Hello Bob,   
      
    MM>> I know the minimum wage makes it harder for small business   
    MM>> owners to hire employees, but there should be some ways to   
      
   BK>Which is a short run problem, in the long run it helps employers   
   BK>by increasing the market.   
      
   How does increasing labor costs help employers?  How does increasing   
   labor costs help companies sell their products?  What market is there,   
   if the cost of products are too high for consumers?   
      
   The US auto industry found, the hard way, what happens when the   
   price of cars and trucks are beyond what consumers are willing to   
   pay.  As a result, imports won the day.  And our auto industry   
   almost became a part of our history.   
      
   Consumers look for the best deal.  The federally mandated minimum   
   wage is the same for everybody, in every state.  As a result, it is   
   a neutral.  No increase in cost relative to other states.  However,   
   that does not mean a state has to keep its own minimum wage the same   
   as the federally mandated minimum wage.   
      
   According to your definition, the states that win are those states   
   having wages above the federally mandated minimum wage.  The reality,   
   of course, if something entirely different.  All one has to do is to   
   look at the red states.  Right to work states.  Where taxes are low.   
   States such as Louisiana.  The unemployment rate in Louisiana is   
   3.4%.  What is it in Ohio?  Too embarrassed to tell?  I understand ...   
      
   Even so, a minimum wage is not the same thing as a living wage.   
   The federally mandated minimum wage does is a protection against   
   sweat shops, and makes it more difficult for illegal immigrants   
   to find employment.  If the federally mandated minimum wage is   
   set too low, as it is today, takes us back in time before FDR   
   became president.   
      
   President Obama's proposal to increase the federally mandated   
   minimum wage to $9 per hour is much too low.  A minimum standard   
   in today's economy would be $12 per hour if health care benefits   
   are included, $15 per hour if no benefits are included.  And   
   part time employment should be set at no less than $25 per hour.   
   Bobby Jindal will not let that calamity happen.  Not in Louisiana.   
   Better to do away with the state income tax, along with the   
   corporate tax, and plug the revenue hole by doubling the state   
   sales tax.  Or tripling it.  Whatever works.  And do away with   
   medicaid plus ...   
      
   BK>A recession is not a failure of production or work, but a failure   
   BK>of currency availability. With no money people cannot be customers,   
   BK>so business cannot sell. Increase the amount of money in the hands   
   BK>of customers and business sells better.   
      
   What is capital?  Capital is frozen labor.  You have to spend   
   money in order to make money.  Preferably other people's money.   
   That is how capitalism works, and should work.  However, not   
   everybody believes in that type of system, as there are always   
   some folks who want to get something for nothing - a free lunch.   
      
   I have said many times, in this very echo, that those who benefit   
   the most from the system should pay more.  But if you look at the   
   way government is run, and who runs the government, look who gets   
   the tax breaks.  Look who owns the wealth of this country, and   
   you will know who really runs this country.   
      
   Have you ever met a conservative who did not like a tax credit?   
   A tax credit that benefits himself/herself, that is.  Oh, he/she   
   might rant and rave against tax breaks and tax credits all the   
   time.  But when a tax credit comes his/her way, and is of great   
   benefit to him/her, high praises will be sung ...   
      
   The wealthy will always protect their own interest.  The Framers   
   of the Constitution were wealthy white men who were of the ruling   
   class.  They were not about to turn over their wealth and power   
   to those who did not have it.  This is evident by reading the US   
   Constitution.  The idea of a black man owning property, much   
   less voting or becoming president, was not only ludicrous, but   
   total anathema to them.  After all, black folks were not even   
   considered as being real people.  Women were almost in the same   
   boat as black folks.  And Native Americans were the lowest of the   
   low, those living on reservations not having gained the right to   
   vote until Bill Clinton took office as President.   
      
   Anyway, it's about economics.  White Anglo Saxon Protestants have   
   the most wealth (and power).  Women and black folks have only recently   
   begun to accumulate wealth (and some power).  And Native Americans   
   remain the lowest on the totem pole.   
      
    MM>> help encourage employers to help be environmentally   
    MM>> conscious at the same time. Due to the high cost of gas, it   
    MM>> costs more money to commute to work especially when it is a   
    MM>> part time job where one gets limited pay from their wages.   
      
   BK>Which is one of the biggets problems. OK, two of the biggest   
   BK>problems, high transportation costs and low wages.   
      
   Europe has solved that problem by having high transportation   
   costs coupled with high wages.  Whenever a country goes bankrupt   
   the other countries bail it out.  Just look at Greece.  And Spain.   
   And other European countries having spending problems.  We need to   
   do the same.  Cut spending without ever raising taxes.  That'll   
   solve all of our problems.  Eventually we will declare bankruptcy   
   and Mexico will bail us out.  See how that works?  You can thank   
   me later, as I accept the Nobel Prize for Economics.   
      
    MM>> Instead of working four three hour shifts, an employee   
    MM>> should just work three four hour shifts as an example.   
    MM>> Perhaps, we could charge time and a half when employees do   
    MM>> this in particular when they live over five miles from   
    MM>> their work place or transfer to a local branch of the   
    MM>> company.   
      
   BK>Which is a great idea, but it requires managers to think in   
   BK>terms of employees, instead of bonuses. Few managers seem to   
   BK>think in those terms. Note I say managers instead of employers,   
   BK>as way too many people work for managers with the employers so   
   BK>far removed as to have no idea what's going on.   
      
   We could always go the Star Trek route.  Nobody in the Star   
   Trek universe uses money, as money had become obsolete.  Do   
   you know how they did it?  They did it by doing away with   
   the working class, thus allowing the leisurely class to have   
   everything there is.  The beautiful part of this Star Trek   
   universe is that nobody has to pay taxes.  Ever.  :)   
      
   Note: The Federation came up with the idea first, making Earth   
   a tax-free world.  Mr Spock did not dispute this, although he   
   did raise an eyebrow.  The Klingons also did away with taxes,   
   but only after they got rid of their trouble with tribbles.   
   The Romulans remain a mystery, but rumor has it they are slowly   
   changing their ways ...   
      
   --Lee   
      
   --- MesNews/1.06.00.00-gb   
    * Origin: news://felten.yi.org (2:203/2)