As a rancher operating in this past volatile year, a few thoughts have come to mind. The election didn't go at all the way I would have liked. The Democrats are now in control, for better or for worse, so we will have ample opportunity to see if they are any smarter than the Republicans. My gut feeling is that they aren't, but that remains to be seen. I will believe it when I see it. When things go even worse haywire than it is now, don't be surprised if some of us old hard-bitten Republicans mumble, "We told you so." :wink:
On the subject of minimum wage, it is not going to help a thing, in fact it will only hurt. If minimum wages go up, everything else will go up. The recipients of minimum wage will get "more money" but the surplus will not be enough to cover the additional rise in the cost of living. Because the wage earners get more money, the percentage of taxes they pay will go up proportionately, and the price of things they wish to buy will also go up. The minimum wage earner will have less actual spending power than they did before.
Supply and demand takes care of the "minimum wage" problem. Right now, in our local town, starting hourly wage to flip burgers at McDonald's is already significantly higher than the national minimum wage. The manager of McDonald's already knows that they will have to pay more to get competent help.
All the minimum wage increase will accomplish is that some unqualified people that could make a modest income, will not be hired. For best results, there should be no minimum wage at all. If it costs too much to afford to hire uncompetent help, guess what, they won't get a job, period. The long-term effect is disasterous. A young kid that could get a leaf-raking job for $3 per hour won't get hired. The kid just runs the streets, gets into trouble, and becomes a burden to society. Had some old retiree been able to give the kid $3 per hour, the kid would have had a job, received some income, and felt good about themselves because they were developing a work ethic. The old retiree can't afford to pay the high government-required "minimum wage" so they do the job themselves. In the process, the old person falls down and breaks a hip. They have no money, so the taxpayer is stuck with the resulting medical bill. Society loses all the way around, all because the Democrats want a minimum wage increase. :wink:
On the subject of minimum wage, it is not going to help a thing, in fact it will only hurt. If minimum wages go up, everything else will go up. The recipients of minimum wage will get "more money" but the surplus will not be enough to cover the additional rise in the cost of living. Because the wage earners get more money, the percentage of taxes they pay will go up proportionately, and the price of things they wish to buy will also go up. The minimum wage earner will have less actual spending power than they did before.
Supply and demand takes care of the "minimum wage" problem. Right now, in our local town, starting hourly wage to flip burgers at McDonald's is already significantly higher than the national minimum wage. The manager of McDonald's already knows that they will have to pay more to get competent help.
All the minimum wage increase will accomplish is that some unqualified people that could make a modest income, will not be hired. For best results, there should be no minimum wage at all. If it costs too much to afford to hire uncompetent help, guess what, they won't get a job, period. The long-term effect is disasterous. A young kid that could get a leaf-raking job for $3 per hour won't get hired. The kid just runs the streets, gets into trouble, and becomes a burden to society. Had some old retiree been able to give the kid $3 per hour, the kid would have had a job, received some income, and felt good about themselves because they were developing a work ethic. The old retiree can't afford to pay the high government-required "minimum wage" so they do the job themselves. In the process, the old person falls down and breaks a hip. They have no money, so the taxpayer is stuck with the resulting medical bill. Society loses all the way around, all because the Democrats want a minimum wage increase. :wink: