Senate Kills Minimum Wage Bill

[Hotwire]

I hate Iowa, the minimum wage here is $5.25-40 , I think. And that's basically what all businesses around here opt to pay anyone who hasn't been there for a decade. It's ridiculous.

Iowa's state minimum wage is $5.15/hour, but will automatically increase if the federal wage goes up.

 

[celldog]

I am saying 2 partners can go into the act using measures to PREVENT pregnancy and sometimes it just fails. That is the ridiculous thing to basically call people stupid for a broken condom or what have you.

NO. THEY ARE STUPID FOR TAKING THE RISK IN THE FIRST PLACE! DON'T HAVE SEX!!!!!!!!! WAIT UNTIL YOU MARRY AND CAN AFFORD THE KID.

And then there is the whole situation of rape but hey this conversation could go off on all kinds of tangents but you feel one way and so do I so let us try to stop. And where did this others picking up the slack come from?? Nobody is talking about that. I am talking about people getting paid a fair wage in the same area as the cost of living. People are still working I don't get how that is picking up someones slack. I have the ultimate solution. Take the money away from Uwe Boll's next movie budget and divide it amongst the people.

Increasing the minimum wage because you got someone pregnant "is" picking up the slack. The small business owner is not responsible for that.

 

[celldog]

"Minimum" means "small". It's a small wage!! That's the point!

 

[celldog]

Even if they raise it, it still won't be enuff to raise a family on.

 

[Guyverjay]

Its funny how the fats cats seem to award themselves gigantic pay rises and huge ass bonuses yet can't increase the minimum wage

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Even if they raise it, it still won't be enuff to raise a family on.

That is not what I am saying. I am saying it makes it EASIER to especially with the cost of living rising. And your response is don't have sex just for fun? You sound like a fun person.

 

[Hotwire]

Even if they raise it, it still won't be enuff to raise a family on.

Well, let's do some math... For the sake of making things easey for figuring, we'll assume a fourty hour work week.
Current federal minimum wage.
$5.15/hour=$206/week=$10,712/year
Raise it $1.00 and you get...
$6.15/hour=$246/week=$12,792/year
And even in Connecticut where the minimum wage is the highest effective 1/1/07...
$7.65/hour=$306/week=$15,912/year

So, celldog has a point. Still not enough to support your family, but it would help.

 

[lazur]

Just to set the record straight. Hawaii has a minimum wage of $6.75 and just voted to raise it to $7.25. Now, using lazur's logic, they should be just overwhelmed with unemployment, but they have the lowest rate in the county at 2.5%. Weird, huh lazur? Another nifty piece of information, Michigan and Mississippi have the highest unemployment rates at 7.1% and 7.2% resepectively, yet Michigan's minimum wage is $5.15 and Mississippi has no state minimum wage law. Now how do those facts support your logic, lazur??

Yeah, but Hawaii also has a higher cost of living. I would assume that most people who live there are fairly well off (or at least upper middle class). I doubt you'll see people migrating there who make minimum wage. And I'd also assume that the minimum wage is higher there to compensate for the higher cost of living.

 

[lazur]

Well according to him if your younger than he is then you don't know what the **** your talking about and anything you say or point out isn't valid.

See, now you're trying to take what someone else said and run with it by playing the victim.

You came into this conversation using YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES as your reason for having an opinion. I countered that by saying that, sorry, a 20 year old's work experiences are very limited. That's a plain and simple fact. When you're 30 and still making minimum wage because of the oppressive "republicans", then you'll have room to complain. But at age 20? Puuulease .

 

[lazur]

Let me ask you this, lazur, how can congress justify raising their own salaries numerous times without thinking folks who are trying get themselves started in the world don't deserve to make more than $5.15/hour?

I never said they should raise their own salaries. I think they're all a bunch of overpaid fat asses, if you want my opinion.

And I'm not saying the minimum wage shouldn't be increased for Christ's sake. Are you even reading what I'm writing here?? I'm saying you can't raise it a LOT and expect the unemployment rate not to skyrocket. I'm arguing AGAINST people who believe it should be enough to raise a family on and you're attacking me because of that? Use common sense, take a course on economics and THEN come back and tell me I'm wrong.

 

[Hotwire]

Yeah, but Hawaii also has a higher cost of living. I would assume that most people who live there are fairly well off (or at least upper middle class). I doubt you'll see people migrating there who make minimum wage. And I'd also assume that the minimum wage is higher there to compensate for the higher cost of living.

No, not everyone in Hawaii is well-off. Not even close. Ever watch Dog, The Bounty Hunter?? He operates in Honolulu. The people he's chasing are the people who work for minimum wage.

 

[Hotwire]

I never said they should raise their own salaries. I think they're all a bunch of overpaid fat asses, if you want my opinion.

And I'm not saying the minimum wage shouldn't be increased for Christ's sake. Are you even reading what I'm writing here?? I'm saying you can't raise it a LOT and expect the unemployment rate not to skyrocket. I'm arguing AGAINST people who believe it should be enough to raise a family on and you're attacking me because of that? Use common sense, take a course on economics and THEN come back and tell me I'm wrong.

Find me the data that shows the last time the federal minimum wage was raised and the spike it caused in the unemployment rate. And if raising the minimum wage causes unemployment, why do any companies pay more than $5.15?

 

[lazur]

No, not everyone in Hawaii is well-off. Not even close. Ever watch Dog, The Bounty Hunter?? He operates in Honolulu. The people he's chasing are the people who work for minimum wage.

Dude, I didn't say *everyone*. I said *most*. The cost of living in Hawaii is astronomical compared to most of the rest of the country. That alone justifies a higher minimum wage.

The other thing is that if you raise the minimum wage incrementally, a little at a time, it has less sting to corporations because it can be justified by inflation, but if you do it the way some of the idealistic (yet misinformed) people in this thread would like, it would cost MILLIONS of jobs. You can't tell a company to suddenly pay everyone at least enough to "raise a family on" and not expect serious goddamned ramifications. THAT is what I'm arguing against. Yes, the minimum wage should be raised, but not to a level that would allow some lazy ass to raise a family because he/she/it won't do what's required to actually accomplish something in life.

 

[lazur]

Find me the data that shows the last time the federal minimum wage was raised and the spike it caused in the unemployment rate. And if raising the minimum wage causes unemployment, why do any companies pay more than $5.15?

It's been incremental prior to this. The last raise was I believe 10 years ago. Raising the minimum wage a buck every year or two probably won't alarm most companies. But raising it every year so that people can "afford a family" most certainly will. Common sense. If you need a link to common sense, get off the boards because you won't find it here.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

See, now you're trying to take what someone else said and run with it by playing the victim.

You came into this conversation using YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES as your reason for having an opinion. I countered that by saying that, sorry, a 20 year old's work experiences are very limited. That's a plain and simple fact. When you're 30 and still making minimum wage because of the oppressive "republicans", then you'll have room to complain. But at age 20? Puuulease .

Not really because your saying that is ALL that I was using. But I guess I have to say it YET AGAIN to get it through your thick skull. I am basing my opinion off my own personal life experiences, TELEVISION, INTERNET, AND RADIO. I get information just like you I am a human being remember??? And ONCE AGAIN...THIS ISN'T ABOUT REPUBLICANS VS. DEMOCRATS THIS IS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION WHICH HAPPENS TO BE REPUBLICAN SUCKING IMO. Clear?? Or are you going to continue to just pick and choose while ignoring things I have already said to help your argument. Your obviously wasting your time talking to me since I am such an ignorant kid so shouldn't you be ignoring me?

 

[Hotwire]

It's been incremental prior to this. The last raise was I believe 10 years ago. Raising the minimum wage a buck every year or two probably won't alarm most companies. But raising it every year so that people can "afford a family" most certainly will. Common sense. If you need a link to common sense, get off the boards because you won't find it here.

So, you don't have the data to back up your claim that raising minimum wage causes a spike in unemployment.

I'm saying you can't raise it a LOT and expect the unemployment rate not to skyrocket.

And you are an unbelievable bully. You think that a young woman who's made mistakes in her life and now has to raise a child by herself is "a lazy ass who won't do what's required to actually acomplish something in life". You have obviously NEVER had to want for anything in you life. Believe it or not, there are people in this country who are doing everything they can to get ahead, but keep hitting roadblocks. They have made mistakes in their lives, are taking the only jobs they can get, and the employers are getting away with only paying them $5.15/hour because the governmet won't require them to pay a decent wage. Not a wage "to raise a family on", but a wage to simply SURVIVE on. Try living by yourself, in your own apartment, anywhere in this country,on $206/week before taxes. Want to raise it slowly, fine, just raise the damn minimum wage!

I love how you ignored this...

Well, let's do some math... For the sake of making things easey for figuring, we'll assume a fourty hour work week.
Current federal minimum wage.
$5.15/hour=$206/week=$10,712/year
Raise it $1.00 and you get...
$6.15/hour=$246/week=$12,792/year
And even in Connecticut where the minimum wage is the highest effective 1/1/07...
$7.65/hour=$306/week=$15,912/year

So, celldog has a point. Still not enough to support your family, but it would help.

 

[celldog]

Well, let's do some math... For the sake of making things easey for figuring, we'll assume a fourty hour work week.
Current federal minimum wage.
$5.15/hour=$206/week=$10,712/year
Raise it $1.00 and you get...
$6.15/hour=$246/week=$12,792/year
And even in Connecticut where the minimum wage is the highest effective 1/1/07...
$7.65/hour=$306/week=$15,912/year

So, celldog has a point. Still not enough to support your family, but it would help.

Are your weakly totals after taxes and FICA???? If not, you still have a problem.

 

[celldog]

And understand this too. Most families are up to their necks in debt they should not have. I've been in some poor families houses heloping them with food and find out they have stacks of DVDs, cell phones, a huge big screen TV in a two bedroom apartment.

People who live above their means will have have enuff money. Not until they eliminate debt and change their mind-set. Deferred gratifaction and sacrifice is foreign to many americans.

That's just some ol' school advice.

 

[celldog]

Find me the data that shows the last time the federal minimum wage was raised and the spike it caused in the unemployment rate. And if raising the minimum wage causes unemployment, why do any companies pay more than $5.15?

how old are you? Are you still at home? Just curious......

 

[Hotwire]

Are your weakly totals after taxes and FICA???? If not, you still have a problem.

No, those totals are all before the government gets it's share. So, I guess I'm being generous with my numbers. But they are still depressing. What problem do I still have?

And to answer your other question, I'm 30, married and have an 8/yo daughter. The job I work pays me about $50,000/year, but it's a sales job. I have to deal with a LOT of customers who fit the example I've been giving. I see lots of young parents who made mistakes, maybe didn't get the best education, aren't members of the Lucky Sperm Club, but are trying very hard to get ahead. But, the wages they work for are so low, they have 2 and three jobs just to make the ends meet.

 

[Hotwire]

Deferred gratifaction and sacrifice is foreign to many americans.

Very true. Quite sad though.

 

[lazur]

So, you don't have the data to back up your claim that raising minimum wage causes a spike in unemployment.

My data is common sense. The last boost to the minimum wage was insignificant. But let me ask you a question. Do you think the minimum wage should be raised to a level that would allow someone to support a family? If so, how much of a minimum wage are you talking about? Once I know that, then we can continue, because, as I said, I'm not against raising the minimum wage. I'm against raising it to some ridiculous level that its ripple effect would cause employers to have to raise EVERYONE'S pay to compensate.

And you are an unbelievable bully. You think that a young woman who's made mistakes in her life and now has to raise a child by herself is "a lazy ass who won't do what's required to actually acomplish something in life". You have obviously NEVER had to want for anything in you life.

And you are an overly presumptuous (not to mention pompous and arrogant) jerk. I *am* a single parent. I became a single parent at 24. But you would presume to know the first goddamned thing about me? Talk about moronic! You just opened a can of worms you can't close.

I joined the military at 18, got married two years later and divorced two years after that when my then wife up and left me *and* my daughter. From that point on, it became a struggle you can't even imagine. I moved to my ex's home state so that my daughter could have access to her undeserving mother. I had no support system in place, I hadn't finished my degree and I was working for chump change. I had two (and sometimes three) jobs to make ends meet while also battling my ex in court over custody and our divorce.

In 1996, I went through bankruptcy because I had a choice between either paying my bills or paying my lawyer. I opted to pay my lawyer so that I could keep custody of my daughter. The *only* bone I was thrown during the whole process? My ex's family wound up testifying against her.

I have *never ever* received ANY financial support from my ex or from anyone else. The court found that, since she's a woman and I made more money than her working two jobs (three jobs at one point), she didn't need to pay me a dime.

I stayed in that state for about five years before determining that my ex wasn't responsible enough to handle the visitation I'd given her (every other week, even though I had sole physical custody). After she wound up separated from her then third husband (I was her first), because she was cheating with some guy, I took my daughter and moved away to Virginia, where I now am, making a fairly decent wage as a SELF TAUGHT software developer for a major video game company.

If I can overcome those obstacles, anyone can.

But you know everything and have all of the experience of the masses behind you, apparently. You know everything about me, right? All I can say to you right now is F you man. You don't know jack.

I've had enough of your ignorance. You should learn to shut your yap when you have NO CLUE what you're talking about, but somehow I know that just won't happen.

 

[Hotwire]

*clip*

So, you do understand what it's like to ry and live off of minimum wage. So you can understand why it should be raised to a respectable amount that would have put and your daughter above the poverty line. As for my opinions of you, you've proved a couple of my assumptions wrong, and I'll admit that. But truth be told, when you made your statement about people who work at minmum wage as "lazy asses" it gives the impression that you are someone who doesn't understand what life in the lower classes is like. I'll give you your due when it comes to taking care of your daughter. Lord knows, I meet enough children who don't have good fathers. While you deserve a great deal of credit for the things you've accomplished in your life, you need to realize that not everyone can do what you did. That is why minimum wage needs to be raised, at least $1.50/hour to try and help the people who are attempting to surrvive on it. That should be enough to make an impact, but not so much as to give employers the impression they need to fire a bunch of people to cover it.
Also, I found the data, in 1997 the federal minimum wage was raised to it current rate of $5.15/hour from$4.75. As of 12/1/96 the unemployment rate was 5.4%. The minimum wage increase took effect 1/1/97 and the unemployment rate was 5.3% (I know that's not much difference, wait for it...) By the end of 1997 the unemployment rate was 4.7% and kept dropping until 1/1/2001. So tis actually shows that raising the minimum wage won't nessecarily cause a jump in unemployment.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

And understand this too. Most families are up to their necks in debt they should not have. I've been in some poor families houses heloping them with food and find out they have stacks of DVDs, cell phones, a huge big screen TV in a two bedroom apartment.

People who live above their means will have have enuff money. Not until they eliminate debt and change their mind-set. Deferred gratifaction and sacrifice is foreign to many americans.

That's just some ol' school advice.

So because you have been in a few houses where there are cases of poor spending it means that is the case for every minimum wage worker out there? You guys make too many blanket statements. I agree that if it is true you have been houses like you described that is just piss poor money management and kind of sickening to be honest. There are too many people out there in many different situations just to say one thing about a whole group of people. People shouldn't have to struggle and put there whole check into just getting by and there are people out there like that.

 

[Addendum]

That is not what I am saying. I am saying it makes it EASIER to especially with the cost of living rising. And your response is don't have sex just for fun? You sound like a fun person.

Since when is life supposed to be fun?

With every action there is a consequence. If someone doesn't consider that a possible consequence of ****ing is pregnancy despite using a prophylactic, which like everything on this blue-green rockball in the ass end of the universe isn't 100% reliable, then that's their problem.