AMERICA'S MINIMUM WAGE DEBATE

© 2013 Rick Adamson

By Rick Adamson 12.28.13

I do not object to increasing the minimum wage but I think is best handled at the State and local level.  The Feds should butt out. California in not like New York or Texas so how can FedGov set a wage that is fair all across the 50 States? They can not. Let the States do as they so choose and get FedGov out of the picture. In addition, there is some evidence that suggests raising the minimum wage actually eliminates jobs. I mean is there no job in America that is worth less than $10.10 per hour. If there is, some jobs will be eliminated if the minimum wage is increased to that level.

What about young people looking for summer jobs? What about the entry level jobs that allow people get work while they progress to higher paying positions?  After all, the minimum wage was not supposed to be a pay rate for an entire career.  It seems that the proponents are looking at it as if it was a minimum rate for a career, in which case, maybe there should two rates, one for young people/entry level and another for a job held for a couple of years.

I have a very simple theory- if a product or service cannot be made/rendered profitably given the prevailing wages (minimum wage, union wage or economic value) then that product or service simply will not be made/rendered in this country.  It will be outsourced or simply not be made/rendered at all.

It is as simple as that. 

I would be happier if people would take responsibility and acquire a skill or education so that they can command $50 per hour or more.  It is a personal responsibility/decision and we ought to be teaching this concept to our children. 

I believe that anyone in this country who desires to attain such a skill or education can do so and that there are plenty of government programs that will render aid to that individual.  I know it is harder for us older folks but our children and future generations must be taught that it is their responsibility and that the rest of us are not going to subsidize their poor decisions.  And that their poor decisions, i.e., not graduating from high school and acquiring a skill or higher education will result in long hours and low pay.

We live in a high tech global world.  It is not the same as it was for many of us when we were young or for our parents.  We do not have the same type of jobs that existed many years ago. Young people are going to have to get educated in order to have a job in the U.S. (one of the few exceptions is WalMart which is the largest employer in the country). See where the jobs are coming from?

Read more here  America’s minimum-wage debate has rolled round again.