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The Real Change In The Cost Of A Big Mac If McDonald's Workers Were Paid $15 An Hour: Nothing
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Take a step back a moment. We all know that McDonald’s is indeed a rapacious capitalist organisation. It cares only about the profits being made for its shareholders, not for the wider group of stakeholders that is its employees and the community. We know this absolutely because this is the very thing that everyone is complaining about: McDonald’s cares so much about profits that it’s not paying a living wage to its workers.
Hmm. Well, what else can we surmise about a rapacious capitalist organisation? In that ruthless pursuit of gelt and pilf for its shareholders it is going to gouge the customers for the absolute maximum that it can, yes? This is what capitalists do: we hear people complaining about that all the time as well.
What limits McDonald’s ability to entirely empty our wallets every time we want a hamburger is that there are other people who will also sell us one. Wendy’s, Jack in the Box, In and Out, there’s a multiplicity of places where we can go to fur our arteries.
Which leads to our conclusion on pricing in a capitalist and free market economy. The capitalists charge the absolute maximum they can get away with, that ability being limited by the competition that comes from alternative suppliers.
Companies tend to maximize their profits to the maximum with what they can get away with but still be competitive with their competition.
It does not matter what their production costs (labor, materials etc) are but what the competition is selling for. They could be operating just above cost or well above it.
There are many examples that one can point to, to show this is the case.
Many Gas Stations out in the middle of nowhere charge outrageous prices for fuel but the fuel shipment costs the same. They can get away with it because they are the only business there.
Many Walmarts have dropped their prices so low where they have caused other business to shutdown, and once they are the only game in town, their prices go up.
Many Companies in the USA do business with China where they pay a pittance in labor but charge high prices for low quality substandard products and reap the profits from it.
If McDonalds could charge more for their products and get away with it, why aren't they?
Because of Competition.
Yes, if the workers at McDonalds won, more pressure would be put on other Fast Food Establishments to raise their wages, the truck drivers that bring in the stuff would want more, the Electricians would want more and so. But that is taking away from the shareholders and top .1% and they will not allow that to happen.
The income inequality between the top .1% and the consumer and producing class is out of sync and these actions being taken are part of the much needed market correction. It would be a beginning where a lot of money would shift into the consumer class and out of the hands of the casino gamblers.
You can tell who the true Fascists are in our midst though out of this and many other fiasco's.
The strikers are part of the market correction mechanisms we have in this country, just as protestors are the freedom fighters for Free Speech and the fascists want to shut them all down.
They have no problem using $$$Freedom of Speech$$$ to buy politicians though.
They have no problem using our government to control the markets to their whim, but absolutely hate the idea that We the People should have any power over the markets like they do.
Before someone says, why doesn't one person offer a McDonalds Worker a tip if you think they deserve more?
My answer would be, We The People uniting under a cause gives it more power.
If that worked, Why don't companies adjust their own market policies rather than going to the government with rules and regulations to adjust the markets to their liking?
Ahhh, yet another arch-conservative speaking for liberals as if they were qualified to do so.
NOBODY is saying that the primary purpose of business is to provide employment. We are saying is that companies/corporations have a social responsibility to their communities which have provided them with huge successes by paying their employees a living wage (minimum wage) so that you conservatives will not have to subsidize their employees with public assistance programs, and that the minimum wage should be increased enough to keep pace with inflation. Very simple really. Social responsibility is something you would do well to research.
Ah yes, the adult version of everyone gets a medal.
No, I have not and am not advocating income equality. I would suggest that I know my own mind better than you. I am not advocating an entirely socialist government. I'm supporting a RAISE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE......that is not income equality unless everyone in the country is making minimum wages for their work which I am sure is not the case. I am certainly not making only minimum wage.
I never said that you were advocating socialism. However, demanding that unskilled labor be paid a wage that is commensurate with wages that are currently paid to people who are fresh out of college is, in fact, advocating income equality. What you actually support is a "solution" that would drive the cost of living to staggering heights and result in more people being poverty stricken.
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Originally Posted by FancyFeast5000
Stop trying to tell me what I think. My posts speak for themselves and I think the intelligent members reading this thread can understand very well my position.
Ironic. You earlier called me a conservative, which is, in fact, telling me what I think. And now you want to call me out for doing the same? Grow up.
Fewer and fewer people have the money to pay exorbitant prices for anything these days.
No, I have not and am not advocating income equality. I would suggest that I know my own mind better than you. I am not advocating an entirely socialist government. I'm supporting a RAISE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE......that is not income equality unless everyone in the country is making minimum wages for their work which I am sure is not the case. I am certainly not making only minimum wage.
Stop trying to tell me what I think. My posts speak for themselves and I think the intelligent members reading this thread can understand very well my position.
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The irony is that it has been the fascists that are creating an ever widening gap of income inequality not by normal market practices but by cozying up with the government to create economic and monetary policies beneficial to them but detrimental to the rest of the country.
That's all very nice, but they'll raise prices to pass on the increased labor costs.
And if you are unlucky, it'll ignite a wage price spiral.
Why are leftists unable to grasp even basic economics?
Because they "emote" instead of thinking logically or critically. There was a thread here not too long ago discussing the fact that only 14% of engineers vote Democrat. Critical/logical thinkers don't buy into the "feels good but won't actually work" leftist BS.
However, demanding that unskilled labor be paid a wage that is commensurate with wages that are currently paid to people who are fresh out of college is, in fact, advocating income equality. What you actually support is a "solution" that would drive the cost of living to staggering heights and result in more people being poverty stricken.
Perhaps the fascists should have thought of that before turning us into a SERVICE ECONOMY.
All the manufacturing jobs that have left were low skilled jobs to, but you were able to live a middle class lifestyle, but it is cheaper to have commie China do those jobs so the fascists can reap the awards from it, to the detriment of the nation.
If this is what you believe go to everyone of those businesses and tell those people to quit. The only way they will raise wages is through need and competition. Another problem is bigger government who takes more from companies leaving less for you.
Again, business are not social institutions. People in the community have a social responsibility to increase their job skills so they can get higher paying jobs. If you didn't do that then you are the failure.
Once again, for those of you who do not understand altruism and do not know enough to realize that people have the capacity to empathize and do not have to be a minimum wage worker in order to advocate for what is the right thing to do, a person does not have to be in poverty in order to support causes which will benefit those who do. I'm self employed, educated, and have nice life. However, I am also capable of SEEING what is going on for lots of people in our community (country). Additionally, certainly you must understand that public demonstrations, strikes, etc. is the way a group of people get the message to the intended recipients (business owners and politicians who vote regarding raising the minimum wage law); one does not personally have to go to every business and convince the employees to quit.
Your assertion that government "takes more" from companies....yeah, that's right, big businesses and corporations pay so much in taxes. LMAO
According to the U.S. Supreme Court, corporations are the same as individual people and have the same rights, so that seems to me that they have the same social responsibility as individuals. Amazing that you advocate for people (big business owners/ billionaire-millionaire CEOS) who would throw you under the buss in a heartbeat, never even looking back. I'm afraid I don't think you fall into the millionaire/billionaire business owner club;however, I have little doubt that you believe only in personal responsibility and NOT in social responsibility.
Ahhh, yet another arch-conservative speaking for liberals as if they were qualified to do so.
NOBODY is saying that the primary purpose of business is to provide employment. We are saying is that companies/corporations have a social responsibility to their communities which have provided them with huge successes by paying their employees a living wage (minimum wage) so that you conservatives will not have to subsidize their employees with public assistance programs, and that the minimum wage should be increased enough to keep pace with inflation. Very simple really. Social responsibility is something you would do well to research.
There is no such social responsibility just as there is no such thing as a social contract. I do not remember signing anything. You buy a product from a business for an agreed amount and you hire someone to provide a service for you at an agreed amount. End of transaction. There is nothing else owed on top of that.
Yeah, I remember the poster you responded to on a 3 month long hysterical screed in the Zimmerman thread demonstrating fundemental ignorance of the issue at hand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pghquest
You know jack **** about business, its painfully obvious..
Most businesses that start out dont see a dam dime in profits FOR YEARS...
So what you're suggesting is that we make it more difficult for smaller businesses to be created, which will decrease competition for both labor, and products, thus raising the prices of everything, increasing those "record profits" even more, while lowering the demand to pay good wages..
Yeah, thats beyond one of the dumbest things I've ever heard in my entire life..
There is no such social responsibility just as there is no such thing as a social contract. I do not remember signing anything. You buy a product from a business for an agreed amount and you hire someone to provide a service for you at an agreed amount. End of transaction. There is nothing else owed on top of that.
That is the idea in a Free Market, but if they are buying politicians in my government then now we have a problem when my government is supposed to be serving the best interests of all citizens.
Something about, promoting the general welfare of all citizens come to mind.
If these Multinational Conglomerates and Central Banks want to own the government, then they also have a social responsibility to this nation as well.
OTHERWISE, GET OUT OF MY GOVERNMENT!
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Grow up.
LMAO