Originally Posted by Guest

Well, $15 is not enough, can't afford my BMW on that wage!

Yea especially since I'll loose my food stamps, healthcare and free phone.

Originally Posted by Guest

Yea especially since I'll loose my food stamps, healthcare and free phone.

You will "loose" your food stamps? Are they "tight" now?

Maybe you should take advantage of the free education bennies and get your GED.

Originally Posted by Guest

In that case, The Villages definitely IS NOT the place for you to live. You could live a lot cheaper in another area. Any trailer park in the South would welcome you.

If it were not for the liberals, you would not even be receiving Disability and Social Security. You would be living in a refrigerator box under a bridge.

Or during your working years you would have had a lot more money in your take home pay each week and you could have then responsibly invested it and today you would have a very large sum for your retirement .
Instead the gvt took it and gave you a paltry return on all of those dollars they took from you for social security and other pay day deductions .

Originally Posted by Guest

I cannot understand why Republiicans are against raising the minimum wage in increments to $15 per hour. Not all in one jump, but increments over a couple or three years.

Businesses could gradually increase prices and the consumer would not mind and the business would not suffer loss.

The minimum wage should represent a wage that a minimally employed family of four could live on decenty.

Democrats do not want to set a minimum wage as what to strive for but rather as a safety net if nothing higher or more skilled can be found.

BS!

Originally Posted by Guest

Or during your working years you would have had a lot more money in your take home pay each week and you could have then responsibly invested it and today you would have a very large sum for your retirement .
Instead the gvt took it and gave you a paltry return on all of those dollars they took from you for social security and other pay day deductions .

Originally Posted by Guest

I cannot understand why Republiicans are against raising the minimum wage in increments to $15 per hour. Not all in one jump, but increments over a couple or three years.

Businesses could gradually increase prices and the consumer would not mind and the business would not suffer loss.

The minimum wage should represent a wage that a minimally employed family of four could live on decenty.

Democrats do not want to set a minimum wage as what to strive for but rather as a safety net if nothing higher or more skilled can be found.

Depending on what part of the country that family of four lives in, you would have to make at least $50K a year, and more if you live up North. So that means you would want the minimum wage to be substantially more than $15 per hour. Don't take this personal, but what an idiot.

Originally Posted by Guest

Dear Guest:

You state, "I cannot understand why".......................

for starters supply an demand Market value (see below)
loss of comparative advantage
loss of competitiveness
loss of productivity
numerical value/ market value of a job
loss of incentives

The federal government's intrusion into business with scheme such as this is simply ludicrous Every position has a set value and that value moves in conjunction with the market and with supply and demand.

Personal Best Regards:

Bull.


The right wants to talk about how it would destroy the economy, all the while they have no problem hiring illegals that present but a minimum of false documentation. As long as the paperwork looks good with a quick glance, they're happy they can pay low wages. Just take a look around here at the number of workers who can't speak English. Do you really think they are all here legally? Do you really think the developer doesn't know they are illegal? Really?

And then there's the consumers who rail against a living wage, but scream even louder at paying more for those items made by Americans. The above 'landscapers' are the perfect example. The same people who have no qualms subsidizing multi-billion dollar corporations with welfare/food stamps for those that ARE working, would absolutely scream if their amenity fee were adjusted to where it probably should be (+-$500 month) if American workers were employed and paid a living wage. No one with any common sense, can say that the cost of keeping this place so beautiful only costs $150 a month by those who live here.

If anyone REALLY wants to slow/stop illegal immigration, go after those that are hiring them.

It would only take a few high profile CEO's going to jail, to change things almost overnight.

While I am smart enough to know that the rumor that GE paid no taxes a few years ago is false, I'm also smart enough to know that the effective tax rate of the biggest corporations is less than what the average citizen pays.

It boggles the mind that so many of you on the right look away at companies who pay their workers (often illegal) low wages and then let hard-working Americans pick up the tab for welfare/food stamps so that they and their family's can survive.

It indicates something is very wrong with your basic decency and human values.

So please explain to me why your ilk continually uses the stereotype of the 'Welfare Queen' (typically a large black woman with numerous children) as a problem, but happily ignore subsidizing corporations making billions a year in profits?

I'll wait for your answer, because I'm really curious as to how you justify it.

So back to the minimum wage.

Do I think it should necessarily be $15 an hour? No, I don't.

Do I think it should be around $9-$11 an hour? Yeah, that's probably the right range.

Now ask me if I think that EVERY farm/energy/retail/etc. subsidy should be eliminated, so that these corporations can reduce the tax burden on hardworking American citizens?

You're damned right I do!!

That doesn't mean that we shouldn't look hard at helping those industries that may be having trouble, but have a good chance at recovering with a little federal help.

The automotive industry is the perfect example. While some people still refuse to believe the LOANS ('almost' wholly repaid since) given to them saved hundreds of thousands of jobs and have resulted in a resurgence in the American automotive industry, the facts are just sitting there for anyone who can tear their eyes away from Faux News long enough to go look them up.

And yes, I realize that my very nice investment returns might not be quite as high as they have been since Obama has been in the WH, as long as big corp's aren't skating on paying what they should...I can live with it.

I look at it as doing my patriotic duty.

Back to speaking of news outlets, there have been a number of studies that show those who only get their information from Faux News are the least informed of actual facts. Behind them are those that only listen to the left's equivalent...CNBC.

Whereas the most informed are those that listen to NPR. When I mentioned this to a neighbor, she actually asked... "what is NPR?"

And yes, her TV was always turned to Faux News (which is what precipitated my comment).

Wanting to actually get as much info (NOT op-ed pieces) as possible, is the reason that I not only listen to Faux News and CNBC, I also subscribe to Forbes, Time, Newsweek, Fortune Inc., Bloomberg, The New Yorker and a few others. That way I can get a good cross section of particular subjects and then make up my own mind.

Because I'm also smart enough to know that the 'truth,' most often lies in middle/grey area and is almost never black/white.

OK, this is the point where the rant stops and those who are too lazy to expend the effort to present a balanced, cogent rebuttal.....just call me a 'libtard.'


CNM
(On another note, at least I will give you credit Rubicon for identifying yourself and not hiding behind your keyboard)

But for cripes sake, quit lying already. You don't really mean "PERSONAL BEST REGARDS" to everyone.

Originally Posted by Guest

Pal, you are right about one thing - I am a liberal. Thank you.

However - not serving my country - WRONG! Vietnam vet and lost a leg at the knee. I do volunteer on a regular basis at the Wildwood Food Pantry. I go to church on a regular basis. I teach boxing to high school kids. How do you match up with your service and volunteering? Want to go a few rounds in the ring with a liberal?

I make you miserable because I have liberal ideas? I apologize for that.

Awesome!

And thank you for your service.

CNM