INSANITY Top Progressives Say $15 Minimum Wage Is Too Low, Call For $26 Minimum Wage Instead

[20Gauge]

This pisses me off BIGLY.

$25 an hour working full time equates to a $52,000 annual income.

In the 1990's I worked 2 jobs and paid my way thru college minus one student loan. Highest hourly rate I acquired during that time was around $11.50 part time.

When I got my first gig in my field I started out at the equivalent of $16 an hour or about $33,000 a year. These were 1996 dollars...but still. It was 2000 or 2001 before I had attained a salary of somewhere around $50k...and that was from WORKING and acquiring additional skills and experience.

I know there has been some inflation between then and now, but nowhere NEAR this.

You would be mistaken. You are attempting to use Government inflation numbers to explain the problem. They are fake numbers.

 

[The Snack Artist]

"100 is the new 20." - Me, ten years ago

The kids would go to the movies. I hand over a 100 dollar bill. Isn't this too much? Nope. 4 tics? 70 bucks. Treats? that would do in the balance on that hundo easily.

 

[20Gauge]

Most if not all lending institution contracts have clauses in loan agreeements where they could choose to call in the loan, payment in full due right away. This is specifically designed to prevent what happened in Germany in their huge hyperinflation in ~1921, where people were paying off mortgages with a week's (or day's) paycheck.

I am glad I am not the only one to remember this one. We are busting our butts to pay our place off in 5 more years or less.

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

For the most part a person needs 2600$ a month to live anywhere but in a box. You can figure out the 40 hour a week minimum hourly wage yourself. If you have a fifth grade education,third grade when I was a kid.

OR, they can work more than 40 hours a week. That normally takes more than one job.

 

[Dennis Olson]

I'm doing it on less than $1500 a month. No bills for the most part. Gasoline, food.

Most aren’t as fortunate as you.

 

[naegling62]

Burn it all down and start over.

 

[Raggedyman]

When I got my first gig in my field I started out at the equivalent of $16 an hour or about $33,000 a year. These were 1996 dollars...but still. It was 2000 or 2001 before I had attained a salary of somewhere around $50k...and that was from WORKING and acquiring additional skills and experience.

but . . . but . . . but . . . the sno flakes of today ar gragee-yatun wif PhD's in pan african and womens studdies at 250K a pop after 7 years skoolun . . . dey kun start rite atdah boardroom levul - maybe eben CEO or CFO

 

[Griz3752]

Leftists are arguing that a $15 minimum wage is far too low; instead, many are calling for a $26 minimum wage.

They fall into the classic trap that many make. A $20 bill today is essentially the same as a $20 bill from 10 years ago or even 100 years ago but what they buy is incredibly different. The problem isn't too low of a minimum wage, the problem is a failing currency. Back in 1970 you could provide from a family of four people on $9000 a year and the wife wouldn't have to work. Go back to a sound monetary system as without it everything else comes apart.

And, if you're one of those who choose to live on the public teat, not have to, you get what you deserve by not working. I drove hack part-time many many years ago and saw a lot of folks work harder to stay on welfare than I did, working two jobs.

A lot of them are convinced not working is their birth right.

In perspective, $26.00 (40)x52/12=4,506.666/mo. My last full time, wind down to retirement job paid me 4000.00/mo, net and I worked hard for about 30-35 hrs/week. I could have taken it a little easier and put in more hrs/week but the time to myself had greater value. Besides, I averaged about 1500.00/week, CUTT $$ in that free time.

 

[The Snack Artist]

Most aren’t as fortunate as you.

I agree. We are all fortunate to have been born in the United states. It's like hitting humanity's lotto. I did some pretty good planning. I spent every nickel! It makes you cut back eventually!

 

[Housecarl]

A post not that long ago noted that the melt value of the silver in five quarters that made up the minimum wage in 1965 was around $28 in today's prices. I wonder if that bit of trivia factored in them coming up with that $26/hour rate?

 

[Griz3752]

but . . . but . . . but . . . the sno flakes of today ar gragee-yatun wif PhD's in pan african and womens studdies at 250K a pop after 7 years skoolun . . . dey kun start rite atdah boardroom levul - maybe eben CEO or CFO

Sadly some do but unless its one of those tax scam not-for-profits, they're soon doing what they're actually qualified for.... sitting in Momma's basement, figuring out their next scam and how not to repay the student loans they jumped on when they thought those were a free ticket-to-ride the gravy train.

 

[Griz3752]

A post not that long ago noted that the melt value of the silver in five quarters that made up the minimum wage in 1965 was around $28 in today's prices. I wonder if that bit of trivia factored in them coming up with that $26/hour rate?

Certainly not for public consumption as 'transparency' is a very selectively-applied concept and let's be fair: if we apply your historically accurate data and math, it looks like those 'poor folk' took a wage cut!
Damnnn!! The SJW Party can't tolerate that!!

 

[ioujc]

This is just beyond stupid.

I have a Master's degree and 40 years of experience and earn $26 dollars an hour>>>>>they need to get their heads out of their asses.

And ANYONE can live on less than a thousand dollars a month>>>>you just have to WANT to and eat at home>>>>>don't buy those $5 coffees and make your own food from scratch>>>>don't want to do that?? Well, then DO WITHOUT!!

You don't have to live in the Taj Mahall>>>really!! GET THE HELL OVER YOURSELF!!

 

[ChicagoMan74]

For the most part a person needs 2600$ a month to live anywhere but in a box. You can figure out the 40 hour a week minimum hourly wage yourself. If you have a fifth grade education,third grade when I was a kid.

40 hour week assumed

without reasonable deductions:
$31,200 a year
$15 per hour
=$2600 per month

To take home 31,200 in a year FICA only (Medicare %1.45 SS: %6.2 %7.65 total)
$33,586 (31200* 1.0765) a year
$16.15 per hour
~$2799 per month

To take home 31,200 in a year FICA plus health insurance (MC %1.45 SS: %6.2 %7.65 total and $125 a month for insurance)
$35,086 a year (31200* 1.0765)+(125 * 12)= $33,586 + $1500
$16.86 per hour
~$2924 per month

Then you get into Federal tax situations...but yeah to have $2600 a month in spendable income you're going to have to make north of $17 per hour for sure.

 

[Dobbin]

That is too high for sure. But $15 an hour is not very fair either. Especially when you compare it to the upper management pay.

That is the common conception.

One of the findings of corporate wage students today is that a company BIG MAN is paid a LOT more percentage wise than Big Man might have been paid earlier in the century.

Part of the reason for this is the competitiveness of today's economy. With many providers, the competition between providers is increased. As competition is increased so is the incentive to cut wages.

Alongside that goes a thought of Big Men that "I might not be here next year because of competition." So they tend to grab the gusto while they have it in case they aren't there next year.

Another reason is the Governmental Overheads of doing business today. While a business might be paying $15 an hour for an employee, the actual cost of that employee when all the "entitlements" is included is minimum 2x the wage, and more likely 4x. Thus the cost of an employee might appear to be $15 an hour, but the actual cost is more like $60 an hour. This drives down the comparison between rank & file worker pay and the Big Man who usually doesn't have need or qualify for entitlement.

And - the argument might be made that this Governmental Overhead IS "effective pay" in healthcare, better working conditions, mandated social safety net - like it or not. Not tangible pay, but pay in "intangibles." The worker doesn't take home this pay in his pocket, but he does take it home in longer life, more enjoyable work, and something of a financial backstop as his working days end.

It's easy to point at the BIG MAN as the source of pay inequities in the market. But every decision made by Big Man is always made in an environment of "what is the minimum I can pay this dude and still get the advantage of employing dude?" Today's wages generally are held back by the rise of females in the work force, the presence of offshore competition in the marketplace, the increasing and uncontrolled immigration into this country "doing jobs that Americans won't do." That is - jobs that Americans won't do for less.

Americans WILL do those jobs - if the pay for those jobs was higher. Without the three pressures I mentioned, pay would HAVE TO BE higher.

That Law of Supply & Demand thing.

Dobbin
Free market horse

 

[ChicagoMan74]

but . . . but . . . but . . . the sno flakes of today ar gragee-yatun wif PhD's in pan african and womens studdies at 250K a pop after 7 years skoolun . . . dey kun start rite atdah boardroom levul - maybe eben CEO or CFO

Oh, I've sat in interview panels...you wouldn't believe the entitlement mindset of some of these youngins.

 

[Griz3752]

That is too high for sure. But $15 an hour is not very fair either. Especially when you compare it to the upper management pay.

Upper Mgt/Board compensation is a whole other kettle of fish. At the real-world

There was a period (decades ago) when an experienced ICU RN was getting CAN$ 25-27.00/hr & the CanPost Union was looking for 25.00/hr for their people.
I know that's not an American-based example but its probably accurate in the main.

If you have acquired real skill & education, you're definitely of worth to a society but delivering mail equals an ICU Nurse?

I want my mail on an accurate/timely basis but the value of that pales in comparison to day-to-day mgt of any post-cardiac issue.

 

[The Snack Artist]

This is just beyond stupid.

I have a Master's degree and 40 years of experience and earn $26 dollars an hour>>>>>they need to get their heads out of their asses.

And ANYONE can live on less than a thousand dollars a month>>>>you just have to WANT to and eat at home>>>>>don't buy those $5 coffees and make your own food from scratch>>>>don't want to do that?? Well, then DO WITHOUT!!

You don't have to live in the Taj Mahall>>>really!! GET THE HELL OVER YOURSELF!!

I haven't had dinner out with the better half in 3 years. There is NO place that makes food she can make way better. More healthy as well. She, being celiac, can't eat most menu items. We'll think we want to go out and discuss the fact there's nothing to eat where we'd like to go. Nothing for us that is. Sauces, gravies, carbs, msg, etc, all add to flavor but play hell with your physiology. Glycogen and insulin battling to keep your blood sugar correct. I'll pass.

Do this for 5 decades and you have diabetes. Save a ton of money making your own. Voila!

 

[end game]

No it would not.

Labor is about 20% of the cost of the meal. If you triple labor costs you would add about 60% to the cost of the burger meal. If you consider the government costs, then you would say it would double the cost of the burger meal. It would not triple it.

Then there are the multitude of people who would also demand a raise..... truck drivers / factory processors / etc...

Under those cost considerations and how they would effect an inflating economy, you would not be able to buy the burger meal at any cost in the USA. You would need to move to a country with a stable currency and then buy one.

You're assuming the price I stated was just related to labor cost alone. There will be a massive increase in the whole cost of doing business as a fast food establishment if using $26. That $26 is going to get added in the total cost of materials, packaging, supplies, insurance, taxes, maintenance, and any other expenses to keep the place going. Everything is scalable. The labor cost is not tripled at 60%, it's more than tripled at 72.12% and since this will shove everybody into higher tax brackets for withholding increasing the liability for the business to cover that higher cost as well.

 

[Griz3752]

No it would not.

Labor is about 20% of the cost of the meal. If you triple labor costs you would add about 60% to the cost of the burger meal. If you consider the government costs, then you would say it would double the cost of the burger meal. It would not triple it.

Then there are the multitude of people who would also demand a raise..... truck drivers / factory processors / etc...

Under those cost considerations and how they would effect an inflating economy, you would not be able to buy the burger meal at any cost in the USA. You would need to move to a country with a stable currency and then buy one.

And there lies the flaw:

People like us can figure it out rather easily because we live it and have real world , 1st hand knowledge of the situation.

The eggheads who 'plan' these programs can figure it out too but:
1. are getting paid to create the program
and
2. are not in the declarative, transparency game; they're paid to deliver platitudes and out right BS to the common folk who are going to pay for these 'social justice enhancements

 

[Griz3752]

You're assuming the price I stated was just related to labor cost alone. There will be a massive increase in the whole cost of doing business as a fast food establishment if using $26. That $26 is going to get added in the total cost of materials, packaging, supplies, insurance, taxes, maintenance, and any other expenses to keep the place going. Everything is scalable. The labor cost is not tripled at 60%, it's more than tripled at 72.12% and since this will shove everybody into higher tax brackets for withholding increasing the liability for the business to cover that higher cost as well.

Ah my friend, the .xls formula delivers the truth, again!

 

[Josie]

$26 an hour just to show up, slap a sandwich together or push a broom? Sign me up! I've been doing that for years for nothing!

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

but . . . but . . . but . . . the sno flakes of today ar gragee-yatun wif PhD's in pan african and womens studdies at 250K a pop after 7 years skoolun . . . dey kun start rite atdah boardroom levul - maybe eben CEO or CFO

Also known for being the kind of employee that does nothing on the job except complain, and then sues you.