Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Conservatives "complain" about the economy under Obama -- the stagnating wages, the lack of jobs, etc -- but in reality, they are perfectly okay w/ the way things things are. They have to be since this is the outcome that is supposed to happen w/ the policies Republicans support. How is this economy NOT the scenario we end up w/ when businesses have the support of Republicans to outsource jobs, import cheaper employees, strip collective bargaining power from workers, and give the rich every incentive to keep as much money as they can?
Take any problem that's wrong w/ the economy and ask yourself: what's the Republican solution to fix it?
Barely livable wages for the working poor? Cut taxes for the rich, cut welfare, repeal min wage.
Stagnating wages for the middle class? Cut taxes for the rich, cut benefits that help their kids go to college
Dwindling job openings? Cut taxes for the rich, cut gov't spending on public jobs so that there's not competition w/ private wages.
Overworked employees earning less of a share of profits? Cut taxes on the rich, push for "right to work" status.
Unqualified applicants for technical jobs? Cut taxes for the rich, bring in cheaper applicants from overseas.
I would be interested to know of any positions on the Right that put UPWARD pressure on wages... We already know what the current trend of downward pressure leads to: more people fighting for fewer jobs at lower wages creating less demand in the economy. So what do the Republicans have in their wheel house that puts the upward pressure on wages?
If Republicans think I'm full of bs, fine. But I'd like to hear which problem w/ the economy that you think the Republican solution fixes, and how it will end w/ upward pressure on wages.
Why are higher wages your only proposed solution? Business labor budgets are finite. You seem to think that the lions share of businesses have all kinds of money to pay out in wages and are merely choosing not to do so. Are you willing to pay higher prices for everything in order to arbitrarily put "upward pressure" on wages?
The problem is demand, not wages. An abundance of demand generally translates into job opportunities and the opportunity to move around and seek higher wages. But I'm sure you knew that.
Conservatives "complain" about the economy under Obama -- the stagnating wages, the lack of jobs, etc -- but in reality, they are perfectly okay w/ the way things things are. They have to be since this is the outcome that is supposed to happen w/ the policies Republicans support. How is this economy NOT the scenario we end up w/ when businesses have the support of Republicans to outsource jobs, import cheaper employees, strip collective bargaining power from workers, and give the rich every incentive to keep as much money as they can?
Take any problem that's wrong w/ the economy and ask yourself: what's the Republican solution to fix it?
Barely livable wages for the working poor? Cut taxes for the rich, cut welfare, repeal min wage.
Stagnating wages for the middle class? Cut taxes for the rich, cut benefits that help their kids go to college
Dwindling job openings? Cut taxes for the rich, cut gov't spending on public jobs so that there's not competition w/ private wages.
Overworked employees earning less of a share of profits? Cut taxes on the rich, push for "right to work" status.
Unqualified applicants for technical jobs? Cut taxes for the rich, bring in cheaper applicants from overseas.
I would be interested to know of any positions on the Right that put UPWARD pressure on wages... We already know what the current trend of downward pressure leads to: more people fighting for fewer jobs at lower wages creating less demand in the economy. So what do the Republicans have in their wheel house that puts the upward pressure on wages?
If Republicans think I'm full of bs, fine. But I'd like to hear which problem w/ the economy that you think the Republican solution fixes, and how it will end w/ upward pressure on wages.
Republicans probably do think you're full of BS, but thinking conservative independents, like me, know that you're spot on. Good post and good thread.
This economy has very little to do with Obama and everything to do with Ronald Reagan, as the groundwork for what we have today - our continuing race to the bottom - was laid in the 80s.
Obama's economic plan does have culpability, however, in the area of energy prices. His ideologically driven war on petroleum hurts us all. But that is only a small part of what is going on.
Why are higher wages your only proposed solution? Business labor budgets are finite. You seem to think that the lions share of businesses have all kinds of money to pay out in wages and are merely choosing not to do so. Are you willing to pay higher prices for everything in order to arbitrarily put "upward pressure" on wages?
The problem is demand, not wages. An abundance of demand generally translates into job opportunities and the opportunity to move around and seek higher wages. But I'm sure you knew that.
Demand and wages are tied together. [MOD CUT]
Last edited by Ibginnie; 03-07-2013 at 05:12 PM..
Reason: snarky
Why are higher wages your only proposed solution? Business labor budgets are finite. You seem to think that the lions share of businesses have all kinds of money to pay out in wages and are merely choosing not to do so. Are you willing to pay higher prices for everything in order to arbitrarily put "upward pressure" on wages?
The problem is demand, not wages. An abundance of demand generally translates into job opportunities and the opportunity to move around and seek higher wages. But I'm sure you knew that.
That's exactly my point. We've been stripping the power of demand from the biggest spenders -- the middle & lower classes -- and giving it to people who generate less demand as a whole -- the rich.
When you force Americans to compete w/ foreigners for domestic jobs, you put downward pressure on wages, meaning less money to spend, meaning less demand in the economy.
The same holds true when you defund public jobs, repeal the min wage, outsource jobs, and fight to disband unions.
That is very true and it's also the reason that a high unemployment rate is a necessary ingredient for Maximum exploitation. Full or near full emploment is the right wing's worse nightmare.
Last edited by Ibginnie; 03-07-2013 at 05:13 PM..
Reason: edited quted post
Honesty? Like Democrats KNOWING they need to reform entitlements by CUTTING it and the Democrats WANT to do this but it will make them look bad in the media so they are asking for Republican support to do this and then BLAME them for doing it? Where was the media when the Illinois governor did REPUBLICAN plans to cut pensions? Its odd when it comes to managing the finances, that Democrats adopt "republican" strategies even when they campaigned with Democrat strategies... the media doesn't even hold them accountable... the only time Democrats behave Democrats is when it has to do with OTHER people's money... so yeah, lets be honest shall we?
I would be interested to know of any positions on the Right that put UPWARD pressure on wages... We already know what the current trend of downward pressure leads to: more people fighting for fewer jobs at lower wages creating less demand in the economy. So what do the Republicans have in their wheel house that puts the upward pressure on wages?
Upward pressure on wages happens when there is higher demand for labor and business must pay more to attract workers.
For example, here in the SF Bay Area, fast food places cannot find workers at minimum wage. Last time I checked around, McDonalds paid 2 bucks over minimum to their employees.
The major reasons for downward pressure on wages in this country are 1) illegal immigration and 2) the off shoring of manufacturing and service jobs, leaving larger and larger numbers of unemployed low skill and semi skilled laborers.
That is very true and it's also the reason that a high unemployment rate is a necessary ingredient for Maximum exploitation. Full or near full emploment is the right wing's worse nightmare.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!! WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually it's the loony left's worst nightmare. It's the left that wants the population as dependent upon govt as possible, not the right.
Thanks for playing though. Your consolation prize is a lifetime supply of spam.
Honesty? Like Democrats KNOWING they need to reform entitlements by CUTTING it and the Democrats WANT to do this but it will make them look bad in the media so they are asking for Republican support to do this and then BLAME them for doing it? Where was the media when the Illinois governor did REPUBLICAN plans to cut pensions? Its odd when it comes to managing the finances, that Democrats adopt "republican" strategies even when they campaigned with Democrat strategies... the media doesn't even hold them accountable... the only time Democrats behave Democrats is when it has to do with OTHER people's money... so yeah, lets be honest shall we?
And vice versa. The Republicans never wanted to say what cuts they wanted because they were too scared.
Our biggest entitlement spending is in the form of Medicare, SS, and Medicaid. And, of course, the right knows this - and doesn't want to touch it with a ten foot pole. They would rather kick that can to someone else.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We already know what the current trend of downward pressure leads to: more people fighting for fewer jobs at lower wages creating less demand in the economy. So what do the Republicans have in their wheel house that puts the upward pressure on wages?
