
End the food stamp and welfare program. Sorry, Nancy Boy, time for you to go do a man's job for a man's wages. If you don't want to work then don't.... it's a free country and you are free to starve to death if you so desire.
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