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Reshared post from +Julia Street
About Paul Spoerry
I’m a groovy cat who’s into technology, Eastern Thought, and house music. I’m a proud and dedicated father to the coolest little guy on the planet (seriously, I'm NOT biased). I’m fascinated by ninjas, the Internet, and anybody who can balance objects on their nose for long periods of time.
I have a utility belt full of programming languages and a database of all my knowledge on databases... I practice code fu. Oh, I've also done actual Kung Fu, and have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
I run. I meditate. I dance. I blog at PaulSpoerry.com, tweet @PaulSpoerry, and I'm here on Google+.
I'm currently work for IBM developing web enabled insurance applications for IBM and support and develop a non-profit called The LittleBigFund.
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Is it BS that a raise in the minimum wage will create inflation?
No. http://truth-out.org/news/item/14050
Nice article, thanks. I think what it says makes sense. Some if the arguments it alluded to were shakey but because they didn't pursue them it largely irrelevant.
The other argument I hear a lot goes something like, "minimum wage isn't supposed to be a living wage. Its for workers entering the workforce…teenagers with after-school jobs."
Personally I've only worked for minimum wage once in my life, for 90 days. Then I decided to get a better job.
Is the goal of raising the minimum wage to create a living wage?
I think in the past that argument would hold weight. However, jobs have to be available. See here for unemployment in the US: https://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=z1ebjpgk2654c1_&met_y=unemployment_rate&hl=en&dl=en&idim=country:US&fdim_y=seasonality:S#!ctype=l&strail=false&bcs=d&nselm=h&met_y=unemployed&fdim_y=seasonality:S&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:US&ifdim=country&hl=en_US&dl=en&ind=false
Additionally, more often to get a good job you need prior experience (which you can't get without having a good job first) or an education (becoming more expensive… so the wealthier have more access to it). Given that we've automated or shipped off many of the manufacturing jobs, the ones that used to be the bulk of middle class, what's left?! The idea of paid internships is also dwindling. So in order to get experience you have to work for free, and unless you come from a family with enough money to support you that's not feasible.
My experience with paid internships is that they're increasing. At least in my industry and from Oregon colleges. I must admit that idnont know for sure because I'm just coming to this part of my career where I can start to effect these types of options for our company… So I really don't have a very broad perspective.
But the idea of getting a job and looking for a better job isn't dead or even dying in this country. Its always been easier to get a job when you have one and that still seems to be true. My concern with the idea of giving guaranteed raises in the form of COLA is extending the entitlement attitude of many Americans.
The only experience I have from these types of increases is personal and such a small subset if data it's irrelevant to this discussion. Suffice it to say, I know people that lost jobs because small business couldn't afford the increase. I wish there were an option to let stuggeling businesses out of the minimum wage but there's no way to facilitate such a "rule" and we already have enough beuracracy…we don't need more.
Thanks a bunch for talking to me about this stuff. Most often people are so passionate about it I feel beat down if I raise any questions by the aggressive responses.