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Great Job, Democrats: Min Wage Hikes Eliminate Entry-Level Jobs
Posted On 10 Jan 2018
Thanks to a series of Democrat-fueled initiatives across the country, 18 states and 20 cities began hiking their minimum wage rates at the beginning of January. But while the left is celebrating the coming era of higher wages for entry-level workers, the early results are exactly as most sensible economists predicted they would be: Industries are slashing jobs and moving towards automation in an effort to maintain the profit margins they need to stay afloat in a competitive free market.
From Fox Business News:
Late Monday, casual dining chain Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (RRGB) announced that it would eliminate bus boys at 570 restaurant locations, a move that is expected to save the company an estimated $8 million over the course of the coming year. The company’s chief financial officer said the decision was made in order to “address the labor increases we’ve seen.”
“I read that as minimum wage,” Michael Saltsman, director of the Employment Policies Institute (EPI), told FOX Business. “Somebody like Red Robin, which has a lot of exposure in western states [where the minimum wage is rising faster] … this is sort of a burger and beer chain. If they can’t pass those increases off in higher prices … they have to find a way to do more with less.”
Introducing new technologies has been one way restaurants have sought to cut costs. Other chains like Chili’s and Applebee’s have replaced servers with tableside tablets for placing orders.
The liberals who embraced the Fight for $15 movement and its various offshoots have been lying to voters about the coming age of automation and the effect it will have on low-pay employment. Typically the first to rally around new technological innovations, Democrats have tried their best to pooh-pooh the Age of the Robot and what it will mean for entry-level jobs in the country. They’ve done so because they know beyond any doubt that these worker-replacing machines will be hurried to market once their minimum wage hikes are in place. And as Red Robin’s move demonstrates, this is already beginning to happen.
But even if restaurants and other industries don’t immediately move to automation, they will not simply start paying their workforces more money without making the adequate changes. They are going to get market-value work out of their employees, period, and that’s the end of the discussion. If they have to raise prices, they’ll do that. If they have to slash jobs and work their remaining employees to the bone, they’ll do that. In both instances, this will hurt the very people these wages are supposed to help.
Alas, more people on government assistance is a feature, not a bug, when it comes to Democrat policies.
It seems to me that politicians, primarily Democrats, but not limited to, think that $ grows on trees. It doesn’t, but since most of them think that your money is their money, they will continue to make terrible decisions with it. It is time to start relying on one self, and not politicians.
LOL..actually for them, it does.
I can’t help but think of my first jobs and how with these current “minimum wages” I would have had no jobs and no job references. My first jobs were cleaning out horse stalls and those jobs weren’t worth $5.00 per hour in today’s money. With no useful skills and no job record, I would have been left dead in the water.
Somehow, I don’t see flipping hamburgers, waiting tables, greeting customers as entry level jobs. They are part-time jobs for people preparing themselves for permanent vocations where real entry level jobs exist. Entry level jobs lead to mid-management and executive level positions.
LMAO…a greeter will never be a CEO.
LOL. You must be living in an alternate universe. Having been there myself, what you said is true for a tiny snippet of those employed in restaurants, but for the majority it’s their full time and primary source of income. And many are single mothers. You are way. way off base.
And many of those single mothers aren’t mentally capable of doing anything more complicated than flipping burgers. Not all, before you retort to my post, but many. Which means that we’ll be supporting them in some fashion for the rest of their lives.
most wopper floppers make more minium wage is minium wage it is what you pay people that aren’t worth what you pay them no matter what they are paid they are still the guy with a shovel at the bottom of the manure pit until the boss gets tired of them and buys a little power shovel and fires the whole bunch
how about we pay congress minimum wage and make them punch a clock ,all state and local government needs a pay cut to , then they can stop raising taxes on us every year, they raise our taxes to pay for their wage increases every year ,and they don’t do very much to earn it
“Congressional salaries have not been increased since 2009. Compared to private-sector salaries, the salaries of members of Congress is lower than many mid-level executives and managers.”…..MSNBC
While that is probably the only thing MSNBC has said that is true in recent weeks, these people get rich as hell from all the “under the table” BS that goes on in Washington.
I agree on your assessment of MSNBC and politicians. I double-checked their numbers on a conservative website.
“Trust, but verify” an old Reagan policy. Must be a conservative.
Absolutely.
Yes the people at MSNBC have to work all year to expect that salary, the congress people only work 120 days. Now if you were to take the salary, of the MSNBC employees for 120 days of work and compare it to the politicians, the politicians would be making more money. You liberal democrats always complaining, about the money that you don’t have, if someone was to check your secret bank accounts, or some of your close relatives accounts, we would find all kinds of money that isn’t even declared. I have been watching this happen, in this country for 40 years, you beg borrow and steal from the people, you are suppose to be supporting. You don’t do anything, but rob the public and laugh, all the way to the bank. Congress and Senate was created, as a part time job, not to support your every whim. You are trying to make it look like, your doing more than you do, your the scourge of this country. I am talking about the liberal Democrats and the RINO Republicans too. The next time you go to vote, read the bill before you pass it, don’t depend on the people writing it, to tell you what it has said. They are only going to highlight it, not tell you the dirty details.
We all would be better off if they cut the total number of Congress critters in half. We would do just as well or better with about 275 Congress critters.
How about 50!
Even better.
sounds good to me.
That is not true. I wrote my congressman 3 years ago about why they got a raise and social security did not. His reply was it is law. I wrote back, and ask who made that law. needless to say he did not reply.
Name the man & the State
Only partially right on that congressional salaries. While their base hasn’t gone up since 2009 ($174,000 nice base) they get a cost of increase every Jan 1. If they are say speaker of the house it goes up another $50K. They also can make extra money (up to 15% of their salary) by doing outside work. You know, the tough stuff like a speaking engagement. Not bad pay for 120 days work…
Comes out to $1,450 a day…or
$181.25 an hour.
Plus those great benefits us common folks don’t get.
Don’t get me started on their retirement.
http://work.chron.com/average-salary-newly-elected-congressman-7774.html
Well said, absolutely beautiful. I have a feeling that David is a govt employee of the offspring of a politician…
…also, my entire post was a quote from MSNBC…..not my words, or position. Pay attention next time.
The Average Salary of a Newly Elected Congressman
by Elizabeth Layne Members of Congress decide their own salaries.
Being elected to Congress may present an increase or a decrease in the newly elected official’s salary. There are also limits on how much congressional members can earn outside of their legislative work. Though their formal honorific is “Representative,” members of the U.S House of Representatives are frequently called congressmen or congresswomen, while U.S. Senate members are mainly called senators. Article I, Section 6, of the U.S. Constitution requires members of Congress to decide its pay.
Salary
As of 2012, the base salary for all members of the U.S. House and Senate is $174,000 per year, plus benefits. That base salary is lower than that of many lawyers, doctors and business people in the United States. Both houses of Congress have not raised member salaries since 2009. Congressional members who reach leadership positions over time receive higher salaries. The highest of these is the compensation for the speaker of the House at $223,500, while the president pro tempore of the Senate and the majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate receive $193,400 annually, the Congressional Research Services notes.
Pay Increases
Though they have not taken one since 2009, congressional members currently receive salary increases through an annual adjustment process in which members receive an automatic cost-of-living increase. The salary increase takes effect automatically on Jan. 1 of each year unless Congress votes to decline it. Individually, members can also opt out of raises.
Outside Income and Honoraria
On top of their base salaries, congressional members can earn a certain amount of outside income for gainful activities, such as performing work for businesses they own. But they cannot earn more than an amount equal to 15 percent of their annual rate of congressional base pay. In addition, certain types of outside earned income are strictly prohibited, specifically those that may give an appearance of having a relationship that could influence the way an elected official votes. For example, no income is allowed from fiduciary relationships, which are business associations where an individual is trusted to manage the money or assets of others. Congressional members also cannot teach without approval of the Senate Select or the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Additionally, they cannot accept honoraria payments for such services as giving a speech.
Benefits
Members of the U.S. House and Senate are eligible to receive health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits, if they so wish, as well as life insurance from the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program. They can also participate in the Federal Employees Dental and the Vision Insurance Program. Congressional members receive retirement benefits by participating in the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System. Retirement benefits vary depending on the plan, the member’s age and his length of service. In recent years, congressional members have given up some of the perks of being an elected official, such as free haircuts from the Capitol barber, due to criticism by the public that elected officials were enjoying too many benefits from public largess.
Cost of Living Deduction
The cost of living in the District of Columbia area is higher than in most congressional members’ home districts. To help defray some expense, members are allowed to deduct on their federal income tax up to $3,000 of living expenses annually, accrued while they are away from their congressional districts or home states. They are also each given allowances to meet costs for their staff, official office expenses and mail.
Financial Disclosure
Salary for new members of Congress begins on Jan. 3, right after they are sworn in. The Constitution sets this date, but Congress can legally vary it. To provide some transparency, all members of Congress fill out a Financial Disclosure Report each year to reveal information about their earnings and investments. But when they die there wife gets there pay and health care.
Hey McAllister, give them a raise
for 120 days work and for all their screwups? Sure, why not cut their days so they can’t screwup so much…most of them are there for the great retirement benefits…and they sure do not compare to private sector workers who can be fired for not performing. You must be a govt.
employee.
You must’ve misinterpreted my post. I wasn’t recommending they get a raise. I was correcting the post that said they get an increase if they raise taxes. Personally I think all of them should have their pay cut in half because they do a lousy job.
Better still….old fashioned Time Clock, LOL! Punch In, Punch Out!
How did so many become millionaires on their salaries? One answer is that they get to keep campaign donations that were not used in their campaigns.
totally legal if they pay the taxes unlike jesse jaskson and his wife who each got a few months in a country club for stealing 750,000in campaign funds
BUT if you look at the number of hours worked during a set pay period you’ll find that the private sector executives and managers are performing far beyond most members of Congress and thus worth their pay. Members of Congress would be FIRED almost immediately for the lack of productive work that they perform in the limited hours that they do “work” by most private firms.
Apparently you missed my 2nd post. I was not defending Congress. I was correcting another poster that stated Congress likes to raise our taxes because it increases their pay. I am not a fan of politicians whether federal or state, especially California.
I did miss it. I was just commenting on the MSNBC data. I fully agree with you on politicians.
Maybe the great brain wizards we keep sending to congress do not know that a year is not 120 of work. What if our military quite work after only a 120 days or the power grid shut down after 120 days . Think about all the things that could close after 120 days what a pickle we would be in
A pickle would be just a “slight” understatement for the situation. You are correct, the lizards we keep sending to Congress have no concept of a year or an honest work ethic (now THAT would give them a massive heart attack).
Then get out. The foundling fathers never intended congress to make money off of the taxpayer. but to do their service to the country then return to the work a day world & earn their own bread
Are you deaf, dumb and blind? My entire post was a quote from MSNBC. It was correcting another person’s post that implied Congress raises taxes because it increases congressman’s pay. Try harder to make yourself look no so stupid.
“Try harder to make yourself look no so stupid.”
The irony is truly hysterical.
You can’t even get an insult right. It’s “Try harder to make yourself look NOT so stupid”. If you can’t get that right, give it up.
Those were your words, f cktard. I merely copied them, put them in quotes and laughed at you.
ROTFLMAO!
That was really funny. You had to go and edit it above but too late, I quoted it to show how pathetic you were!
Don’t be mad, Snowflake.
Make it so!
Congress does NOT abide by the same laws etc they pass for the commoners, as they say! IF they did have to OBEY thee laws they pass, they wouldn’t pass most of these Laws! EXAMPLE: that Obomination care act! Social security “ACT” etc etc! They are exempt form the many laws they pass! That is the problem!
Congress exempted itself from Obamacare by declaring itself to be a “small business.”
“Bitch” McConnell pushed this through.
They must in future not be exempt from any law they pass. What is good for the goose is good for the gander
They need to be made to work all year instead of 120 days for what they are paid.
That’s OK, I’m sure those who are sufficiently qualified to earn the new minimum wage, those who can put the correct four items in a bag, will be glad to support their brethren who weren’t so highly skilled!!! Yeah, right………BWAHAHAHAHA!!
So true! McDonald’s got my order wrong 4X last year out of 12 visits to the drive thru. Can’t count and can’t tell one burger from another. That’s what I call skills baby.
All going accordingly to the plan. You don’t need a stinkin’ job! We’ll take care of you real good. Just vote Dem.
Absolutely correct.
It’s ludicrous to treat these entry-level jobs as “careers”. If you’re a busboy you shouldn’t expect $15+ an hour to give a visitor a fork. These were typically first jobs for kids in high school. That changed when Demwits insisted on flooding our country with illegal aliens.
YOU WOULD BE CORRECT?!?
A big damn duh. Economics 101. Apparently the Demos have never taken the course. These geniuses have just encouraged automation which will put ALL of these people out of work.
For shame, Dan you used the Sh__t word.
…out of work and right where the democrats want them-ON GOV”T ASSISTANCE!
…you know-Where MOST democrats get their wages……
people out of work should be the idiots in Congress
These Demos are the dumbest MFs that ever squat to Sh*t behind a pair of shoes. Every time I think they’ve done the stupidest thing possible, they surprise me. I guess they’re overachievers.
Hello all,
. . . . Before I became sick and before the crash of 2008 I had a small business. I hired a high school student with the intention of training him in house. Well everything was great until WI raised the minimum wage from $7.50 to $10.00. I could no longer afford to have an employee with minimum experience and little training. I had to let him go. That was at $10. Now imagine what $15 is doing to the kids that have little to no experience. It sure closes a lot of doors to these people.
America: Love It or Leave It!
GOD Bless and GOD Help us,
rich!
Maybe they should teach a course in “How to get on and succeed on Welfare” in high school. It could be called “Your Democratic Uncle Sam Loves You.”
So what are they going to do, not clean up the tables? I don’t think so. I assume they will have their waiters and waitresses bus the tables, which is done in a lot of restaurants anyway. Having said this, then I assume that an entry level waiter/waitress will have to learn how to bus a table. Hence they have not eliminated any entry level positions. They have created an additional job for an entry level or experienced waitress/waiter who will be paid a decent wage. And if their wait staff can’t handle it, then they are going to need to add additional entry level waiters/waitresses at a decent wage, reduce profits up the line, or go out of business. Oh well, that is what free enterprise is all about isn’t it?
LOOK: mENTRY Level jobs are, or were in place for one reason, to give a young man or woman a place to start and learn the power of the dollar bill ans what it took to earn that money! You do not get rich off these jobs you get knowledge of the business world! that’ why you plan thru experience to work out of these entry level jobs to a better paying job! Minimum wage jobs work, IF you let them and don’t expect money you don’t earn! I made 157 dollars for two weeks of work while in Boot camp, and I did not complain, I just worked my way up the chain of command and that’s how it’s done!
Same here. But today’s youth are being taught that they don’t have to work up the ladder. They’re being told that they have the right to start out right at the top with living wages. I worked my way up from the very bottom. I applied myself and taught myself and my income grew with my experience. I worked multiple jobs at times in order to make ends meet. It wasn’t always easy, but it works. But first you have to try – something today’s youth are taught that they don’t have to do.
My Social Security Check has been the same amount to the dollar for 3 yes thee years now.I guess things for the elderly do not go up as far as those hypocrites in DC think.Drain the Swamp Mr. President.
I do get an increase in the SS check… and the increase in the med cost wipe it out every time.
that goes for me too also on SS but I just received an increase of drum roll please a grand total of $9.00 per month whoopy
Again Democrats show their total lack of understanding of economics 101. Ignorance at the expense of lost jobs reigns.
Everyone wants, likes, and needs pay raises, but there are many younger, beginner workers who are starting out in the work force who need and will start up the ladder by being in the min. wage class! Nothing wrong here–most adults today and retired folks started out that way, so why eliminate jobs because of wage hikes that cause lay offs!
Remember – increased welfare role/ dem voters is the REAL goal, so yes – good job Dems.
Republicans have been telling this same lie for 40 years in an effort to exploit minimum wage workers. STOP TRYING TO SCREW PEOPLE!
has nothing to do with the liberal snowflakes, thank TRUMP
Democrats cannot be for big government and the little guy. Some old man said that.
So who trust’s MSNBC? “The brainwashed know not that they are.”
Why does Congress even need a pay increase when they’re getting rich off insider trading?
Why not raise the untaxable income allowed to people on Social Security? Last I knew it was $2700 a year. It’s been at that amount for how many years?
Ayuh!
I was thinking that very same thing regarding MSNBC. They’r e nothing more than a propaganda machine for the Progressive/Socialists.
I read that a burger making machine costs $40,000. at $15 an hour for human workers assume the machine works 16 hours straight replacing 2 workers and so saving $60,000 a year and paying for itself in 8 months, with the new tax reform expensing of equipment it becomes a no brainer
I would like to know why when this hit my in-box only 4 hours ago, that there are comments here that are two days old ???
that goes for me too!!!!!
Only the Dumbascrap Party cabal is capable of such crass ineptitude… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/79427f4cc4967750263ce64860580a2df95a45ca05f21ae1dbe4b08ad977e2b1.jpg
True. Now watch how fast we will have robots and kiosks deliver and provide our services in a more friendly, healthier and sanitary manner.
Now cut off the funding of relief to all individuals capable of working in some manner and capitalist won again.
If Democrat legislators every had to live and support a family on a wage earning job, they would not be so ignorant in their demands.
Of course. That, in turn, creates more unemployable, government-dependent Damocommie voters (who do, after all, vote, rather than work, for their living). It’s a “perfect plan for the Democommies and a typical screwing for the productive American taxpayers.
this goes along with the demonrats saying that everyone goes to college – and gets a degree in lesbian basket weaving
How about Term limits for Congress, both houses, and Supreme Court judges. Don’t care who you are, when you are 80 years old and above you don’t have the mental resources as a young person. I don’t care what they say, they do not posses the same capacity as a younger person with the same training.
IT people say that AI and robots will be replacing many service jobs in the next 15 years. We don’t need more low skilled workers.
Out here around Seattle, the SEIU and a loud mouthed Seattle Councilwoman got the Fight For $15 Movement in hopes of unionizing ALL of the fast food workers at first. Then when the $15 minimum pay took off for all lower level employees the SEIU realized that they had employees on their office staff making less and begged out of being part of the pay hike movement.
We need term limits with no federal pension or perks. Our Military do more work & are more valuable to the country. Than any member of Congress . Our foundling fathers did not intend for for them to rape the taxpayers or make it a career. Set their salary @ $80,000. per year for the four yrs. no increases or perks They may fly home COACH to their home states at the expense of the taxpayer on business only. otherwise contact with home state will have to be on PBS once a week like a town hall meeting. 3 weeks paid vacation a year . 1 week each for the Christmas & Easter holidays. No other vacations That includes all Presidents, MLK Valentines & Halloween. Let them live like the rest of the American citizens
Only in America can the democrat party screw them self and they do a good job at that. And not only screw them self but love to do it.
I read an article in Natl. Review that McD’s has machines you push a couple of buttons and you can get their entire menu at once. Only 2 people to operate per shift.
HOW ABOUT ALL DEMO-MARXIST VOTERS PAY THE ILLEGAL ALIENS AND MUSLIMS THAT THEY WANT HERE AND PAY HIGHER TAXES TOO SINCE THEY ARE THE BLEEDING HEARTS FOR ALL WHO ARE NOT AMERICAN CITIZENS AND STOP RAISING MY TAXES AND GIVING MY JOBS TO ILLEGAL ALIENS. I CLOSED TWO BUSINESSES IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS AND ALSO LOST A CAR TO AN UNINSURED ILLEGAL ALIEN, SO TAKE YOUR ILLEGAL DISEASE RIDDEN IGNORANT JOB STEALING ALIENS AND SHOVE THEM UP YPUR LIBERAL/SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST ASSES !!!! VIETNAM VET
There is no sense in being an ignorant, greedy, America hating POS if you don’t prove it once in a while. The Demon-Craps and RINO’s have it in their head that we want them to “F” us every day, we shall see when the mid-term votes are counted.
Why do you think auto prices are where they are today? I bought new chevy convertible for 3300 dollars then all the labor raises a benefits and now you have auto at 38 000,remember raises are not free somebody pays.