California to raise minimum wage to $15

[OakRiver]

Well, that didn't take long:

Some restaurants face pressure to trim menus and staffs under California’s wage hike

You mean to tell me that as production costs go up and eat into profit margins that business owners will have to react by reducing overheads? Why this is absolutely unexpected and unprecedented. I bet that no one ever foresaw that coming.

 

[OakRiver]

That's what I like, a starry eyed optimist.

No. This will not happen.

Of course it will, but only for the people who aren't fired to reduce costs.

 

[jamil]

Why do we even bother with wages. I'm often told that debt doesn't matter. That the US can just whisk it away like dust. Why not just give everyone
$15/hour? And, since debt doesn't matter, why do we even both having to pay taxes? Just put 'er on the full faith and credit of the USA. Let's just follow all this **** to its logical conclusion. Stop *****footin' around. You either believe it or you don't.

 

[1775usmarine]

Common sense would for those in favor of raising the minimum wage if it didn't cost jobs or businesses why not raise it to 30, 50 or even 75 an hr. Democrats especially know it costs jobs which is why when an agreement between parties is made to raise the minimum wage is made it is incremental steps to try to minimize the losses.

 

[pudly]

Common sense would for those in favor of raising the minimum wage if it didn't cost jobs or businesses why not raise it to 30, 50 or even 75 an hr. Democrats especially know it costs jobs which is why when an agreement between parties is made to raise the minimum wage is made it is incremental steps to try to minimize the losses.

Mostly true. The more accurate way to state that last part is: incremental steps to keep losses small enough so that most people won't make the connection.

 

[spec4]

IMO a free market should determine who gets paid how much.

 

[steveh_131]

IMO a free market should determine who gets paid how much.

Short, simple, and correct. I like it.

 

[HoughMade]

IMO a free market should determine who gets paid how much.

With a lot of people (nyself included) it does.

However, beyond the minimum wage earners, there are those who key what they expect employees to make as a multiplier based upon the minimum wage. Ever wonder why unions generally support minimum wage increases while none of their members actually make minimum wage? Raise the minimum wage, watch the next round of CBA negotiations get real interesting....and will the resulting wage increases be based upon economic reality or government fiat​?

At this point, it seems like the aim of so many in the government is to find the least amount of profit a business can make and still stay in business. Sooner or later, these same people will realize that if the government owned the business, they wouldn't need to allow for ANY profit.

 

[Cameramonkey]

So what about Places like Palo Alto? Cost of living there is insane, and $15 isnt such a liveable wage there. So do they get to set an even higher minimum? After all, under a new proposal, you could qualify for subsidies if you make up to a quarter million a year.

$250K/Year Salary Qualifes For Subsidized Housing Under Palo Alto Plan « CBS San Francisco

 

[HoughMade]

So what about Places like Palo Alto? Cost of living there is insane, and $15 isnt such a liveable wage there. So do they get to set an even higher minimum? After all, under a new proposal, you could qualify for subsidies if you make up to a quarter million a year.

$250K/Year Salary Qualifes For Subsidized Housing Under Palo Alto Plan « CBS San Francisco

I'm sure the Palo Alto city government will take care of this.

 

[actaeon277]

So what about Places like Palo Alto? Cost of living there is insane, and $15 isnt such a liveable wage there. So do they get to set an even higher minimum? After all, under a new proposal, you could qualify for subsidies if you make up to a quarter million a year.

$250K/Year Salary Qualifes For Subsidized Housing Under Palo Alto Plan « CBS San Francisco

And that's one reason minimum wage is flawed. $15/hour in Gary Indiana and $15/hour in Palo Alto is not the same thing.

 

[Hohn]

There are many negatives of raising the minimum wage to 15$, but I do see the potential for one positive. As people make more money, less will qualify for public assistance.

It's actually the opposite. As more people lose the jobs the are now priced out of, more will be on public assistance.

To Democrats, this is known as 'increasing the constituency base.'

 

[Hohn]

Let's step in the Wayback to see when the New York Times last had an inkling of economic understanding.
The Right Minimum Wage - $0.00 - NYTimes.com

 

[HoughMade]

It's actually the opposite. As more people lose the jobs the are now priced out of, more will be on public assistance.

To Democrats, this is known as 'increasing the constituency base.'

...and if we don't thing that the "poverty level" will adjusted to track it's relationship to the current minimum wage, we just aren't paying attention.

 

[Hohn]

...and if we don't thing that the "poverty level" will adjusted to track it's relationship to the current minimum wage, we just aren't paying attention.

Precisely.

LBJ declared war on poverty in the late 1960s. Poverty has clearly won.

And we have spent more money on that 'war" than all foreign entanglements in our entire history combined.

 

[BugI02]

So what about Places like Palo Alto? Cost of living there is insane, and $15 isnt such a liveable wage there. So do they get to set an even higher minimum? After all, under a new proposal, you could qualify for subsidies if you make up to a quarter million a year.

$250K/Year Salary Qualifes For Subsidized Housing Under Palo Alto Plan « CBS San Francisco

Perhaps if you can't make enough money to afford to live in a desirable location you should set your sights a little lower and live where you can afford the prices

 

[actaeon277]

Perhaps if you can't make enough money to afford to live in a desirable location you should set your sights a little lower and live where you can afford the prices

That's one of the problems of "minimum wage".
It's supposed to provide a minimum living wage, whatever that is.
But how can you determine that on a national level?
Even if you make a bunch of minimum levels based on various locations, the mere act of making the minimum wage would put forces in effect to then change those levels. You'd have to reevaluate every 3 months or so.

 

[Hohn]

And that's one reason minimum wage is flawed. $15/hour in Gary Indiana and $15/hour in Palo Alto is not the same thing.

In Palo Alto, it's irrelevant and nobody can live and work there on $15/hr. Which is just how they like it.

And in Gary, it's just as irrelevant, because $15/hr is only the theoretical wage you'd get paid IF you could find a job.


To sum up: the minimum wage is either of no benefit at all (completely moot), or is harmful. Those are the only two outcomes in can have.




Question for every ignoramus supporting a hike in MW: WHY NOT MAKE IT $50/hr?

 

[Leadeye]

Figure out how much stuff comes from or through california to the rest of the country and you'll get an idea of how much the rest of us will subsidize this, not including your federal taxes of course.

 

[HoughMade]

What makes anyone think the minimum wage is supposed to be enough for the sole support of someone?