USA falling apart?

[belfpala]

See this is confusing, there are states still paying under $6. Ill say "the min wage" is the lowest in the country, my personal interpretation.

That's because reality has nuance. Something I wish more people would learn.

[Rukentuts]

See this is confusing, there are states still paying under $6. Ill say "the min wage" is the lowest in the country, my personal interpretation.

Either way, the list belf posted shows texas at 7.25 while cali is 8. 7.25 in texas is a lot more than 8 in cali.

The minimum is 7.25 in accordance with federal law. States can mandate that employers can be forced to pay higher than 7.25, but no state can say employers can pay less.

[SirRobin]

Oh well, can't be as bad an idea as our Primeminister in Denmark.... borrowing peoples retirement funds to balance the budget.

Not covering a five billion dollar tab with Medicaid isn't as bad? Grabbing a billion out of the highway fund? Truth in budgeting? Ha! More like smoke and mirrors.

[Reeve]

See this is confusing, there are states still paying under $6. Ill say "the min wage" is the lowest in the country, my personal interpretation.

Either way, the list belf posted shows texas at 7.25 while cali is 8. 7.25 in texas is a lot more than 8 in cali.

In the more expensive areas of California, like my home town of San Jose, very few places pay minimum wage, even fast food. In N Out when I left in 2006, for example, was $11.50/hour. It's probably more now.

[belfpala]

The minimum is 7.25 in accordance with federal law. States can mandate that employers can be forced to pay higher than 7.25, but no state can say employers can pay less.

Not true.

The Act applies to enterprises with employees who engage in interstate commerce, produce goods for interstate commerce, or handle, sell, or work on goods or materials that have been moved in or produced for interstate commerce. For most firms, a test of not less than $500,000 in annual dollar volume of business applies (i.e., the Act does not cover enterprises with less than this amount of business).

However, the Act does cover the following regardless of their dollar volume of business: hospitals; institutions primarily engaged in the care of the sick, aged, mentally ill, or disabled who reside on the premises; schools for children who are mentally or physically disabled or gifted; preschools, elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education; and federal, state, and local government agencies.

Employees of firms that do not meet the $500,000 annual dollar volume test may be covered in any workweek when they are individually engaged in interstate commerce, the production of goods for interstate commerce, or an activity that is closely related and directly essential to the production of such goods.

Nuance, like I said. I still don't see how it matters in this discussion, though.

[Rukentuts]

Not true.

Oh? What did I miss? I thought states couldn't trump federal laws?

[Rhyseh]

The economic prosperity of the US entirely lynch pins on a shift away from the wanton pursuit of capitalism. From this perspective Obama was and is the best option. Wanton pursuit of capitalist values is what got the US where it is today. A shift to a higher tax rate and short term economic stagnation is better than long term economic collapse, which is where the US was heading.....

[belfpala]

Oh? What did I miss? I thought states couldn't trump federal laws?

Correct, but as I said, the federal law has many exceptions.

[chadwix]

Oh? What did I miss? I thought states couldn't trump federal laws?

Gay marriage and smoking weed are good examples. It really makes no sense

[Defengar]

lol. If Texas tried to forcibly secede, Obama could end it within a day with a single AC-130. an armored island of artillery at 25,000 feet with thermal vision vs. a bunch of rednecks with .22's, 9 millimeters, and shotguns. Don't make me laugh.

[Reeve]

Gay marriage and smoking weed are good examples. It really makes no sense

Marijuana doesn't really trump federal law. It's really up in the air whether or not the feds will enforce federal drug law in the two states that voted to legalize recreational marijuana use.

---------- Post added 2012-11-12 at 09:53 PM ----------

lol. If Texas tried to forcibly secede, Obama could end it within a day with a single AC-130. an armored island of artillery at 25,000 feet with thermal vision vs. a bunch of rednecks with .22's, 9 millimeters, and shotguns. Don't make me laugh.

Texas has a national guard and several military bases. Not saying they'd win, but it's not exactly a pushover.

[Obamatheone]

Ummm, Texas has one of the best economies in the US right now with some of the lowest unemployment.

To say it has one of the biggest economies doesn't mean much when you are sitting on a huge oil field. How in the hell could these idiots not be rich, yet they have to cook the books to have a balanced budget.

[Rhyseh]

If Texas elected to secede from the US it would send them bankrupt within months. It would be a stupid move that would have negative consequences on both sides of the fence.

[Obamatheone]

Marijuana doesn't really trump federal law. It's really up in the air whether or not the feds will enforce federal drug law in the two states that voted to legalize recreational marijuana use.[COLOR="red"]

Texas has a national guard and several military bases. Not saying they'd win, but it's not exactly a pushover.

Its a total pushover... You have watched that stupid Alamo movie too many times.

[Reeve]

Its a total pushover... You have watched that stupid Alamo movie too many times.

Give me a break. I'm not a hardcore Texas statist. I grew up in California, for goodness sake. There are 7 Air Force Bases in Texas, 4 Army Bases, and 4 Navy Bases, in addition to National Guard forces. I'm not saying the US overall wouldn't win in a straight up fight, but to say that they'd roll right over Texas is silly.

http://militarybases.com/texas/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Military_Forces

[SirRobin]

Yeah, I don't see any reason for the United States to "invade" if Texas chose to secede. Unless, of course, it was just a minority deciding to make a power grab. In that case it would be hard to tell how much of its local resources that it could call upon. In fact, the smartest thing for the Washington to do, though not the nicest, would be to let Texas "die on the vine," so to speak. Just withdraw all the support they are getting from all the federal agencies and watch Austin flounder.

[Zdrasti]

Give me a break. I'm not a hardcore Texas statist. I grew up in California, for goodness sake. There are 7 Air Force Bases in Texas, 4 Army Bases, and 4 Navy Bases, in addition to National Guard forces. I'm not saying the US overall wouldn't win in a straight up fight, but to say that they'd roll right over Texas is silly.

http://militarybases.com/texas/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Military_Forces

How many of the troops stationed there are loyal to Texas? Yeah, there you go =-p

[smelltheglove]

you guys do know that reeve isn't exactly yosemite sam, right? he is that favorite paradox, a rational texan

seriously reeve, why do texas's idiot gain the national spotlight so easily? we've all got a population of dopes, but ours dont make the news even if they do the same or worse. i mean look at this, 19 other states and all anybody talks about is texas, lol. texas needs to ban cameras and microphones or something

[Rommon64]

Another question; How many of the men and women on those bases would actually fight for Texas, if it came to that?

(Just discussing, not arguing)

[Rukentuts]

How many of the troops stationed there are loyal to Texas? Yeah, there you go =-p

Rick Perry is their Commander-In-Chief.