By asking these questions, you are making the assumption that people CHOOSE to be poor. Sometimes it is a case of people being too lazy to do the necessary work. I have no sympathy for any one who is able enough to work but chooses not to. I am not talking about them. I am talking about people who simply were not born with the advantages as the rest of us. College to some is an impossible dream for many reasons: (1) poor schools; (2) broken families; (3) students having to quit high school to work; (4) not being born with the brainpower to earn a college degree. How do you know that these people have kids while earning the min wage? What about women who married young and were staying home with the kids until the husband lost his job (layoff, hurt on job without insurance) or even died and then have to go to work? Most of those who earn min wage are not teens, but working women. What about the person born disabled and works as hard as possible yet cannot possibly hope to have a job like the rest of us? Should their unchosen fate condemn them to work hard and yet still live in poverty? Any answers?
Not at all. The proposed increase would be to $7.25 an hour. That would affect not 1.4%, but rather an estimated 11%, of workers, because that would include not just those who make minimum wage now, but all of those who earn more than $5.25 but less than $7.25.
yes it is unfortunate that some people are born with less than others.....but this is a fact of life...and if a person or company chooses to help those less fortunate than them i think that is a spectacular and applaudable trait.......but the point is....why should anyone be forced to help those less fortunate if they choose not to. It is not walmarts responsibility to support anybody but walmart.....so again i ask....why should they be forced to pay 10 dollars an hour when they could find people to work in their stores for 1 dollar an hour?
If you want to earn more than minimum wage, then go into a field that will allow you to earn more than minimum wage. Specialize/learn a skill that will allow you to earn more. Capitalism pays for productivity. If you want to earn more than minimum wage, then you must add more value, increase your productivity A friend of mine is in Heating/Cooling in chicago. He has a high school education, learned his skills on the job, started out as a low paying apprentice, and now makes 6 figures. He works hard, knows his trade well, and cares about the quality of his work, as he puts his name on every job. I submit, anyone else can achieve a similar level of success if they follow a similar path. That is choose a field that has growth potential and become one of the best in that field. Instead of giving hand outs, we need to give people hand ups. What these people really need is career, life, and financial coaches. Let's face it, raising the minimum wage $2, adds $320 per month in their pocket. Teaching them how to advance by specializing, being the best they can be, and making intelligent financial decisions will allow them to earn multiples of the minimum wage. Only then will we begin to really move people out of poverty.
There are many philosophical reasons: Because it is just and good for the common good. Because Judeo-Christian ethics emphasize a work ethic and also a concern and responsibility to help those who are less fortunate because of no fault of their own. Because egoism and unchecked self interest constitute an inadequate ethical foundation for society. Because it would be impossible to support a child on $1 an hour, and it is wrong (perhaps it is Ok for you) to let children starve and beg in the streets. There are many other practical reasons: Because there is less incentive to work for $1 an hour if you can make more stealing, selling drugs, breaking the law, etc. Why do you think poor states have such high crime rates and wealthy states have much lower rates? Because it would lead to increased begging and the violence and crime associated with begging. Have you ever been overseas in a poor country? If you had, you'd know what I am talking about. I was in a poor nation earlier this year, and my companions and I were followed around for 10 minutes by a beggar. One of them was mugged and almost lost his passport. Because there would be more incentive to have children work (think 19th century England) and not go to school. That would be dumb, in more ways that one. Would you accept $1 an hour? If not, why should others? Are you that special? Would you want to live on $1 an hour if something happened to you and you were physically unable to keep your current job? It COULD happen to you, and to all of us. If it did, perhaps you'd be more grateful for the safeguards and protections, such as the min wage, that this country has.
Oh the joy of the unrepentant capitalist. Following on: Why shouldn't I shoot you and take your money?
of course i wouldnt...and im guessing you wouldnt either...and if nobody did...then they would have to offer 2 bucks an hour...and again..if nobody would work for that...they would then offer 3...and do on and so forth....that is how a market is made. now being on elite trader...i would guess that you fancy yourselves traders so i will put it to you this way....how much would you pay for one share of google stock? $500?? $1000?? no...im guessing you probably pay around $388 for it if you were so inclined to want to own it......now tell me is it fair for the gov;t to step in and tell google share owners that they must sell their stock for $250 to benefit others at their expense?? no.....but you seem to think its ok for the govt to step in and tell walmart they must pay their employees wages way above market value to benefit others at their expense.......how would you like it if you were forced to sell your home or car for far less than the market value??? So again...why should any business be forced to pay wages well above market value??? (this is kind of a rhetorical question where i dont expect you to answer....cause i already know the answer.....they shouldnt be forced to pay any wage above market value any more than you should be forced to sell your car or house below market value)
And when the market is set in the slums of Calcutta ... Is a situation where someone is forced to take such wages what you want in your society? Is that what you think is fair for the least able to protect themselves in your society? I'm surprised that they don't think its unreasonable and just shoot you and take your money. That might seem fair to someone in that situation. If you think its unreasonable for someone to shoot you then you might start thinking about why. For much of history its been reasonable and its more reasonable in the US than just about anywhere else in the world. So why shouldn't they?
------------------------------------------------ smilingsynic: I for one tend to agree with you but I also do not see much relief in writing much to those who do not want to support the poorest or lowest working class. They are self centered and until they get forced into a lower class against their will they will not understand. They might need a sudden car accident to gouge their eyes out before they will see their self centered views. There are examples in the Bible where power hungry people are suddenly cast into the lowest form of life that exists before they understand we all need help sooner or later... It seems talking doesn't do as much as a huge personal setback can to those type of people. agpilot