this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2023
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United States | News & Politics
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So unless someone has the free time and money/goes into debt for school, they shouldn't be able to afford life working full time? This still allows more skilled workers to acquire higher wages and also decreases the number of individuals needing governmental monetary assistance. Minimum wage was intended too simply prevent starvation and provide bare subsistence. If minimum wage had kept up with inflation, it'd be around $23/hour. Bare subsistence isn't a nice suburban house or a BMW whatsoever, its ensuring there's a roof over there head, meals don't have to be skipped and folks can afford to buy their meds when they're prescribed. There seems to be a big disconnect between what workers are asking for and your interpenetration of it.
I won’t disagree with all of this. It just doesn’t seem fair to the guy or gal that truly earned their $23 an hour versus someone that just walks in the door and gets it. And, I can’t buy that people don’t have the time or money to better themselves. It’s a choice what you do with your time. Classes can be taken at night or part time. Trade schools and community colleges are NOT expensive and many trade schools are hurting for people and will train you for free, basically.
Yeah, my Beemer and big house was an exaggeration but the idea remains intact. Entry level, menial labor jobs were never designed to sustain families. They are first jobs that many of us had. The idea that they should overpay just doesn’t work for me.
Minimum wage was devised to ensure a full time worker, regardless of the specific gig, could sustain the basic necessities. The pricipals of capitalism highlight that the prior $23/hour employee will be able to get the same pay for easier work. If their job isn't keeping up with the times, they will lose a skilled workers while they still make the same hourly. This being the case, the skilled worker would have to also receive a pay increase if they are of value to the business. This shouldn't just impact entry level gigs and literally is the most sound move to redevelop the middle class.