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100
1 vote
Apr 7, 2015

I am by no means a Marxists but Karl Marx describes in great detail and accuracy the workings of a world run by truly unfettered capitalism. One of the key components of this is that fact that business owners pay their workers only what they need to in order to keep them coming back(i.e. enough to eat). The 'free market' will not price their wages competitively they will drop them like rocks in order to increase their profit margins. Most major companies already pay close to minimum wage and only increase their base pay when the MW increase. The MW is a very important front-line defense against the extremes of pure capitalism, one which keeps millions of Americans out of poverty. The only real debate around the subject is the amount which it should be set at. High enough to guarantee a reasonable living condition but not so high that it robs a company of its money.

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1 vote,
Apr 7, 2015

Marx was a communist, who believed in everyone but him and those in charge should make the same money equally. The thing that he leaves out is the fact that under capitalism that everyone has and equal change to succeed, and wages go up as workers become fewer and more competitiveness is need to draw those workers into your company something Marxism never needed, because the government tells you what job you will do and how much you will be paid and you will do that job for your entire life with no retirement.

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0 votes,
Nov 6, 2015

If that statement was even close to the truth, then why is any company paying more than min wage? In my area that starting wage at wal-mart, a company known for paying as little as possible, is over $10 an hour. Where I work at the tipped positions start at $9.50 with a raise after 90 to $10 and hour (my son who's in college is working at a tipped position and when his tips are added to his wage he's making over $14 an hour)

But let's say we raise the min wage to $15 an hour, what will happen. Well, assuming the business don't automate their job, (fast food is already looking at burger making machines and they are close to building them) the guy that is already making $15 and hour will expect a raise by at least that same amount the person above him will expect the same. Of course this will drive up prices, which means in a short time those making min wage will be in the same boat they are in now.

Now let's say there is no min wage what happens, well in most places nothing, as I pointed out in my area business are already paying more than min wage, and the few business that would try and bottom feed would find their turn over too high and expensive. Yes there are a few that would higher illegal aliens and pay them less, but they are already doing that, so again it wouldn't make a difference.

Wouldn't it be better for those leading the protest, complaining bout the wage, to setup child care, tutoring centers to help people get the skill to get a better job. But, as I have found, protesting and complaining gets you air time, with people telling them how good they are, while those who are doing something to fix the problem are never heard

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100
1 vote
Apr 13, 2015
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0
0 votes
Apr 7, 2015

Mixed feelings. As a con I think that it would create a lot more employment and.... business. I DO know that when you increase the minimum wage - it usually hurts the lower income/skill person more than it helps.

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0
0 votes
Apr 14, 2015

In the end there really wouldn't be much of a change. I don't know of anyplace that pays minimum wage in my area. Stating wage here is 10+ per hour (yes even at Walmart). It's true we have a strong job market but all the minimum wage has done really is keep no or low skilled workers out of true entry level positions. Think about it, if I have to pay X why give someone with no or low skills a chance to prove themselves? I'm going to require x years of experience or so much college or trade school before I will take a chance on you and even more so now that many business are required to provide healthcare. That has become the norm, so that even in a weak job market when a business could pay less they are still going to require experience or furthering schooling and excluding the truly low and no skilled worker.

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