Ok, minimum wage is created for the minimum aged worker, around 15 or 16. The problem is uneducated people are attempting to live off of this minimum wage and as a result the Democrats feel the minimum wage should go up. However that puts millions of americans that own their own business at a huge disadvantage because now they will be foreced to pay kids who for example wash dishes 7.50 an hour, a little excessive for such minial work. Very simply put minimum wage is NOT MEANT TO LIVE off of and anyone over the age of 25 that is getting paid minimum wage seriosly needs to take a close look at their situation.
2007-02-01 11:17:21 · 23 answers · asked by stewcat123 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Heavens yes, it is a huge mistake! It will kill so many types of businesses:
1. SMALL, PRIVATELY OWNED BUSINESSES!
2. Like someone else said, goodbye value meal
Any kind of employer whose workers currently earn 7.20 or less per hour will have to raise the amount that they pay their current workers. If they don't employees will simply leave and find a job elsewhere that also had to raise wages to compete with minimum wage jobs.
My favorite part, 'we will impliment it over time...' Yeah, two years for a $2.10 is an insane amount of time! People think inflation is bad now, well, stop whining about these gas prices, BECAUSE YOU WILL SOON BE BEGGING FOR THEM!!!
Just for those of you out there who are excited about this wage increase, it is a *41% INCREASE!!!*. 41! Just in case you don't know, or you don't know how to do the math, that's more than anything should go up in two years time.
Democrats are just ready to make that big splash since they haven't had control of the House since Clinton was in office. They want to "do something great" and show Americans that those bad, dirty Republicans are evil, and do hate poor people, and only give tax breaks to the rich.
Speaking of tax breaks, that would be the only sane thing about the bill. For those of you out there making minimum wage, did you know that your employer helps pay your taxes? That's right. Small business owners get the worst taxes of all!
If this bill passes, I might have to move to France or something...
2007-02-02 10:08:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's just bull that the increase in the minimum wage will be a heavy burden for small businesses. If they have crafted a proper business plan they can and will have no problem with the new minimun. A good example if a good business plan is "In&Out Burger" Their starting wage is $9.00 per hr. The top wage is as high as $13.00 per hr. They have available a 401k plan for long time employees also health benifits. They seem to always be busy and they darn sure make a profit. Businesses that operate on a shoestring usually are operated by greedy individuals.
Adding a buck or two to an employee or two doesn't hurt the bottom line if the business is a viable business to begin with.
It's a shame that the proposed wage increase still will keep a fulltime worker below the poverty level.
2007-02-01 11:40:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
First of all, minimum wage is not just for teenage workers. Originally, minimum wage was designed to give all workers enough money to pay for shelter and food.
Business owners who complain about the minimum wage are pathetic. If your business is growing and you can't grow without help, then you have a choice to make - either keep your business the size it is or, if you want to grow, hire help.
As conservatives and businesspeople are quick to point out, people make their own choices and are responsible for them.
Business owners need to start taking responsibility and paying people a fair wage. Unfortunately, when the bottom line is all a business person is concerned with, little things like socio-economic justice fall by the wayside.
Then, workers are forced to unionize and fight for better conditions. If businesses treated workers right in the first place, there would be no need for government or union interference.
2007-02-01 11:31:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The minimum wage issue and health care have been used by the Dem's time and time again in an attempt to attract voters that are ignorant of the basics of a free market economy. A minimum wage law means nothing since employers already pay more then the set minimum in order to get and keep good employees.
It's a pity that congress would spend so much time on debating and passing such a useless law when there are so many more important issues that should be addressed.
2007-02-01 11:36:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
No it was not, even though all the repubs and Bush will try to tell you it was. Reason,,, when people like the CEO of Home Depot was given a big fat check of 250 million after he was fired and that was more money than thousends of his emploees made all put togeather, you can see that there is a big difference between living and just making it. And I don't know where you got your information but the min wage was not created for the min age of any worker. Also, everyone can not have that education that will afford them to make big bucks. Someone has to serve your tea and crackers. Oh, and I don't think that there will be a rush on any shop closings because the raise in the min wage. Repubs have been harping about that for years.
2007-02-01 11:32:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I honestly believe the whole minimum wage debacle is nothing but politics as usual. Because of strong lobbying, a good number of menial jobs are excluded from minimum wage anyways.
I'm an independent contractor and here's my take: If a business man cannot afford to pay his help at least a minimum wage, he should either do the work himself or get the hell out of the business.
2007-02-01 11:30:55 · answer #6 · answered by LeAnne 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Many supporters assert that the minimum wage is a matter of social justice that helps reduce exploitation and ensures workers can afford basic necessities . Supporters deny that the minimum wage adversely impacts employment, or argue that such an effect is modest and outweighed by the social benefit derived from higher wages. Detractors and most American Economic Association members contend that a minimum wage increases unemployment among low-wage workers and harms rather than helps the poorest workers. Many also argue that it slows economic growth.Many economists on both the left and right believe that the earned income tax credit is a more efficient way of delivering benefits to the working poor than a minimum wage because the EITC doesn't increase unemployment and it only delivers benefits to poor workers, not all low wage workers.
Many progressive politicians in the United States advocate linking the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index, thereby producing small annual increases rather than the larger hikes that tend to be adopted when legislation to do so is passed. So far, Ohio, Oregon, Missouri, and Washington have linked their minimum wages to the consumer price index
Minimum wage jobs rarely include health insurance coverage, although that is changing in some parts of the United States where the cost of living is high, such as California.
Kansas is the only state to have a minimum wage lower then the federal standard, at $2.65/hour. However, workers that qualify under the Fair Labor Standards Act are required to be paid the federal minimum wage. Most workers earning less than the federal minimum wage are minors and certain classes of farm workers.
While it may increase the average living standard, most economists agree that it will decrease the number of new jobs and cause employers to reduce their workforce, thus causing more unemployment. It was not the republicans who passed this. It was a democrat generated bill that is a compromise by republicans to get the ball rolling towards reconciliation between the two parties, Most will agree that the republican party has decided to "pick their battles" as opposed to the Democratic party which fought tooth and nail against anything the Republican party put up during their tenure as the majority.
Bottom line, get educated so this will not apply to you.
2007-02-01 11:25:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 6⤋
It's about making life easier for working Americans. You say it was created for kids who are 15 or 16. I find that assertion baseless. If there was no federal minimum on the wage (or in some cases states) that an employer can pay their employees, then some people would still be making a dollar an hour.
2007-02-01 11:24:28 · answer #8 · answered by Jackson Leslie 5 · 7⤊ 1⤋
There are people in this country that have to work minimum wage jobs because that's all they qualify for or that's all that is available to them. Some work two so they can take care of their family. Unless you've been there keep your mouth shut and be thankful you aren't having to survive on minimum wage.
2007-02-01 11:29:12 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Many small business already pay their workers more than your average huge chain business. The problem is the big chains, that pay their workers so little and are able to keep prices low as a result, forcing small businesses out of business and lowering the average wage for the lower class.
2007-02-01 11:26:15 · answer #10 · answered by joecool123_us 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋