Oh, so it's always one or the other? No middle ground? Thanks for clarifying. "Value" is not always what is conveniently and self-servingly perceived. How do you value human dignity?
"but of course at a rate significantly greater than the inflation rate, or nothing would be gained". And there's the rub. How do you raise the wage in a reasonably short period of time without having any significant impact on price of goods and services? The best you get is the same amount of people stay poor. The worst, you add to that group. This needs to be addressed and in a serious way, but I don't see much happening of any consequence.
which brings us back to equilibrium, and now part of that equlibrium is the government, especially if all the taxpayers are now subsidizing my low wage employees with foodstamps. You got in bed with the devil. Now if you want me to raise my wages, you need to give me something in return. We are a long long way from Milton Friedman common sense. In a battle for control of the government, who do you think is going to win? The corporation or the people? Oh that's right, "Coporations are people my friend." And that is something Marx or Bernie will never understand.
You make a valid point, but how do you reconcile it with wanting government to provide health care for everyone? Isn't that subsidizing business as well? Why do you think big companies are all in favor of single payer?
Minimum wage laws present a knotty problem. On the one hand, pie has a good point about it being unfair for taxpayers to be forced to subsidize Walmart's low wages. On the other, there are plenty of people who will be priced out of the labor market by a higher minimum wage. That is the whole reason for those subsidies, we want to make it more attractive to work than draw welfare. The left always wrings its hands about a liveable wage, supporting a family etc, but in reality the vast majority of minimum wage workers are students and others who are doing part time work. They also ignore the fact that someone flipping burgers today can be managing that burger joint in a few years if they are diligent. Keep bumping up the minimum and you will have robots flipping those burgers.
the left can't handle upward mobility. In their mind anybody working for minimum wage is stupid and needs their help. In their mind an hourly employee who becomes a salaried manger is a traitor.
Fair enough I will give you in return six things of value: The First is a much more robust economy where your employees can actually afford to buy the goods and services they make or sell for you; the second is happier, and therefore more productive, employees; the third is self respect knowing you have treated your employees as you would want to be treated; the fourth is freedom from your previous partnership with the devil; the fifth is no more nightmares in which the vision of a guillotine looms large as wild masses of starving wretches drag you to your death by your heels, and the sixth thing I give you, though it is by far the least important, but pleasant nevertheless, is greater profits due to a more robust economy and expanded customer base. And I will receive a fine gift as well. I will no longer be forced to subsidize your employees.
If I thought raising wages would increase profits I would have done it long ago. One of us is maxed out. You say it is the government. I say it is me. I have no more to give until you give first. Lets's start that civil dialog you all want so much. So what is it? Put it on the table what you will give up in order to get your new higher minimum wage? It's got to be more than just a promise of a happier life.