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Is income inequality unfair?
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 7:53 pm
Lately the news is full of stories of the plight of minimum wage workers who are striking to get better wages. At the same time, the CEOs are considered the robber barons of today. I agree that wages need to rise although it may not cure poverty or income inequality or even come close. Costco pays better than Walmart but has fewer stores, fewer items for sale, located in better neighborhoods, and has a smaller staff per store. Walmart pays the same low wages as other low wage businesses but the Waltons are one of the wealthiest families in the US. Most fast food restaurants and dollar stores are franchises whose owners don't get rich unless they own several franchises. Corporations are good at hiding wealth and at getting the government to bail them out.
What is the future of society if something doesn't change?
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:00 pm
Karl marx's idea was basically (simplified version, of course) that laborers deserve to share the profits, and not just be compensated for their time.

That wondrous idea gave us socialism, communism et al.

What do you propose, oh wise bubby from the south?

LOL

ETA: Oh, I'm first to admit the current income gap is ridiculous. But do I have ideas how to solve it? Not really.
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:20 pm
youngishbear wrote:
Karl marx's idea was basically (simplified version, of course) that laborers deserve to share the profits, and not just be compensated for their time.

That wondrous idea gave us socialism, communism et al.

What do you propose, oh wise bubby from the south?

LOL

ETA: Oh, I'm first to admit the current income gap is ridiculous. But do I have ideas how to solve it? Not really.


If the world would actually follow Thomas Pikkety's advice, there would be no tax advantage in outsourcing manufacturing to China. We need jobs here in the US. There are few laborers here; just a bunch of check out clerks and fast food workers.
BTW thanks, for posting. The other topic that everyone is busy with is getting old, even though it only started yesterday.
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acccdac




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:26 pm
all I know was my tuition went up so I needed to make more money so I asked my bosses for a raise, when they said no, I went out, improved my resume (more certificates) and got myself a better job that paid more.

no one is forcing anyone to work at a fast food place.

education is not free but the government offers loans, there is such a thing as night school or taking a weekend job to make more money to pay for education.

I did not have a smartphone until 2 years ago, use the money for a local state college and take cheap courses instead of spending $80 a month on a cell phone bill. Do not spend money on Black Friday, etc.

in our culture, or at least the way I was raised, I had to get my degree as fast as I could because I knew I would get married young and have to support a family. I didnt have time to play around I needed to be responsible immediately. Fast food jobs are for people who are young single and dont have a lot of responsibility. It should be used to help you get through college. If you didnt listen to your public school teachers and take your education seriously, you didnt get scholarships or get into a good college then you WILL have a hard time moving up in the pay-scale department.

Dont wake up at 30 and realize you have no where to go and then tell society that you should be paid more!


(edited to add.......the suggestions I'm saying is not for people on this site trying to pay jewish tuition and kosher, I'm making the suggestions to the fast food workers who are single or have a small family.)


Last edited by acccdac on Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:30 pm; edited 1 time in total
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:27 pm
Please tell me more about his proposal?...

Are there really incentives for outsourcing (beyond profit motives, of course)?
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:29 pm
Although whats the difference between a dead-end cashier or teller job and one punching buttons in a factory?

How would bringing manufacturing back here solve the income gap? Granted, it would bring jobs, but not very well paying ones, I would think.
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:31 pm
youngishbear wrote:
Please tell me more about his proposal?...

Are there really incentives for outsourcing (beyond profit motives, of course)?


His tome was over 750 pages and was a best seller last spring. Some people criticized it as full of inaccuracies. To the liberals it is the bible and to the conservatives it is a comic book.
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:32 pm
So I take it you're a liberal?

What was the book called?

(I know google could tell me, but let's pretend we are real people having an actual conversation...)
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:33 pm
youngishbear wrote:
Although whats the difference between a dead-end cashier or teller job and one punching buttons in a factory?

How would bringing manufacturing back here solve the income gap? Granted, it would bring jobs, but not very well paying ones, I would think.


Manufacturing used to pay reasonably back in the day before illegal immigrants got most of the jobs. Look at what happened to Rubashkin's agriprocessors. Meat packers who were unionized made around $25 per hour but few could afford them so Rubashkin and Swift had illegals for $8 something an hour. Unions couldn't get into those places anymore.
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:35 pm
youngishbear wrote:
So I take it you're a liberal?

What was the book called?

(I know google could tell me, but let's pretend we are real people having an actual conversation...)



I am not a liberal at all.

http://www.amazon.com/Capital-.....34656
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:37 pm
Edited for cross posting. K you're not a liberal but you support this idea...

So how do you think income will improve with more factories if we will always have immigrants (even legal ones) without the union mentality willing to work for less? How will it even solve the unemployment problem if the jobs will go to illegals?

I haven't made up my mind here, just asking for more info.
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:41 pm
Maube I should read the book first lol.

Then I'll actually know what exactly he's advising.
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:54 pm
youngishbear wrote:
Edited for cross posting. K you're not a liberal but you support this idea...

So how do you think income will improve with more factories if we will always have immigrants (even legal ones) without the union mentality willing to work for less? How will it even solve the unemployment problem if the jobs will go to illegals?

I haven't made up my mind here, just asking for more info.


The more labor is needed, the more that they are paid.
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:57 pm
southernbubby wrote:
Manufacturing used to pay reasonably back in the day before illegal immigrants got most of the jobs. Look at what happened to Rubashkin's agriprocessors. Meat packers who were unionized made around $25 per hour but few could afford them so Rubashkin and Swift had illegals for $8 something an hour. Unions couldn't get into those places anymore.


That was a poblem. Why would it cease to be a problem if there are more factories?
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 8:59 pm
youngishbear wrote:
That was a poblem. Why would it cease to be a problem if there are more factories?


There would be less of a worker surplus.
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 9:01 pm
Gotcha.

Oy.

We could've pm'd this.
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worknights1313




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 9:01 pm
This country offered so much opportunity for advancement. Jobs at walmart, etc were not meant to support a family. Government regulation, taxes, the eco-friendly people, have all led to jobs disappearing or being outsourced. This country has done a good job of stifling growth. Raising the minimum wage will cause people to lose their jobs. Small businesses will suffer. We are allowing illegals to flood this country. That is going to exacerbate the situation. Income equality is really stealing from the haves to redistribute to the have nots. And it really hurts the middle class the most. Because that's what the last few years have all been about. Better we lower taxes, get businesses booming again, bring back manufacturing jobs, and have more opportunities for upward mobility.
CEOs making millions doesn't bother me. They earned it and we benefit when they buy goods and services and hire people. Sorry for the essay.
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youngishbear




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 9:05 pm
worknights1313 wrote:
This country offered so much opportunity for advancement. Jobs at walmart, etc were not meant to support a family. Government regulation, taxes, the eco-friendly people, have all led to jobs disappearing or being outsourced. This country has done a good job of stifling growth. Raising the minimum wage will cause people to lose their jobs. Small businesses will suffer. We are allowing illegals to flood this country. That is going to exacerbate the situation. Income equality is really stealing from the haves to redistribute to the have nots. And it really hurts the middle class the most. Because that's what the last few years have all been about. Better we lower taxes, get businesses booming again, bring back manufacturing jobs, and have more opportunities for upward mobility.
CEOs making millions doesn't bother me. They earned it and we benefit when they buy goods and services and hire people. Sorry for the essay.


Doesn't most of their money sit unused?

I'm sure it's "invested", but a rich man's paycheck is rarely put completely back in circulation. Whereas when giving the little guys more cash it is basically guranteed that it will be used??
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 10:01 pm
worknights1313 wrote:
This country offered so much opportunity for advancement. Jobs at walmart, etc were not meant to support a family. Government regulation, taxes, the eco-friendly people, have all led to jobs disappearing or being outsourced. This country has done a good job of stifling growth. Raising the minimum wage will cause people to lose their jobs. Small businesses will suffer. We are allowing illegals to flood this country. That is going to exacerbate the situation. Income equality is really stealing from the haves to redistribute to the have nots. And it really hurts the middle class the most. Because that's what the last few years have all been about. Better we lower taxes, get businesses booming again, bring back manufacturing jobs, and have more opportunities for upward mobility.
CEOs making millions doesn't bother me. They earned it and we benefit when they buy goods and services and hire people. Sorry for the essay.


I agree with you.
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 08 2014, 10:02 pm
youngishbear wrote:
Gotcha.

Oy.

We could've pm'd this.


It is fine this way.
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