wealth inequality

[Theinquisition]

its exactly the same fucking thing.

Calm down fella, you're at a 10 we need you at a 3.

Gov'ts bear the responsibility for corruption, since they have the ability to enact the policies that are corrupt.

[Machismo]

It's been instrumental in creating and maintaining the middle class. I'm not sure why you have some obsession with racing third world countries to the bottom for who can be the shittiest place to live.

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Plenty of businesses have succeeded with the minimum wage. Those that didn't just made bad decisions. Don't blame the minimum wage for businesses making bad decisions.

I'm not blaming the minimum wage for businesses making bad decisions, I'm saying it's unnecessary.

[Bodakane]

Calm down fella, you're at a 10 we need you at a 3.

Gov'ts bear the responsibility for corruption, since they have the ability to enact the policies that are corrupt.

I'm at a 4 actually, I just curse a lot when talking to unreasonable people.

You are super missing the point, and I'm not sure if its intentional or not.

[Machismo]

That will never happen. In the absence of government helping the employee protect themselves from predatory employment practices, the government goes into the hands of business to help them take advantage of people.

Actually it can happen, people and businesses just don't want it to happen. They both want to use the force that government brings, yet seem more than content to whine when they other side does it.

[Mormolyce]

It has declined since its highest in 1968, but it is still above the historical average. That large increase in 1968 was the outlier. And there's certainly no justification to place it at $15 an hour, since that is far higher than it has ever been, when taking inflation into account.

I dunno, call me crazy but I think the minimum wage should be higher in 2016 than it was in 1938.

[Gestopft]

Unions are a plague. Outside of jobs that demand it (construction/mining/drilling) unions are a joke. The entire northeast U.S. is going broke from paying pensions and salaries to teachers that work 9/12 months in a year.

He meant private labor unions.

[Bollocks]

Your average annual income in Minnesota is $25k? How does anyone live on that?

Its not average its median. The average should be higher.

[Goatfish]

That power you describe? It's voting. And the numbers of voters is HUGELY disadvantaged against the wealthy. But so often the issue isn't that conservatives want the wealthy to benefit, the issue is that the proposed idea is harmful to everyone.

I'm surprised no one commented on this. Because it isn't like big corporations don't threaten to pull their money from the government or raise their prices for anything govt related if a vote doesn't go their way. They use money to control politicians voted in by the people. Sure we can vote in new people in time, but what is to say the same won't happen again with the next senator?

Not that I can blame them, if you were a senator and you had people mad about getting screwed over but the opposition is a company threatening to pull millions of dollars from your funding... Money is power in politics as well as anywhere else. I forsee it taking massive worker strikes to change anything, but there are too many people who can't afford to go without work for days, let alone weeks or months. Major Corp has the golden handcuffs on the lower class, I only hope it hasn't gotten so bad that nothing can be done.

[Mormolyce]

Its not average its median. The average should be higher.

So median. Median income here in Vic (Aus) is about $67k. That's US$44k via purchasing power parity (ie taking cost of living into account).

[Machismo]

I dunno, call me crazy but I think the minimum wage should be higher in 2016 than it was in 1938.

It is higher than it was in 1938, and is still slightly above the historical average. The calls to raise it to $15 an hour are completely unprecedented, and not based on any economic reality.

http://money.cnn.com/interactive/eco...ge-since-1938/

[Mormolyce]

It is higher than it was in 1938, and is still slightly above the historical average. The calls to raise it to $15 an hour are completely unprecedented, and not based on any economic reality.

http://money.cnn.com/interactive/eco...ge-since-1938/

What do you mean economic reality? If it passes, it's in, that's your reality for you. Our minimum wage is $17/hr incidentally.

I've seen that graph. From 1950-1985 the minimum wage was higher than today, and it's lower today because it failed to keep pace with inflation, just like I said.

[Machismo]

What do you mean economic reality? If it passes, it's in, that's your reality for you. Our minimum wage is $17/hr incidentally.

I've seen that graph. From 1950-1985 the minimum wage was higher than today, and it's lower today because it failed to keep pace with inflation, just like I said.

A minimum wage is unnecessary. It's not based on basic economic principles, but is a means by wish to unbalance the playing field. It is an artificial intervention that is not needed.

It is still above the historical average, which means it's keeping up with inflation. It's simply not as high as it's ever been, which is perfectly fine.

[Bodakane]

A minimum wage is unnecessary. It's not based on basic economic principles, but is a means by wish to unbalance the playing field. It is an artificial intervention that is not needed.

It is still above the historical average, which means it's keeping up with inflation. It's simply not as high as it's ever been, which is perfectly fine.

Businesses giving money to politicians in the form of PACs, lobbies and bribes isn't based on basic economic principles either. Until businesses have no sway over the government of the people, by the people and for the people, then things need to be done to balance the field.

Unregulated business has shown what it can do....and it birthed things like unions, OSHA, EPA, etc.

[Machismo]

Businesses giving money to politicians in the form of PACs, lobbies and bribes isn't based on basic economic principles either. Until businesses have no sway over the government of the people, by the people and for the people, then things need to be done to balance the field.

Unregulated business has shown what it can do....and it birthed things like unions, OSHA, EPA, etc.

That's why I do not support when businesses do it, either. By doing the same thing as they are doing, you are justifying their actions. Instead of getting rid of the laws they created, you want to put more bad laws on top of it.

[Bodakane]

That's why I do not support when businesses do it, either. By doing the same thing as they are doing, you are justifying their actions. Instead of getting rid of the laws they created, you want to put more bad laws on top of it.

No you aren't. That's like saying cops using guns against criminals using guns is justifying the criminals actions.

[Machismo]

No you aren't. That's like saying cops using guns against criminals using guns is justifying the criminals actions.

No, it's like saying that a business telling a cop to point a gun at a person, is the same as a person telling the cop to point a gun at the business.

[Bodakane]

No, it's like saying that a business telling a cop to point a gun at a person, is the same as a person telling the cop to point a gun at the business.

lol, ok. Fuck the little guy, all hail the wealthy.

[Cthulhu 2020]

That's why I do not support when businesses do it, either. By doing the same thing as they are doing, you are justifying their actions. Instead of getting rid of the laws they created, you want to put more bad laws on top of it.

Not sure why you continue to demand that citizens give up their bargaining chips in government when it's obvious that business will just take them all. It will happen. You claim it's possible for it not to, but that's the nature of people and business, they take what they can. Thus it is not possible in the real world.

[Machismo]

lol, ok. Fuck the little guy, all hail the wealthy.

Now you are simply making shit up. I guess that means you've ran out of actual substance.

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Not sure why you continue to demand that citizens give up their bargaining chips in government when it's obvious that business will just take them all. It will happen. You claim it's possible for it not to, but that's the nature of people and business, they take what they can. Thus it is not possible in the real world.

I'm saying that when people do it, they are no different than when businesses do it. Since I do not support when a business does it, I'm not going to support when you do it. Logical consistency is a wonderful thing. By continuing to bring a gun to the negotiating table, you have no cause to complain when businesses do the same thing.

[Bodakane]

Now you are simply making shit up. I guess that means you've ran out of actual substance.

Not making anything up.

You're perfectly fine with the little guy getting filled out like an application by the giant throbbing dick of the wealthy, until you know, some how some way, thanks to magic and fairies, the playing field is leveled a little bit better.

You're a sycophant of the wealthy.