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Seems a little illogical IMO to get up in arms over paying someone a wage that no longer covers basic needs, because inflation has far outpaced wages.
It's not just min wage workers who are feeling the burden. But many professions' salary have not kept up with inflation in the last decade or so. Just 10 yrs ago, a gallon of gas was a dollar and change a gallon. Milk, bread and eggs were about 1/2 the price they are today. Groceries in general were a lot less. Every week it seems the price of groceries goes up. But no one seems to care about this.... only about those min wage workers who want a living wage.
How about teachers who earn $35K a year in the area I "recently moved" to? They're quitting in large #'s to go even further south where the pay is a little better, because they cannot support their families on $35K. Many of them had to get 2nd jobs to make ends meet. So who else suffers? the kids - due to a lower quality of education - and who suffers as a result of that?
Rather than get so angry about those who have the gall to ask for a livable wage, why not channel it and get angry at the high rate of inflation?
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
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I think a lot of us are angry and concerned but then I tell myself it could be worse. At least interest rates are not still up above 13% again.
You mention groceries. While I agree groceries have gone up astronomically, I started tracking my grocery purchases a few years ago and have noticed a great deal of inconsistencies in prices. I can buy groceries in one area, travel in our RV a few hundred miles down the road and a few days later buy the same exact things in another state and the prices are either considerably less or considerably more. People tend to not notice small increases in prices that happen at their local places near as much as someone who moves. I remember back in the early 80's, upon temporarily locating to New York for a job.. I was appalled that I had to give 4.00 for a gallon of milk when I was still buying it at home for under 2.00 To those folks up there... it was "normal."
ok, but it's already trending higher. something has to change, because groceries and gas sure aren't coming down.
when I was a teenager making min wage in a drug store, I could buy 3 gallons of gas on 1 hour's pay.
Irspow is right; raising min wage increases wages across the board, requiring more money ordered from the Fed delivered to banks for companies making payroll, causing loss of purchasing power...causing higher prices.
ok, but it's already trending higher. something has to change, because groceries and gas sure aren't coming down.
when I was a teenager making min wage in a drug store, I could buy 3 gallons of gas on 1 hour's pay.
Well the biggest driver of inflation has nothing to do with any actual people if truth be told. The biggest driver of inflation is the National Debt. As we go deeper in debt, continually borrow, and print money out of thin air, these all rapidly destroy the "value" of our fiat currency. As its value decreases, buying power decreases proportionally, so you have to use more of the devalued currency to buy the same amount of products/services. That is inflation.
Fiat currency itself was only created so that you could be "indirectly taxed" without the government having to ask for it from the people. Even in Roman days, fiat currency was devalued to fund wars. It is a way of stealing from those using fiat currency without having to actually demand your money.
Irspow is right; raising min wage increases wages across the board, requiring more money ordered from the Fed delivered to banks for companies making payroll, causing loss of purchasing power...causing higher prices.
things are going up anyway - with or without the increase. and again, it's NOT just min wage workers. do you think $35K is fair salary for a teacher? maybe it is in AR or KY where a house costs $70K. But not really anywhere else.
Well, Raising the minimum wage will only help so much, but it wont solve the issue. Perhaps having people who no longer need 3 jobs to survive will help employment? But prices overall will increase, coverage and benefits will be cut.
People tend to forget about this, but admit it or not, like it or not, Businesses are not made of money. They cannot print money to pay high wages.
In order to pay a sharp pay increase, there will be offsets. All of which harm growth and kill opportunity and success of workers.
Even with higher wage laws, the bemoaned wealth inequality would be unaffected. The top 1% doesn't sign everyone's checks. These wages are going to be taken out of the backs of people and businesses, to the further demise of middle and lower classes.
I would argue that min wage should probably be increased every now and then a little bit to take "natural inflation" into account, but that doesn't mean inflation should be increased even more. It's important to keep it in mind that inflation is the result of too much money going after too few goods.
Well the biggest driver of inflation has nothing to do with any actual people if truth be told. The biggest driver of inflation is the National Debt. As we go deeper in debt, continually borrow, and print money out of thin air, these all rapidly destroy the "value" of our fiat currency. As its value decreases, buying power decreases proportionally, so you have to use more of the devalued currency to buy the same amount of products/services. That is inflation.
Fiat currency itself was only created so that you could be "indirectly taxed" without the government having to ask for it from the people. Even in Roman days, fiat currency was devalued to fund wars. It is a way of stealing from those using fiat currency without having to actually demand your money.
which is why I posted about the obscene amount of money we are POURING into Afghanistan, while racking up debt, so the Taliban can take over everything we built! it's ASTOUNDING!
We invaded Afghanistan to uproot the Talban and they're now taking over the infrastructure that WE PAID FOR.
THIS is the kind of thing Americans should be outraged over!
It's important to keep it in mind that inflation is the result of too much money going after too few goods.
Or devaluation of the fiat currency by the Fed (counterfeiting), usury (interest), etc... There are larger nearly omnipotent forces in place that are driving our purchasing power toward nothing.
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