General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Do you think the Federal minimum wage should be $15 per hour? [View all]merrily
(45,251 posts)There is not necessarily a direct and penny for penny correlation between the reason people cite to justify price increases and an increase in workers' wages.
For example, if you're buying coffee or sugar, they may cite bad weather in South America. Do I think every sugar supplier increases exactly to account for the bad weather and nothing more while they are at it? No, I don't. Do I notice that the price always goes down the following year, when the weather is perfect growing weather? No, I don't. (Ditto quietly changing sizes from say 16 oz to 14 oz for the same price, or even more.)
Also, I was not so much concerned about the cost of my burger or my purchases as the cost of their burger*--and everything ele they buy that might go up in price. Minimum wage laws do not apply only to fast food employees and burgers are not the only things that may increase in price.
Thank heaven or my lucky stars or whatever, I am not going to have to do without if everything I buy goes up a few cents. I am not so sure about them, though, especially minimum wage workes with big families.
*i could have been clearer: When I said one pocket fatter, one pocket thinner, I was talking about two pocket of the same person. The income pocket would be thicker because of an increase in minimum wage, but the expenditures pocket of that same individual would be thinner because they would be paying more for the same purchases.