Linda McMahon: 'We Ought To Review' The Minimum Wage - Huffington Post

[JohnWxy]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/30/linda-mcmahon-we-ought-to_n_745639.html

Linda McMahon, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Connecticut, suggested Thursday that the U.S. ought to take a second look at the federal minimum wage.

[FiveGoodMen]

1. An important story, but it's been re-posted so many different times that it's not worth commenting

in any one thread.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. I agree. Can it start at $12 per hour?

[elehhhhna]

3. It's like, 18 in New Zealand.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Okay. Make it $19.00.

[rpannier]

6. That's about 13 in the USA

[elehhhhna]

7. do you mean the exchange rate or same buying power as 13 US in New Z?

[rpannier]

10. Exchange rate

Tanks for pointing out I forgot to make that clear.
Much appreciated

[rpannier]

4. Read the article and she seems to be talking about raising it

If that's her position then I agree with her it should be 10-12 an hour

[DoctorK]

8. why not $50?

Minimum wage laws, to the extent they are 'effective' (above the prevailing lowest wage labor will accept), engender an increase of unemployment.

It's great for the people who get paid more than they otherwise would, but how do you measure that against the people who find themselves getting nothing?

[rpannier]

9. Provide me with statistics to back up your claim

In most instances, the increase in the minimum wage raises employment.
It puts more money in people's pockets and they use it to buy stuff -- that's how you create a vibrant middle class. Make sure they have money
People who lose their jobs often find work in sectors that are benefiting from the purchases made by these people who have more money.

Economists Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz have both made that point many times and have provided statistics to prove the point that raising the minimum wage does build a healthier economy.

Your 50 dollar an hour comment is the sort of non-sensical rhetoric employed by the low-wage crowd as a cheap attempt to try and obfuscate the issue and try to pull the public into agreeing with you by using an artificially high number that is not part of the discussion at hand.

[DoctorK]

11. why not $50?

Won't that put more money in people's pockets?
Why would that not work?

[DoctorK]

12. Krugman of 'we need a housing bubble' fame?!

"The federal mandated minimum wage prevents young people from obtaining an entry-level position and gaining valuable skills. As economics 101 explains, businesses have a disincentive to hire inexperienced young workers if they are forced to pay them at least $7.25 an hour. As a result, a willing potential young worker may stay inexperienced and unemployed due to the government’s intervention.

According to Joe Sabia, an Associate Professor in Public Policy at American University:
A 10% increase in minimum wage reduces retail employment by 1%, and reduces employment among young workers by 3.4%.

A Wall Street Journal article confirms these findings:
Two years ago Mr. Neumark and William Wascher, a Federal Reserve economist, reviewed more than 100 academic studies on the impact of the minimum wage. They found 'overwhelming' evidence that the least skilled and the young suffer a loss of employment when the minimum wage is increased.

Individuals that begin working as teenagers are put at a considerable advantage. Studies have shown that workers who do not start working as teenagers will ultimately suffer from longer periods of unemployment and lower long-term wages. High teenage employment has numerous positive externalities-- employed teenagers have a better chance at having a successful productive future career and are less likely to commit crimes. In addition, they are able to gain job experience, a sense of responsibility and money management skills while building their resumes. Youth unemployment is already at the highest levels since WWII, any minimum wage hike will result in the youth losing more jobs at an unprecedented rate." -Julie Borowski

[Fearless]

13. Umm... except no... A bad economy causes adults to accpet minimum wage jobs...

A bad economy causes teens therefore to be displaced, as businesses would rather hire adults than teens, for obvious experience and reliability reasons. Notice where the recession kicks into high gear and the spike in teenage unemployment in your own graph.

[rpannier]

16. Julie Borowski

http://www.freedomworks.org/user-profiles/JBorowski

nuff said

[rpannier]

14. Well, you did respond with statistics

You used a report from Julie Borowski a Ron Paul, and a regular writer for Freedom Works
(http://www.freedomworks.org/user-profiles/JBorowski)

She opposes raising taxes on the top 2%, supports vouchers, opposes a bill that would increase taxes on the profits of American companies with foreign subsidiaries and is a supporter of John Boehner.

That you would cite a report written by a Freedom Works person tells me a whole lot about you -- Progressive you are not

[Kingofalldems]

18. That's been the republican take on this forever

Thanks! I knew it all along. Confirmed.

[JohnWxy]

19. Republican economic theory: the rich will get richer if we could just cut everybody's wages..

even the people making the lowest wages. Then companies would make more profits. Which if you live on your dividends might look good. But they never learn that if nobody has enough money to buy the things the companies want to sell, then the companies don't sell enough to make much money.

They continue to think you can make something from nothing.

[wisteria]

15. Why? So more people can live in poverty? n/t

[Mr. Mustard]

17. Ah yes, take more from the workers.

Does anyone know the pathology as to why some rich people cannot be happy unless they know there are people suffering?

What is it about the some members of the human animal that needs others to do without in order for them to feel good about themselves?

The Republicans must wake up each morning unhappy, unhappy dammit that people get health care, and can afford homes. Hell they didn't inherit their money, or ravage a pension to get rich so therefore they are not worthy of success in the economic jungle.

You cannot negotitiate with these people, they will never stop. In the face of overwhelming evidence that in order for the rich to be rich, there must be a middle class to buy their goods, mow their lawns and drive their limos, they are still against anything that gives a poor person a head start.

This election is really uncovering the true nature of the Republicans. You would think working America would instantly grasp that Republicans hate them.

But logic and facts don't matter do they? So how do you defeat rich folks and people who don't follow facts and logic?

Really, I am asking. Does anyone understand how? I would like to hear.