Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This comment just rubbed me the wrong way... [View all]jeff47
(26,549 posts)77. Then you're wrong.
Minimum wage has never been a driver for anyone's wages being higher, or going higher. It is a myth.
Then reality is showing a terrible bias towards that myth.
Minimum wage provides a floor, it does not provide a middle class. That comes from organized labor.
But that floor still exists, and still exerts effects on other low-paid workers. If you run a fast food joint, you are not going to pay your supervisors, skilled workers and new hires the same wage. Because your supervisors and skilled workers will find a different fast food joint to work at. So you pay a premium to those workers, and you still have to pay a premium if minimum wage goes up.
We are not going to rebuild the middle class back to its 1960s glory by raising the minimum wage. Minimum wage increases do not have much effect that far up the income ladder.
What we can do is make it not quite so shitty to be paid minimum wage.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
117 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
I hear the best ones are the ones they make at the teabagger concentration camps.
Warren DeMontague
Feb 2014
#87
The response is, "Why not build yourself up, instead of bringing others down? Maybe you're not
Brickbat
Feb 2014
#2
I remember back before george w bu$h readjusted the economy, government workers made less, often way
RC
Feb 2014
#59
And bullshit back to you. People are killed and injured working in the food service industry also.
TexasTowelie
Feb 2014
#81
You know what, I've seen people sit on their butts all day doing nothing in both blue collar
TexasTowelie
Feb 2014
#103
PW, I'm often on your side; but I drove a fork lift in Chapel Hill, NC, to supplement ...
11 Bravo
Feb 2014
#43
sadly, i know some family members who just that stupid. they see anything that helps people less off
dionysus
Feb 2014
#29
If her job truly is worth more than minimum wage, then her income would be going up too.
jeff47
Feb 2014
#34
Me neither.... I'm a generous tipper partly because I know they get paid crap...
Adrahil
Feb 2014
#36
How would the critics here feel if we raised wait staff to 15 while lowering teachers to match...
Demo_Chris
Feb 2014
#31
Concur.... though I have had waiters that were definitely what I'd call "skilled."
Adrahil
Feb 2014
#37
Correct. But those criticizing this woman seem to feel HER training and skill are irrelevant...
Demo_Chris
Feb 2014
#38
No, we're criticizing her because she doesn't realize that training premium would still exist.
jeff47
Feb 2014
#40
If that waiter doesn't handle her food properly, she could be crapping and puking and
MADem
Feb 2014
#45
If the person is not happy, then why doesn't the person become a waiter. Salaries are determined by
lostincalifornia
Feb 2014
#73