What Is a Just Wage?

Status
Not open for further replies.
blackforest said:
Finally, keep in mind that higher wages will help business and the economy at large; people who have more money can spend more money.
Click to expand...
Higher wages are KILLING this place.

Have you seen how much housing has skyrocketed? Rent? Gas? The cost of eating out? The increase in self-service kiosks?

That’s from inflated wages. Or have you not noticed how prices increase when pay goes up?
 
Last edited:
Weighing in on the car debate, if we agree that the concept of a living wage is fluid based on living standards, better public transportation to eliminate the need for a car (plus insurance, registration, upkeep, gas, and the like). would REDUCE how much money people need to earn.

Cities are hellbent on expanding lightrails, which caters to the white collar population and those with cars who can deal with the park-and-rides. What cities REALLY need is less glamorous - expanded bus lines and more efficient routes so that the working poor aren’t spending 1.5-2 hours commuting.
 
Blackforest, who is going to pay for that? The taxpayer? The people who won’t be living conveniently by a train or bus station when it’s built in 15 years? (This debate is going on here in the Sea/Tac area as we speak, and it’s not pretty.)

That’s the problem now. They’ve been trying to put light rail and improved public transportation in many places for years, but no one will vote the bond or the tax increase.

Someone will foot that bill, so you’ll still see an out of pocket loss.
 
Last edited:
blackforest said:
As an aside, why does it seem that 3/4 of absolutely everything on CAF boils down to undocumented migrants and pretty much all things sexual? There are some CAFers who should really watch their wallets and car keys, lest a would-be thief distract them with, “LOOK! OVER THERE! Undocumented immigrants having sex!”
Click to expand...
Actually, what would really work is “LOOK! OVER THERE! Undocumented immigrants having gay sex!”
 
Are we talking Seattle? If so, that issue’s pretty complex and nuanced. The Weird Twist in Seattle's $15 Minimum Wage Experiment Seattle has a low supply and high demand for housing.

As for taxpayers funding transportation, that can always be put to the ballot. If you want to reduce how much the poor need in wages, taxpayer-funded public transportation to replace cars would is one option. If you want them to make anything under a living wage, taxpayer-funded public welfare will fill in the gaps.

ETA: I have to log off now, so responses will come later.
The poor need to pay for food, rent, childcare, clothing, gas, insurance, and bills. Money to do that has to come from somewhere. Higher wages? More taxpayer-funded welfare? Another source that I’m overlooking? I’m not being snarky - I’m open to ideas because I’d genuinely like to see this problem solved.
 
Last edited:
There’s not a low supply here as far as I can tell - remember, I’m married to a broker. There’s more to “Seattle/Tacoma” than Seattle the city - I’m in Tacoma. But the housing here is still ridiculously and artificially overpriced. So sayeth the resident broker.

The transportation gets put to the ballot and shot down in many, many places.

And the middle class need to pay for those things too. Forcing them to pay more for services gets you nowhere, as Seattle is finding out with these wage hikes.
 
blackforest said:
I have a hard time with the some-is-better than none argument because the notion, “At least they’re better off than the homeless” encourages complacency when there’s much room for improvement.

In your donut shop example, I’d say that if you’re determined to run the business despite being unable to pay a just/living wage to your employees, it should gnaw at your conscience to think that those who work hard for you are unable to make ends meet on what you pay them. This should be addressed through both prayer and advocacy. The latter would entail making your community more local business-friendly. There are some inane costs and regulations that burden small business owners and could instead be shifted toward better payment of their employees.

I realize that this thread is long, but I’ve actually addressed both the large corporations and small businesses, the latter of which I stated would improve if large corporations took on their share of taxes and health insurance were separated from employers.

Finally, keep in mind that higher wages will help business and the economy at large; people who have more money can spend more money.
Click to expand...
Man, you’re hitting a lot of topics here!
  1. Why would it gnaw at your conscience? Is there pre-existing plight a result of your actions somehow? Should a palliative care nurse be troubled in conscience because her she is making her patients more comfortable, but unable to solve all their health problems? - weird analogy I know. It’s just the first one that came to mind.
  2. I am with you on the red tape.
  3. What does “their share of taxes” mean in your mind (also, I suspect you meant to use the euphemism “fair share” - but correct me if I’m wrong on that)?
  4. I also agree that health insurance would work better if separated from employment. There would be less risk attached to switching jobs, which would arguably give employees more bargaining power with employers. This might be partially offset by the bargaining power that corporations might have with insurance companies, but I’m not an expert on this. Unfortunately, I think there are tax advantages too receiving part of your income in the form of health insurance. All that aside, are you picturing a separate market-based insurance system, or are you thinking of single-payer?
  5. Higher wages on their own do not benefit businesses, unless they are the by-product of better productivity. On their own, wages are an expense. Ie: they benefit the employee at the expense of the business. A business with higher wages, all else remaining the same, is simply less efficient and less profitable. It this spreads to the entire economy, then the entire economy becomes less productive, cancelling out the positive effects of the higher wages.
 
Socrates92 said:
40.png
Pup7:
Yes, it really is, whether you choose to buy that or not.
Click to expand...
Pun intended?
Click to expand...
I just snorted. 😆😆😆😆 Actually, no.

Good catch.
 
Last edited:
I don’t because its not true, you live in a fractional banking system, inflation is the by product. Wage increases are the response to that inflation.
 
She lives in the States, so yes. Let the argument begin. I’ll go grab my popcorn.
 
You live in a fractional banking system. inflation is the the end result. you have no counter argument.
 
As I said, do you Iive here? No? Then you have no idea.

This has nothing to do with inflation. Zip.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top