He's Already Killing Jobs When We Need Jobs The Most

@porwest Yes, I remember when gas prices were so high. I've been happy with the $2 prices at the pump. And this is the man America is elated over to see in office. SMH

@just4him Yeah. We are in for a hell of a ride. Unfortunately it's a ride I don't want to be on. But it is what it is.

@porwest I wonder if it will feel like the rollercoaster or the octopus. Both are rides I don't like.

@porwest If a certain state has minimum hourly wage can a company actually pay less than that minimum? Now I don't know how true that is but I think those companies that employ Mexican workers probably pay them below minimum wage... It is definitely up to the individual to take matters into their own hands. If a person is not okay with the minimum wage a company pays they should try to find work elsewhere where they will get paid more. Especially, if that person values themselves highly. But it is easy to say and harder to do.

@lovebuglena The federal minimum wage is the actual minimum wage in the country. But individual states CAN set their own minimum wage, and many of them do and have. But the state's minimum wage cannot be below the federal minimum wage. It can only be matched or be higher. Employers are required by law to pay the minimum wage set by the state. But the state cannot set a minimum wage lower than the federal minimum wage. As for many Mexicans, the only way around paying the highest minimum wage is by paying these people under the table in cash. But that is also illegal. You are also spot on about people having options. If people don't like the wage, go and find a job that has a higher one. Granted, sometimes that requires a bit more action on their part. But that's where higher wages come from. Effort and hard work. Those who make the effort and work hard to get ahead reap the rewards, and the others stay at the bottom. Exactly as it should be.

Well, the BIG thing is that companies that employ people are not ATM machines, and what they pay their workers is actually, despite what some believe, what they can actually afford to pay their employees. Especially small businesses. Take restaurants as an example. They operate on extremely low margins. Typically 3%-6%. So, there isn't a lot of money to go around in the first place. Raising the wages artificially, when these businesses do not have the money causes them to do one of two things... Raise their prices or lay off workers. Usually, because the market is the market, it is difficult to just raise prices. So, the only alternative is to lay off workers. Even for larger businesses, despite the enormous amounts of money they take in in revenue, the cost of running the business largely eats up most of the profits. Walmart employs about 1.5 million people. The average starting wage for a Walmart employee is $11.00 per hour depending on the state they operate in and the minimum wage in that state. So, we are talking about a $4 an hour increase. That's an additional cost to Walmart of $6 million per hour. Even if all of their workforce worked only part time, say 20 hours per week, that's an additional cost of $6.24 BILLION per year, and let's keep in mind many employees work more hours than that. So the real cost is probably more like $10 billion-$15 billion when all is said and done. Couple that with the fact that the $15 would only be the front end wage. There are many OTHER costs the employer usually has that run wages higher than what people see on their paychecks. For example, if the company offers a 401k plan or health benefits, these costs factor in as well. Granted, larger companies have more ability to absorb some of the costs. But it still all comes with a price. Higher prices or less workers. That's really the only trade off. If you hire less workers or lay workers off less people will get the new wage. And if you raise prices the new wage will be eaten by the new prices. THAT aside, there are many jobs and professions that offer HIGHER wages, and people should be encouraged to pursue THEIR OWN destiny. If the job you are in does not pay enough, it is not the responsibility of the company you work for to take care of YOUR needs. It's the responsibility of the WORKER to take care of their own needs. Granted, that is sometimes easier said than done. But certainly not impossible. I do also agree that $15 is a lot or a little depending on the region. It's probably a windfall in the backwoods of Alabama, but not so much in Syracuse or Rhode Island. But as well, it should not be the government setting wages. It should be the companies who pay them who set them. And despite popular belief, employers do actually value good employees, and if the employees work hard and offer something of value to the employer, the employer WILL offer higher wages.

The sad part is that many already have thanks to the pandemic, and it does not appear that Biden's plans will do anything to get those back, let alone create new ones. Even Biden's response when he was questioned about the lost jobs from the pipeline was questionable, and should tell everyone where he stands with the hard working Americans he supposedly supports. "They can find another job," he said. Imagine if Trump had said that.

@porwest I can relate completely!

No. This is bad. I thought Obama scared me, and while he was bad, he was not as bad as what a Biden/Harris administration will do. I fear for this nation more than I ever have.