Yes, let’s continue hand out trophies just for participating, it’s working SO well./s

The flea bag apartment WAS $600/month, did you think your rent would stay the same? It won’t because the maintenance dood is gonna want a raise to keep pace ahead of you because after all he has a skilled trade. So too the apt manager and other back office staff. Heaven forbid that a dirt bag 30 something burger flipper make as much let alone get closer to parity with their pay. Why? Because of your wages and the corresponding increase in fringe fica etc, Mr Mcdonnell will now have to raise the price of his burgers.

…

AH_C on February 25, 2013 at 10:20 PM

Exactly. This scheme only punishes those who invest in the economy. In this case, the landlord is left on the hook for higher wages to his employees but cannot raise rent until after all current leases expire.

Image via Eratosthenes on Blame Mediterranean Diet Cuts Heart Disease Risk, Study Finds Is it the wine or the olive oil? My theory, it’s the garlic! My approach is to only believe "studies show" when I like what they say. Yahoo CEO bans te…

Why? It’s the big mac exchange rate. it doesn’t matter how much money one gets, especially the minimum wager. Like a dog chasing its tail.

While you like your chops in anticipation of getting a 20% raise, the economy is reacting to put your goal of a “living” wage once again out of reach. Why? Take your apt maintenance guy. Everyday at lunch, he comes around to your burger joint to get his happy meal. The $5 meal only costs him 1/3 of an hour to buy. He figures it’s worth it to get a hot meal and a large coke than having to prepare and pack his lunch.
But thanks to the minimum wage hike, he now needs at least a $3/hr raise on order to keep his price point of 1/3 hour’s labor. Even a hike up to 2/5 of an hour to afford your $6 meal may be enough to break his routine. There’s your spiral. Either Billy Bob gets his raise or your burger joint lose business and in turn, you or a co worker gets the boot because the owner cant afford you. unfair? Not at all. Not even you are willing to pay more than 2/3 of your labor hr for your boss’s burger. Oh wait, you actually thot a raise in minimum wage would actually get you a 1/2 hr labor for a burger? Silly wabbit, the more valuable your skills the less labor you have to expend to get that burger.

While the rule isn’t absolute, over time it’s pretty constant relatively speaking. When I was getting 3.15 minimum wage, it took approximately 1/2 hour to get the big mac meal. nowdays, inflation has bumped the price up to 2/3s or so. Go figure that only a few years ago it was still 1/2 to 3/5s of an hour.

Enjoy your illusory living wage, Mr Burger Flipper cause you’ll never get it standing behind the grill at mickey dees.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

Do go on and finish your calculations. right now, you’re Trippi the burger flipped licking your chops at dreams of your minimum wages jumping 20% to $9/hr. your rent I. The flea bag apartment WAS $600/month, did you think your rent would stay the same? It won’t because the maintenance dood is gonna want a raise to keep pace ahead of you because after all he has a skilled trade. So too the apt manager and other back office staff. Heaven forbid that a dirt bag 30 something burger flipper make as much let alone get closer to parity with their pay. Why? Because of your wages and the corresponding increase in fringe fica etc, Mr Mcdonnell will now have to raise the price of his burgers.

You know that crap globull warmest spew about increases in o2 leads to a chain reaction and out of control warming? Yeah well, it’s a crock vis a vis agw but applicable to wage economics. Take your maintenance guy. To get his meal from your joint, it used to cost him 1/3 of an hour to get the $5 meal. When that meal now costs $6, he’s gonna want parity.

Why? It’s the big mac exchange rate. it doesn’t matter how much money one gets, especially the minimum wager… To be continued.

If you’re actually trying to live on minimum wage – YOU are the problem.

dentarthurdent on February 25, 2013 at 9:43 PM

For 99% of people that is the truth.

MelonCollie on February 25, 2013 at 8:19 PM

Have you tried any of the advice us heartless old farts tried to give you a week or 2 ago?

You’re doing something wrong – I don’t know exactly what – but it’s something you need to fix.

My 20 year old son (HS grad, no college) has a little over a year at Costco. Now making over $11 an hour and under consideration for a temporary supervisor position at about $22 an hour.

What he’s doing is what you need to be doing – work hard, do everything they want the way they want it, be willing to cover shifts for other people, be willing to fill the gaps in staffing, be direct about what you’re doing for them, but get along with people, and be willing to say when someone else is not pulling their weight. And if you’re not rewarded for all those things – go find another job.

So no, the federal minimum wage is not enough. You’re worried teens might lose their jobs? Fine – lets have a minimum wage set for people under 18. People who aren’t living with their parents need to actually live somewhere that’s not a homeless shelter.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

CW20 on February 25, 2013 at 8:39 PM

I worked for 25 cents an hour on farms starting at about age 10. Moved up in pay over the years and then on to washing dishes at Howard Johnson’s for about $2 an hour in HS, and then not much more for flipping burgers at McDonald’s. For staying on the job more than 6 months, McDonald’s made me a kitchen shift lead with a bit of a raise (1979). Went to college (a military academy actually) and then 4 years in the Air Force. My first job out of the AF, with an Engineering degree was $32K a year – less than what I mdae IN the AF – but I’ve done wellever since – but sometimes taken pay cuts. Life is tough and not fair.
Engage, adapt, overcome.

If you’re actually trying to live on minimum wage – YOU are the problem.

Workers who do not want these worse conditions either must find work in industries uncovered by the minimum wage or work for themselves.

What are these industries (Home child care about it)? It is almost always illegal to pay less in all industries. Waitress is about the only exception where the wage is only part of the pay even then if tips are too low there is a case to be made to fair labor board.

Like how these studies only count those making exactly minimum wage. When many more workers make just a little bit more and a huge number less than the new minimum. But even here 25% were over the age of 24 so hardly teenagers.

So far as self employed making less. Well few will do that for long after all they still have bills to pay. Unless it is more a hobby than a job.

7.25/hr, 40 hours a week is 290/wk.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

Try again dimmest of wits.

So no, the federal minimum wage is not enough. You’re worried teens might lose their jobs? Fine – lets have a minimum wage set for people under 18. People who aren’t living with their parents need to actually live somewhere that’s not a homeless shelter.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

Here’s a thought …MAKE YOUR own DAMN WAGE. It is about YOU. This stupidity needs to end. If you want to earn more then make yourself more marketable. This whacked thinking that you are owed a living wage just because you work is just pure silliness. Not that this much matters for many…DUE To idiots like you– people are lucky to find jobs that give more than 29 hours a week. ( See AFCA)

You think this shite happens in a vacuum. Your inability to comprehend simple economics is mind boggling…but don’t feel bad der leader isn’t much sharper. You dummbies think that businesses will just eat the difference in pay. My goodness you’re so lost.

So no, the federal minimum wage is not enough. You’re worried teens might lose their jobs? Fine – lets have a minimum wage set for people under 18. People who aren’t living with their parents need to actually live somewhere that’s not a homeless shelter.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

So your goal in life is to never acquire enough education or on the job education to exceed to a more demanding job and so be paid for your efforts. My first job was a paperboy. My next was a gas pump jockey. Same story different details for probably everyone who has answered you here.

What I did know by 21 was that I had a work ethic and could find something to do to earn a living. I have done well when others knew I would fail. I see the same thing with some of my younger competitors. They are hard workers and I hope they do well. You might try it someday.

triple, your first bad assumption is that a person making minimum wage should only work 40 hours. Why not put in overtime hours or get an additional job? Yeah, that’s tough, but that’s what I did when I was young and working in a pizza place to support myself, which was a hell of a long time ago and not in the Obamaconomy.

digitalhap on February 25, 2013 at 8:09 PM

It is all we can do just to get ONE job, let alone two, and thanks to Obamacare as well as other things overtime is basically not allowed. I am literally almost to the point of walking around in my best suit and tie with a sign saying “please hire me”.

I’ve worked off the clock a few hours at my current job because something needed done and Julie frantically warned me against going over part-time. Everyone is cutting hours if not employees, and the threat of a new min-wage hike has employers TERRIFIED.

7.25/hr, 40 hours a week is 290/wk.

That’s dropped to $250ish after taxes, so you end up making roughly 12.5k in takehome. (x50)

In my area at least, really crappy apartments start at 600/mo.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

triple, your first bad assumption is that a person making minimum wage should only work 40 hours. Why not put in overtime hours or get an additional job? Yeah, that’s tough, but that’s what I did when I was young and working in a pizza place to support myself.

Your second bad assumption is that everyone needs/deserves an entire (crappy) apartment for themselves. No. Rather, live with friends or relatives, share a place with other people paying part of the rent, or get a room in a house. That’s also what I did when I was working in that pizza place.

7.25/hr, 40 hours a week is 290/wk.

That’s dropped to $250ish after taxes, so you end up making roughly 12.5k in takehome. (x50)

In my area at least, really crappy apartments start at 600/mo.

So that means after paying for, you know, somewhere to sleep.. you’d have $400 left for food to eat, and gas to get to work. (i.e. basic needs)

I figure you could probably do $50/wk for food, that’s less than $10/day. That leaves you $200 for gas. For my commute, its about 15 minutes, with current gas prices, I’d say I spend $35/wk on gas. So that’s $140/mo.

We’re down to $60 of cash I don’t absolutely need to spend to survive and keep a job. But really, I could think of several places that would go. A cell phone, car loan, internet, car repair, basic requirements that aren’t food or gas like medicine, heat, school loan, whatever.

So no, the federal minimum wage is not enough. You’re worried teens might lose their jobs? Fine – lets have a minimum wage set for people under 18. People who aren’t living with their parents need to actually live somewhere that’s not a homeless shelter.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

Good grief, you are thick. Not only does the minimum wage eliminate entry level jobs, it also increases the price of everything. If a wage is not sufficient to make a living, then employers won’t be able to attract employees at that price.

Actually the self-employed often MUST exploit themselves to get the business going, or keep it going – and there are no laws covering how they treat themselves.

dentarthurdent on February 25, 2013 at 5:10 PM

Exploitation involves taking more from a person than is owed or deserved for the purposes of another person’s self-enrichment and personal gain. The problem with such a concept for the self-employed is that it’s a zero-sum game.

People who aren’t living with their parents need to actually live somewhere that’s not a homeless shelter.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

The concept of a minimum is difficult for some people. Couple that with a single-minded devotion to bottom-up budgeting, and you have a problem.

Why should every job be considered a living wage? Why do I care if people live with their parents–or each other?

I suspect we’d all be amazed if we allowed the market to figure out the value of various jobs, and removed the welfare system. Yes, many people would have to get creative and work hard. How awesome would that be?

It’s worse than that. I also get the pleasure of paying the full amount of the FICA deduction. That’s an extra 7.65%

Dack Thrombosis on February 25, 2013 at 2:47 PM
Plus the added benefit of 0 days unemployment compensation when out of work.

forest on February 25, 2013 at 5:05 PM

No paid sick leave
No paid vacation
No paid family leave
No paid personal days
No paid holidays

No benefits that the self employed don’t pay for themselves

you deserve to be penniless.

Actually, he stormed into my office demanding a raise – he was making $15 an hour for office type work (20 years ago) – or he would quit and work for our only competitor. At the time, my husband and I were taking home a combined .37 cents an hour.

I told him I felt really bad that he would be leaving…. funny thing, our competitor didn’t hire him either.

The self-employed can’t exploit themselves.

Stoic Patriot on February 25, 2013 at 4:55 PM

Actually the self-employed often MUST exploit themselves to get the business going, or keep it going – and there are no laws covering how they treat themselves.

It’s worse than that. I also get the pleasure of paying the full amount of the FICA deduction. That’s an extra 7.65%

Dack Thrombosis on February 25, 2013 at 2:47 PM

Plus the added benefit of 0 days unemployment compensation when out of work.

The minimum wage for the self-employed is $0.00.

Actually it can be less – a negative number. Some entrepreneurs go into a hole, working while losing money, to get a business started. No one can do that forever (fed govt included), but some will build a clientele for their goods/services and start to make money.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

These aren’t bums, mooching off the system. These are people holding down a full time job.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:52 PM

Tell me – what kind of people are trying to live on their own, or support a family, and after ANY length of time on the job are still making only minimum wage?
Do you not see the basic problem with what you’re saying?

Jackalope on February 25, 2013 at 3:57 PM

Exactly!!

My 20 year old son is a year and a half out of HS, no college, and is making over $11 an hour and living on his own. The only time he actually got minimum wage was his very first job – in HS, about 3 years ago – while he was living at home, and then his first move was to share an apartment with friends.

Anyone who actually does decent work is not at minimum wage for long – and likely never again. And if you’re trying to live on your own or support a family on minimum wage – there’s something seriously wrong with your life choices.

Minimum wage has always been a ruse that easily fools the uneducated. Dems have always thrived on teasing these people with “goodies” but never truly giving them opportunities.

So why do the Democrats hate poor people?

wait. people make choices that affect their lives? i thought it was all about privilege… /

Sachiko on February 25, 2013 at 4:04 PM

And I really tried to explain that in words that even dummies could understand! There are many people out there that are on hard luck, and that’s what ‘the system’ is for. But there are WAY more people that make bad choices in their teens and 20s and think that the rest of us future-thinking people owe it to them to mitigated their bad decisions.

triple on February 25, 2013 at 3:51 PM

The problem with your scenario is that $9/hr for 30 hours per week is $270/wk. $20 less per week than the difficult scenario for one on minimum wage now. Forget an extra $60. That’s $1040 less per year.

Don’t delude yourself for a half-second that between Obamacare, and a hiked minimum wage that anybody is going to be getting more money out of this, except of course for the government. We have an unemployment problem now, but the difficulty characteristic of an economy that has been through Socialist “reforms” is not unemployment, but underemployment.

You’ll do less, and you’ll get less. And it will hurt everybody. The guy that was on pace to get out of that situation will remain in it, because hiring another worker now costs more and doesn’t bring in as much. The producer will produce less at a higher cost and pass it on to the consumer, so even that $270 week isn’t going nearly as far as it did. That’s before the runaway inflation strikes across the board. Heavy spending with no end in sight, higher taxes, higher minimum wage… we’re asking for it.

But by all means let’s worry about the piddling cuts to bloated government programs that would be effected by the sequester instead.

If you have made choices in your life that have resulted in a minimum-wage job being the best you can do, then you need to be accountable for those choices. My first job was at minimum wage and I have earned more at every subsequent job–I have made choices that have allowed for that to be possible.

Jackalope on February 25, 2013 at 3:57 PM

wait. people make choices that affect their lives? i thought it was all about privilege… /