Let Them Eat Cheese

Before you Far Rightists take to the streets to beat and debase those minimum wage workers on strike for a living wage, read this. Essentially the 2 only "real" reasons given by the radical right for keeping minimum wage low (discountinmg the insane ramblings of Michele Bachmann) are 1: it will make some items cost more, and 2: it will slow job growth and hurt the economy.

Taking the first, first (makes sense, huh?): If the cost of a McDonald's burger increases by 5 or 10 cents because their workers actually can support a family of four if both work there, so be it. I have zero problem with that. As an aside, if McDonald's just raised the price by that amount, no one would even notice. Don't give me any crap - no one would notice. The thing to remember is that this is disposable income for most - I mean the cost of dining out, and many of us eat out at far more expensive places where we willingly pay an additional 20% of the bill in tips, without considering the extra cost. Even adding 10% to the McDonald's bill would cover the increase without much impact on the owner The impact on the employee, however would be huge. even a "split the difference" raise of $ 3.50 hourly, to $11.50 would move a worker who was married with a child from below to above Federal Poverty level income. Add a second parent working just half time, and the family is still well above the guidelines, even for as family of four. So much for that canard.

Second: "It will slow job growth and hurt the economy!" (usually stated in a whiny tone by people who own more stuff than they can count). reality? well, don't take my word for it, since I was going to deal with dull economics concepts like money multiplier, and things like that. Check this out instead:  "The effort (to raise minimum wage to $15/hour has been boosted by a growing body of economic research suggesting that raising the minimum wage doesn’t significantly reduce job growth. That’s helped undercut conservatives’ central argument in opposition to a raise. An analysis by Goldman Sachs last June found that job growth was actually a little higher in states that raised their minimum wage at the start of 2014 than in those that didn’t. Get that? A LITTLE HIGHER!!

As an aside, higher paid workers might actually (would) be able to afford more contribution to their health care insurance, and far fewer would qualify for earned income tax credit, decreasing the burden on taxpayers. In a Congress where there is yet another effort underway to reduce or eliminate the inheritance tax ($10.6 million is exempt for a couple, so you go figure how many of us middle class persons will ever be affected by this anyway!) it's small wonder that there is Far Right opposition to the minimum wage increase. We seem to just keep slapping workers in the face as they see income gap statistics continue to escalate. The Far Rightist response almost seems to be (Parodying Marie Antoinette, and we remember what happened to her) "Let them eat government cheese!"