So I was thinking...

[PowerPenguin]

He's looking for a place to live in Socal, so just forget about it . BTW, I wasn't able to get to the meeting because of a traffic gridlock on I-5. I'm having trouble finding work down here as well- This isn't proving to be a very good week! Time for more application submissions...

[BillyC]

I wouldn't work for minimum wage.

I dont know anyone that would.

I know lots of people who work for minimum wage.
Back home in Kentucky where I am from minimum wage really meant " I would pay you a lot fucking less if I could. "  It is all they can get, and the only time they get raises is when minimum wage goes up.
I matters not if you excell at your job.
And now they get to compete with all of the illeagels who are there. 
Who will work for even less, 
If you dont know the right people minimum wage is all you get.
You cant get an education it cost money.
If you cant educate you are stuck, 2 and 3 jobs was not uncommon down there.
Alot of Jobs would only work you 25 to 36 hours a week.
Thats like  $140 a week. ...I couldnt live on it but some people have to.

[Fluff and Stuff]

I wouldn't work for minimum wage.

I dont know anyone that would.

I know lots of people who work for minimum wage.
Back home in Kentucky where I am from minimum wage really meant " I would pay you a lot fucking less if I could. "  It is all they can get, and the only time they get raises is when minimum wage goes up.
I matters not if you excell at your job.
And now they get to compete with all of the illeagels who are there. 
Who will work for even less, 
If you dont know the right people minimum wage is all you get.
You cant get an education it cost money.
If you cant educate you are stuck, 2 and 3 jobs was not uncommon down there.
Alot of Jobs would only work you 25 to 36 hours a week.
Thats like  $140 a week. ...I couldnt live on it but some people have to.

Yeah, that must have been a depressed area. I live in a depressed large city in TN and most of the non-citizens make more than min. wage (often twice as much).

[Fluff and Stuff]

Here are the state by state min. wages.  NH has the lowest min. wage in New England and yet it's average wage is more than all of the states that it borders....once again NH stands out from the rest of New England.
http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm

NH $5.15
CI $7.40
VT $7.25
RI $7.10
DC $7.00
MA $6.75
NY $6.75
ME $6.50
NJ $6.15
DE $6.15
MD $6.15

Also, FL $6.40

[Rocketman]

BUT WE LET THOSE EVIL BUSINESSES EXPLOIT OUR POOR, PITIFUL WORKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uh, I mean, thanks for posting this Keith.  The numbers speak for themselves.  (Sorry, had a couple beers tonight, and can't resist the knee-jerk, lefty response -- I think I've still got granola stuck in my teeth from yesterday.   )

[tracysaboe]

I'm not really sure it's that big a deal. Most fast food resteraunts and video rental stores. (The very low end on the pay scale.) already pay more then minimum wage.

If you got rid of the business taxes, regulations, etc. They'd be willing to pay even more.

I saw a blog on the mises site awhile back that said the employers cost by regulations and taxes (There half of the 15% medicare/SSN tax, business tax, OSHA, EPA, FCC, and complience with all those other regulatory bodies) costs businesses about $5 an hour in complience costs and taxes for low end workers, and over $8 an hour for jobs requiring a little bit of skill.

What that means is that very likely those workers that are currently making $6/hour at McDonalds could concievably be making $10 or 11. Instead of making $10/hour where I work, I could be concieveably making $15 or more.

I think in NH the National Minimum wage law is more or less irrelevent. Certainly, I would support efforts to have NH opt out of the National Minimum Wage law, because that would mean that many more unskilled workers can get jobs.

Here in SD our republican governer is trying to ram a state minimum wage bill through, to raise it a to $6.15. There's a lot of ice cream shops and pizza places that will need to close their doors if that goes through -- making all those people that work their, unemployeed.

Oh wait. No problem, we'll just make them dependend on us with unemployment and other welfare programs instead. 

The fascists!

Tracy

[Dreepa]

I am no fan of the min wages law... however Tracy your point is not 100% correct.

If the gov took all those OSHA fees, and rules and requirements.  I wouldn't raise my workers wages.. it would mean more profit for me.

[Ruger Mason]

I am no fan of the min wages law... however Tracy your point is not 100% correct.

If the gov took all those OSHA fees, and rules and requirements.  I wouldn't raise my workers wages.. it would mean more profit for me.

The benefits would more likely be indirect.  You profit, spend more on goods and services, which in turn increases demand for workers.  You end up having to raise your workers wages because they are in greater demand.

[fourthgeek]

More profit for you, unless your competitors raise wages and you lose all your workers!

min. wage isn't that important. inflation is so high that $5/hour is almost like making $0/hour :-P i doubt many people can't find jobs because they aren't worth $5/hour.

[d_goddard]

$5/hour is almost like making $0/hour :-P

You'd be singing a different tune if you were actually getting $40/day vs $0/day.
You can get food, and other basic amenities, for the former.

I'm not saying that would be easy, mind you...

[tracysaboe]

I am no fan of the min wages law... however Tracy your point is not 100% correct.

If the gov took all those OSHA fees, and rules and requirements.  I wouldn't raise my workers wages.. it would mean more profit for me.

You would try, and many other companies would try that too. They might even make more profit for awhile, untill some new businesses start demanding labor more and start raising their wages. Then you'd need to raise your wages to compete.

Obviously it wouldn't ALL be completely transfered. But a good chunk of it would be.

Tracy

[Atlas]

  I don't think he'd want to give it up to fight all over again.

The fight would be easier in NH.

[Fluff and Stuff]

I am no fan of the min wages law... however Tracy your point is not 100% correct.

If the gov took all those OSHA fees, and rules and requirements.  I wouldn't raise my workers wages.. it would mean more profit for me.

No, that is not in line with economics.  Wages would go up some, but not likely the full amount.  However, you would make more money which would mean you good buy more (and that would increase wages or create more jobs somewhere in the world, maybe even in NH) or your company would make more money and the stock would go up and up to millions of people would gain from the lower regulations.  That is a very narrow picture but is a lot more likely than what you suggested.

[ravelkinbow]

I am not a fan of telling business what to pay their workers, in NH it is really a non-issue.
But, in other states if it wasn't for minimum wage people would be worse off.
I lived down south and the only way my employer would pay me more than minimum wage was if it went up. Life there is very different than it is here and if you have never lived it you just can't understand the impact it has.  No benefits, $100/wk to live on, and if your lucky a jar of peanut butter to eat.

[BillyC]

I wouldn't work for minimum wage.

I dont know anyone that would.

I know lots of people who work for minimum wage.
Back home in Kentucky where I am from minimum wage really meant " I would pay you a lot fucking less if I could. "  It is all they can get, and the only time they get raises is when minimum wage goes up.
I matters not if you excell at your job.
And now they get to compete with all of the illeagels who are there. 
Who will work for even less, 
If you dont know the right people minimum wage is all you get.
You cant get an education it cost money.
If you cant educate you are stuck, 2 and 3 jobs was not uncommon down there.
Alot of Jobs would only work you 25 to 36 hours a week.
Thats like  $140 a week. ...I couldnt live on it but some people have to.

Yeah, that must have been a depressed area. I live in a depressed large city in TN and most of the non-citizens make more than min. wage (often twice as much).

The city  is where most of the folks in the South try go to if they can.
I went from my home town in South Eastern Kentucky to Cincinnati to find work.
I went from $3.25 to $6.00 an hour..........and the cost of living went up, so I really wasn't making any more money. 
By making it to the local cities you can double your salary........ but dam I hated the city and most of the people I meet there.