minimum wage increase?

MMMM...maybe not, [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/arcadefreak.gif[/img] here is the bill.
[ QUOTE ]
Just think of what it is to have a bill that says to minimum wage workers, "?We'll raise your minimum wage but only if we can give an estate tax cut to the 7,500 wealthiest families in America,"?' said Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Besides the 10-year, $268 billion cut to the estate tax, the measure contains $38 billion in other tax cuts that enjoy widespread backing, such as the research-and-development tax credit.


[/ QUOTE ]
So well thought out, carrot and the stick. 268 billion in one lick, maybe it should be doubled to help with the national debt. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Here is how much the politicians care about the people- [ QUOTE ]
It was during the campaign year of 1996 that Congress last voted to increase the minimum wage. A person working 40 hours per week at minimum wage makes $10,700, which is below the poverty line for workers with families.

Inflation has eroded the minimum wage's buying power to the lowest level in about 50 years. Lawmakers have won cost-of-living wage increases totaling about $35,000 for themselves over the last 10 years.

GOP lawmakers feared being pounded with 30-second campaign ads over the August recess that would tie Congress' upcoming $3,300 pay increase with Republicans' refusal to raise the minimum wage.



[/ QUOTE ] the avg worker at minium wage makes 10500 and the lawmakers have given themselves "cost of living raises" of 35000?

[greencrest1272]

Raising the minimum wage sounds great but it has some very negative aspects in my opinion that have to be considered before being so vocal about it.

Let's say they raise the minimum wage to $7.00 per hour. Then the people who were making $7.00 per hour before the minimum wage hike want more money. They get raised to $8 or $9 per hour. Then the workers that were making $8 or $9 per hour start screaming for a raise. Eventually the business or company must give everyone a substantial raise that in probably most cases they do not deserve. The company begins losing money which eventually could lead to bankruptcy, moving oversea's, lay-offs, etc...

I do agree that something needs to be done, but I feel that it needs to be thought out logically before we just pull the trigger on a huge minimum wage increase.

[starbuck]

I can tell you that in 16 years of working with the same company I have only gotten a raise once because of minimal wage increases. and to beat it all it was only .10 so I know that all a minimal wage increase will do is bring the starting out people that much closer to what I make and I will get screwed once again.
I started out at $3.75 an hour and now people who come in start out at $6.00 an hour but I have not seen anything but .10 to compensate for this disparity in 16 years.

[Craes]

no what happens is they start raising prices of stuff and is no different than when they made 5.15 an hour. The American dollar is worth way less than it used to be and you can't make a living, no matter how much you try to work. Well you can but not expect to be able to raise a family.

your chain effect is probably accurate. min wage increases and inflation often go hand in hand too.

[starbuck]

then everyone who didn't get a cost of living raise, which would be most, only get's hurt by it.
something differnet needs to happen. Like I said on another thread it is time to reduce the national work week to 32 hours and anything over that would be overtime. At least the family unit would become stronger.

Did anyone read about the 35000 dollars congress gave itself or do all of you believe everything politicans say? If the little man doesn't need a raise the fat congress sure doesn't. I'm glad greencrest turns down pay raises, so he doesn't mess up my pay scale.

[starbuck]

If I had the power to vote myself a raise I would too

[greencrest1272]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm glad greencrest turns down pay raises, so he doesn't mess up my pay scale.


[/ QUOTE ]

Im not saying a minimum wage increase is a bad thing. We just need to think it through logically before we go off saying how it will just help things so much.