Will Obama Fight to Raise Minimum Wage?

[Gerald]

Movement at the state level to boost minimum wage could give Obama much-needed juice in his stalled push to raise the federal minimum and peg it to inflation.Seven states are set to raise their minimum wage on Jan. 1 in a move estimated to benefit hundreds of thousands of workers. Despite concerns that government-mandated wages will make skittish employers even more reluctant to hire workers, supporters say the changes are not drastic enough to dent the size of the payroll, and if anything it will help the economy by putting more money in the pockets of those most likely to spend it.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/28/state-minimum-wage-increases-boost-stalled-federal-push/


Note: Published December 28, 2010

[Platapus]

Just my opinion, but I feel that Minimum wage should be a state issue.

[Armistead]

I see Michigan is trying to declare bankruptcy and 30 more states could do the same. Michigan needs to do it to renegotiate pork union contracts, but the unions are fighting back and want the contracts to remain. No way these states could increase min. wage without the feds. Expect to see many states, cities, ect..go into bankruptcy. Many need to get out of expensive contracts, cut spending, employees, ect.. States will now be forced to cut benefits, wages, ect....or go out of business.

You'll never see a livable min. wage, the GOP backed by corporations will see to that.

Recessions are created by the rich, it's always been the best time to make even more money and grab real assets cheap off the backs of the middle class.

[Gerald]

Rising wages in some areas of the labor market, it should reasonably be priority for

[Sailor Steve]

You'll never see a livable min. wage, the GOP backed by corporations will see to that.
The minimum wage goes up. Evil big corporations like fast food joints can't afford to pay the help. To make it work they have to raise their prices. People at minimum-wage jobs can't afford the new prices. The minimum wage needs to be raised again.

And it's all the fault of the Evil Corporations, and the GOP. I guess we all need someone to blame.

[gimpy117]

The minimum wage goes up. Evil big corporations like fast food joints can't afford to pay the help. To make it work they have to raise their prices. People at minimum-wage jobs can't afford the new prices. The minimum wage needs to be raised again.

And it's all the fault of the Evil Corporations, and the GOP. I guess we all need someone to blame.

because it is the gop's fault, the middle class is still reeling from what Reagan started. there is PLENTY of money in a large corporation to pay its help better, it all just goes to the stock price and the executives. theres a reason the pay of the average executive to worker is up from 60:1 in the 60's to 300:1 now.

I think it's time to get rid of wage stagnation, one way is raising the minimum wage and pegging it to inflation. the problem is, we'd need to do more, to help the people who, by the grace of god still make more than minimum wage, but aren't going to be helped by this.

[the_tyrant]

Many parts of the american economy is unsustainable.
Ok, my prediction:
anything that can be outsources will be outsourced. Because there is someone in mexico, china, vietnam, africa etc that will do whatever Americans will do for cheaper.

But some things can't be outsourced, its those jobs that will be kept in America
The arts, the military, law, politics, tourism, natural resources, agriculture, finance etc. these are the jobs that will be kept in the US.
The truth is, every job that can go to China will go to China. Raising the minimum wage will only speed up the process.

[gimpy117]

yes tyrant, its a sad fact that america is bleeding itself by sending all the work out, but still expecting the populace to spend.

[Penguin]

Just my opinion, but I feel that Minimum wage should be a state issue.

I thought that the federal minimum wage would only apply to government employees, isn't this so? The article is quite unclear about this.

I agree that the mw should be a state issue, just because there are enormous differences regarding the costs of living in the different states - same as here.


The minimum wage goes up. Evil big corporations like fast food joints can't afford to pay the help. To make it work they have to raise their prices. People at minimum-wage jobs can't afford the new prices. The minimum wage needs to be raised again.

And it's all the fault of the Evil Corporations, and the GOP. I guess we all need someone to blame.

The mw is one of the work laws where the USA is ahead of Germany, we have none - which is a shame!
Regarding this, the fast food joints can cry me a river. The fast food prices in the US are insanely low. As long as it is much cheaper to eat outside than to cook at home there are somewhere sub par standards, mostly in the quality of food or that some employees get the short end of the stick - and they are not even allowed to be tipped in many joints.

[Sailor Steve]

because it is the gop's fault, the middle class is still reeling from what Reagan started.
You're part of the crowd who needs a whipping boy. You point the finger, but your evidence is no better than that of your enemies.

there is PLENTY of money in a large corporation to pay its help better, it all just goes to the stock price and the executives. theres a reason the pay of the average executive to worker is up from 60:1 in the 60's to 300:1 now.
And how do you propose to fix this? More government interference? The problem is the agency you want to use is worse than any of the corporations you love to blame. What you don't seem to understand is that the more control you exert, the less gets done, and the less freedom we (including you) have.

As much as you want to, you can't legislate everything.

[Platapus]

I thought that the federal minimum wage would only apply to government employees, isn't this so? The article is quite unclear about this.



There are Federal and State minimum wage laws in most states (5 states do not have a state minimum wage law)

"Where Federal and state law have different minimum wage rates, the higher standard applies."

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm

[Madox58]

The minimum wage goes up. Evil big corporations like fast food joints can't afford to pay the help. To make it work they have to raise their prices. People at minimum-wage jobs can't afford the new prices. The minimum wage needs to be raised again.

And it's all the fault of the Evil Corporations, and the GOP. I guess we all need someone to blame.

Fast Food joints?
Like McD's?
I'll kill a Clown if my Big Mac price goes up!
Well...
Maybe I'll just kick him a few times.
:hmmm:

Yep!
Blame the Clown!

[gimpy117]

I see Michigan is trying to declare bankruptcy and 30 more states could do the same. Michigan needs to do it to renegotiate pork union contracts, but the unions are fighting back and want the contracts to remain.

its not the union contracts dragging MY state down. its the fact everyone either took a pay cut or has no job here.

[nikimcbee]

I believe fast food jobs were designed to be entry level jobs.

If you don't like it find somewhere else to work.

[TLAM Strike]

I believe fast food jobs were designed to be entry level jobs.

If you don't like it find somewhere else to work.

Unfortunately the US economy is quickly becoming a service based economy, fast food is just about the only job you can get without higher education. :yep:

[gimpy117]

Unfortunately the US economy is quickly becoming a service based economy, fast food is just about the only job you can get without higher education. :yep:

and to add to it all college costs are insane.

[TLAM Strike]

and to add to it all college costs are insane.

Your telling me! If the government wasn't paying just about all my tuition I would be screwed!

Luckily I all really have to pay for is housing.

[Armistead]

its not the union contracts dragging MY state down. its the fact everyone either took a pay cut or has no job here.

In states like Michigan, many union contracts were negotiated before the economy fell, full of the typical union high wages, benefits and pork. Now they don't have the money for those contracts, so if they declare bankruptcy they're allowed to renegotiate. Obvious the unions will want federal dollars to make up the difference.

It amazes me how corporate america is getting filthy rich. A good recession is the best time to rob the middle class and with the help of politicains...

Like the housing crisis. Banks are getting rich. A home could be foreclosed on with a current market value of say 100K. However, with the government bailout the taxpayers pay them the full value of whats owed. If the house loan is 200K, that's what they get, they suffer no loss. This is why they're not doing loan mods or working with people, they're getting the full amount for the loan from the taxpayer, no loss. Not only that they get to charge the government for interest, late fee's, legal fee's, ect....and no regulation was placed on them to change. What's mindblowing is banks like Chase were not only billing the government all these fee's, they also billed the person thrown out of their home using all kinds of scare tactics.

What's laughable is all the hearings, congress blasts the banks on TV, then do nothing about it, it's just a put on act for the people. I'm sure after the hearings they sit in back rooms smoking cigars cutting more deals laughing at the rest of us...

[Gerald]

Your telling me! If the government wasn't paying just about all my tuition I would be screwed!

Luckily I all really have to pay for is housing. Then are your expenses, under control, which is good

[gimpy117]

In states like Michigan, many union contracts were negotiated before the economy fell, full of the typical union high wages, benefits and pork. Now they don't have the money for those contracts, so if they declare bankruptcy they're allowed to renegotiate. Obvious the unions will want federal dollars to make up the difference.

but i don't think we can blame unions for contracts that were negotiated before the collapse. Michigan HAD the money to pay before, but now because of the housing collapse, property taxes are down; coupled with it as well is rising unemployment means we have very little tax revenue. The union "Pork" really has nothing to do with it. I think that with or without benefits they would still have to cut these contracts; everything else here is being trimmed down, roads, schools...you name it.

[Armistead]

That's the problem, the unions won't let them out of the contracts. The only way out legally is bankruptcy. The money simply isn't there now, so no way to move forward with the work unless once again the people have to pay to bail out unions with fed dollars.

Not to mention many of these projects have no purpose now, but you think unions care. No need to do lots of upgrades in parts of town that are now dead.

[TLAM Strike]

Then are your expenses, under control, which is good

Basically.

I've found a someone who needs a roommate in the apartments near campus for the upcoming semester(s) so I will be saving money on that in compairson to living in the dorms. Most of my funds for that will be part of my student loan which I was going to have to take out anyways to live on campus. If I can find a decent part time job near campus I could pay my half of the rent and send back some of the student loan.