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Oregon Activists Grumble Over Minimum Wage Hike
Posted On 08 Mar 2016
Liberals and labor unions pushing for a $15 minimum wage in Oregon were unhappy Monday when Governor Kate Brown signed a bill setting the wage at “only” $13.50 an hour. Oregonians for 15 were pleased about the hike, but dissatisfied that it didn’t go as far as they wanted.
“It’s no secret that the minimum wage bill passed by the Oregon state legislature is too low and too slow,” the group said in a statement. “Nevertheless, due to a significant decline in organizational and voter support since the passage of this bill, the Oregonians for 15 coalition has regretfully suspended signature gathering and will withdraw its $15 statewide ballot initiative.”
The coalition said that the wage hike would nonetheless push the state forward. “We did not win exactly what we set out to achieve, a living wage in Oregon, and that is disappointing to say the least,” said the statement. “But what we did achieve is truly historic in scope and significance. It will make a real difference in the lives of over half a million working Oregonians and their families, and in the national movement for a $15 minimum wage.”
That it will make a real difference is beyond a doubt. For proof, just look at Oregon’s public universities, where administrators are staying up at night to figure out how they’re going to come up with enough money to pay their student workers. At one college, Portland State, the wage hike will cost the school approximately $2.5 million over the next two years. The school’s representatives said they would meet the challenge through “budget cuts and increased revenue,” which sounds like blind optimism.
This is what rarely gets mentioned in the debate over the minimum wage, one which is set to become a major issue at the federal level. Bernie Sanders has endorsed a $15 federal minimum wage and Hillary Clinton wants to put it at $12. But in both cases, these Democrats want the voters to believe that these hikes will improve the lives of struggling, hardworking families who are getting shafted by fat-cat CEOs.
In truth, a one-size-fits-all declaration like this will help very few adults. Instead, it will force small businesses, big corporations, and public universities to jack up prices so that teenagers and entry-level young workers have more walking-around money. And what it will really do is make it even more difficult for unskilled Americans to find jobs of any kind.
Employer sticker shock? Definitely gonna be some employee pink slip shock.
what it will do is speed up the evolution of Robotics – McDonald’s, for example, already has robot order takers and robot Chefs won’t be far behind it. Where do all the people who have jobs like that find work when their places have been taken by robots? It’s here now and will expand.
There is an old saying in Texas that applies today,”don’t let your ass shit you out of your job”
I have just accomplished what you mentioned. Not good.
And they speak Spanish!
All in all, $13.50 is a pretty good minimum wage, they should check out the other states wage scales. If they want to be greedy why not go for $25.00 per hour. Check out what happens when wages go higher, so do all the prices.
The minimum wage “deservers” will surely grumble when they are invited to watch from outside of closed, locked, shut down, bankrupt stores.
Many of those employers will just hire mire immigrants, legal and illegal, as they have been doing. That is all a part of the Obama Agenda!
Well again these lost Liberals can’t see the forest for the trees. They should already be realizing that these hiked up wages are causing businesses to struggle and many changes in jobs. Mainly less. The restaurant business certainly is hurting from this as they raise prices and take away the tips that waitresses used to get. Less hours for many will follow.It will only hurt these states that are trying to get living wages to jobs that were never intended to be living wages jobs. Only time will prove out their huge mistake and as usual faulty thinking. You have to first get your feet wet, work hard and then maybe, if you deserve it, you’ll finally get that job that will really support a family.
As the min.wage goes up so do prices of All goods. Stores will close,some will go bankrupt while others will now be looking into how t o automate thier stores. These people who whine the min wage is not a living wage are totally ignorant to what min wage was put into effect for in the beginning. It was first put for summer help,kids out on summer break. This was intended to offset the child work laws from the 1900s. Now it has turned into a adult work law. Rather these so called workers need to think,why are there no jobs for them,us, and our offsprings. The Government’s trade laws,corporate taxes driving businesses overseas or to mexico. When that soaks in then and only then will we the people force the gov. to make these laws obsete and bring business,jobs and wages back to America where they belong. Min Wage hike my butt, bring jobs,wages and business home. Wipe out this liberal,corrupt going toward communism government out of Washington replacing it with Real Americans not lawyers,not Muslims,not those who live under the door just plain ol everyday Americans who have made thier way buy honest work. If not you can kiss our country goodbye and hello to communism or worse a Muslim country under a dictator named ovomit. It’s our choice what will it be?
Why not $20?? Why not $30. Any increase that is not free market inspired will simply raise all wages and cost of living at the same time. It is like trying to lift yourself by pulling up on your boot straps. You socialists will eventually run out of other people’s money and we will crash just like Greece has. I’ve heard that if you are not liberal by the time you’re 20 you have no heart. And if you are not conservative by the time you are 40 you have no brain. It seems to be true doesn’t it?
Good idea. Why not increase to $100/hour and cover not only the poor, but the medium income folks…?????
It seems that at the universities the way to go would be to up the tuition rates like they always do in order to give themselves a pay increase. I would recommend the universities post a salary sheet showing what the staff, asst. professors, professors, deans all top tear presidents and those on sabbatical. Aught to find a hell of a lot of wage disparity there and a lot of waste.
With that said, I am not in favor of raising the minimum wage above $10.00, to much money at entry level jobs and part time work lessons the incentive to achieve more in ones life.
There are so many mistakes in your comment, it’s hard to know where to begin, but a good start would be the word, “lessens”!
“lessens” …wanna teach me? …. Or do you wish to be educated by Jim P.? Please explain: We have had several minWage Bills and ‘still’ have minWage.
You are a moron. WHO CARES IF HE DID NOT SPELL THE WORD RIGHT??? But there are NO mistakes in his comment. Entry level jobs like flipping burgers or sweeping floors should not pay the same as jobs where people had to go to college to be hired. Minimum wage is intended for young people like high school students or other people just entering the job market, not for lifetime careers. You have to be incredibly short-sighted to just look at a raise in minimum pay is going to solve everybody’s problems in the unskilled labor group. People on the lower end of employers’ seniority lists will LOSE THEIR JOBS!!! Wealthy owners and CEOs usually have a corporation that’s so large that in many cases, unions negotiate their member’s rate of pay. So, in most cases, the hike in minimum wage hike will affect a lot of people in the negative in both the small and medium range businesses.
He Did It For You. so You Might Understand.
George. I went to work in 1962, ran my own business, after 50 years I got sick of working and retired. I never overpaid or underpaid anyone who worked for me and all were paid on time. I did have one thing that I always told the workers, I don’t have favorites. You work and you will have a job, I don’t care what color they are or sex. We have a real problem with PC, something you seem to have.
I relish politically correct situations!
When a minimum wage increase is passed the employer reaction is almost synchronized.
1. A job is scrutinized to see if the employer can do without that worker, if that position generates enough profit to make it worthwhile.
2. The jobs is subjected to cost analysis to see if it is feasible to automate, at that wage and decide what the payback is on automating it. if the wage on the position went up 4$ per hour, x40x52 that is $8320 a year, a total wage of $31, 200, 2 year payback would yield $62, 400
3 If neither is feasible, they will decide how much they will have to increase their prices to stay profitable.
If they think they can they will raise the prices.
If thy don’t believe they can sell their product at that price, they will start looking to see where they can move to and not have to deal with that.
I can promise you that if there is 2 year payback on automating a job, that job is going to be automated.
Minimum wage increases benefit the illegal and legal immigrants more than it benefits the unemployed American workers.
E-Verify needs to be passed and enforced before increasing minimum wages so we can get Americans back to work
Instead of forcing employers to pay higher wages to those who should not be working in this country, legally or illegally, we should be working to get Americans back to work at a decent wage and with benefits.
Every program of the Democratic Parasitical Party, is predicated on stealing from one group and using the proceeds to set up handouts to buy votes with, from another group.
The criminal aliens are seen as certain liberal dem bloodsucker voters, they are invited on to the welfare and handouts programs in their efforts to get the votes.
The liberal dem bloodsuckers will cheerfully destroy the USA to keep the votes coming.
Very soon, we will have to decide if we are going to allow them to destroy the USA or are we going to put a stop to them, once and for all.
Excellent post. But I do have to correct one thing. There is nothing “democratIC” about the democrat party. Small thing, I know. But it is big difference in the meaning of the two words. Again, loved your message and not trying to be a prick but it is kinda like a sore spot for me ever since I had it pointed out to me by a friend. God bless and keep up the good fight.
There should be NO INCREASE in minimum wage until E-Verify is implemented and enforced. At that point the illegals working will be forced out of our jobs and Americans can have better luck at getting half-decent jobs.
Once the illegals are out of the job place a Minimum wage may be considered.
Passing a minimum wage now will help the illegals working in the United States FAR MORE than it will help the American men and women who are out of work!
There should not be rewards for those people who elect to violate our laws in coming here and working here, regardless of what Obama, Sanders, and Hillary Clinton thinks!
We already have a “Pathway to Citizenship” in federal laws and in the immigration program. Obama, Hillary and Sanders needs to read the immigration program; AND – There Is No Reason Why We Should Be forced To Change Our Laws To Support The Illegals! They came here on their own, the consequences is theirs; we did not force them here, we did not invite them here (well, Obama and Harry Reid has pretty much done so.) so the problems they claim we are causing them is of their own making.
Hillary says we own it to them to treat them with respect and humanely; why ? They made their bed – they now need to sleep in it.
Implement E-Verfy and most of them will leave; the rest we can deport as we catch them – And Hillary Can Go With Them!
The liberal ignorant morons don’t understand; This will force more businesses to close, the loss of jobs and, cause the price of goods to go uP! The end result is, more inflation! Ignorance is bliss!
That’s what the stupid people in Oregon get for letting a politician run their state instead of We the People which is the way it’s supposed to be politicians no longer listen to American people anymore so it’s time to get rid of them and sorry about your stupid bleeding Oregon heart too bad ignorant morons you deserve what you get
Nobody should listen when Americans talk like idiots! You’re paying for your own shortcomings!
Stop talking about yourself like that. it’s SO beneath you, even as a liberal.
Comment noted… dismissed!
Sorry, George. Your comment won’t fly. Who in America still has intelligence enough to know the difference? I mean, look what our colleges are turning out. No one in America that has went very far in our schools has enough intelligence to differentiate between idiots and the just plain lazy morons.
That brings a couple of interesting questions to mind: (1) Where did those American workers go when everyone lost their jobs? Many of the companies that shut down are back in production or have been replaced by new companies; where did the skilled workers that were there before go? (2) Why are our colleges not turning out what employers think they need? Is it that the colleges, universities and trade schools are only interested in turning out degrees and care little about work opportunities, or maybe the schools are not coordinating with industry, OR – the Department Of Labor and Department of Education has their hands in the mill and are creating an environment more aligned with the Obama agenda and suitable for immigrant labor!
I think you hit the nail square on the head with the migrant worker/obams connection.
“No one in America that has WENT very far…” ? Proper English would say, “No one has GONE very far… or ADVANCED very far….” Your statements are living proof of your lack of education; either that or you are not able to use grammar properly without coaching! Your comments noted… dismissed!
Sorry, hillary. I never realised you were you were a die hard Democrat. Nothing will ever get through to you. Sorry. And, yes, I never capitalised your nane. That was deliberate. You people NEED something to whine and bitch about to make you feel important. And the bad thing is, you actually have a good idea occasionally. You just screw it up by nit picking.
The more posts of yours I see the more and more convinced I am you are NOT a pastor and, if you are, you should certainly NOT be a chaplain.
Well, unfortunately for you, my ordination papers say you’re wrong. Your comments noted… dismissed!
Why is it unfortunate for me? It’s unfortunate for anyone that believes you represent God at all.
Just because you’re ordained (if you even are, which I highly doubt), that doesn’t make you a Christian or even a representative of God. You’re attitude is NOT that of either, and is EVERYTHING wrong that people perceive about Christianity and religion.
So, I call you out as a probable fraud and a liar. Possibly you are nothing more than a Troll using a false title to spew your garbage, but even then you are the former as well. I’m sorry that there are people seeing your comments that think you might be a pastor or a chaplain, or religious at all. I’m even more sorry if people see or hear your comments as the only example of a representative of God in their lives.
If you have one, I am doubly sorry for your congregation for being, apparently, misled.
Finally, I note the ratio of the number of comments you’ve made to the number of votes. Seems you talk a lot without a lot of substance people see worth voting for. I’d bet (if I were a betting man) that you have far, far more negative votes than you have comments. A probably further indication of your true nature – negative, demeaning, confrontational, and without much substance behind your very shallow thoughts.
Take this to be demeaning, confrontational, or whatever, but I call them as I see them, and I’ve seen nothing you’ve said in several articles that indicates you are what you claim, and THAT deserves a response calling you out on it.
With that, I am done with you, and I pray other are too (at least until you change your demeanor).
LOLOL… Now don’t make promises that you can’t keep. I’ll be watching for your inane remarks. I am so wrought with dismay. The same to you… I won’t waste my time talking to a toilet bowl! Good riddance!
What’s the “illegal Immigrant” population In Oregon? What is the unemployment rate of American workers in Oregon? What is the rate of immigrants working any/all jobs compared to U.S. citizens in Oregon?
The Department of Labor says three out of four new jobs is being taken by an immigrant; that while over 50 million American men and women are out of work and no longer eligible for unemployment benefits and another 30 (+/-) million working in part time low paying jobs without benefits – – – while Obama opens the doors for more and more immigrants to flood into this country!
Our Congress allows a million worker immigrants a year into this country. Obama has added an additional 2500 immigrant workers into the country and has done very little to nothing in getting the huge number of illegals working in this country out of the workplace and out od the country.
Obama and many of the big corporations have turned their back on the American working men and women and the families suffering because Obama favors letting immigrants take American jobs!
I am from Oregon an I fully agree with you. These kids and illegals that can’t even speak English do not deserve $13.50 an hour at these fast food joints. 90% of the time they can’t even get the order right and when they take the order they push buttons with the picture of what you want on it. Real hi- tech jobs and it is really quite laughable how they feel they deserve that kind of money when it’s so dumbed down for them. When I was that age we worked hard for what pay we got and didn’t throw little fits about it. That’s part of these kids problem these days. They think everybody owes them something and should show them respect hahaha they can’t even pull their pants up let alone do a real job and do it well. All I know is this Kate brown is way worse then kitzhauber ever was and she wasn’t even elected she was handed the position of govenor because she is a ovomit puppet that is so willing to screw oregonions over so quick it will make their heads spin. We will not be living here much longer I do know that. Doing the research to find a place where govenors and sherrifs actually stand up for the people and that is easier said then done these days
The wage hike is sorely needed but any progress is frowned upon by the elitist right wing zingers!
Whenever a small of mid-range business is “forced by law” to pay a higher wage to low skill workers, the bottom people on the totem pole get LAID OFF!! Their prices for their goods or services GO UP!! You have to be incredibly ignorant people who think the way that George M Melby does to not think that this has these kind of big negative consequences. When you are being ushered out the door of your employment place because some of your co-workers just got a raise, this legislation doesn’t feel too good now , does it? You call that PROGRESS?!?!?!?!. You moronic left wing zinger!!!
We have had several government induced minWage Bills….and still have minWage????
ONLY IGNORANT LIBERAL MORONS fail to see the truth about the FAILURE of “minimum” wage. I CAN assure you that I have never been a ” elitist right wing zingers!” whatever THAT is in your shyte for brains head.
I HAVE worked for “minimum” wages until I could prove myself and either get promoted or find a higher paying job based on my experience and on my employment record.
Oh boy, I started reading the post, seems we have some pretty smart people that post, I just wonder, well not really, all those that want higher wages are just plain – no other way to say it – STUPID. They seem to think that it is great to make all that money, that everything else will stay the same. Back when I was a kid or teenager (?) I worked ALL daylight hours for $5 a day, I could bring home 30 to 35 dollars a week before tax. I thought I was doing OK, food was cheap, clothes were cheap, cars were cheap, houses were cheap — all by todays’ economy. My rent was $45 a month,cokes were 3 cents some places 4 and the bottle 1 cent deposit. If I could find 3 or 4 bottles, had myself a free coke – way to go. Could by myself a new used (less than a yr old) VW for less than $2K, could not afford it but, something to save for. Well time passed wages went to $1 an hour, I was getting filthy rich, real quick prices started going up, pretty soon by bank account vanished and seems I was bringing home less than I did at $5 a day. More time passed and the min. wage kept going up, followed real quick by the cost of utilities going up, Dr. bill started going up, used to get a tooth pulled for $5, groceries went up, gas went up, seems like I was getting poorer with each wage increase, my standard of living sure didn’t go up, getting a promotion sorta helped but so did my taxes. Now the min wage wants to bet bounced to $15. or in the neighborhood. Well I’ve been retired for some years now, sure didn’t get any Social Security increase nor my job retirement, Thank God I have that, on just S.S. I’d have to ask for welfare, I’ve never had my hand out in my whole life, I’ve worked my whole life. Seems the new comers don’t care nor realize what is going on, they want more and don’t realize with that, costs of everything go up. Politicians just want to please the voters, well – in a way that is good but, guess the squeaking wheel gets the grease, there are more in the working force than old people. One day they will be old and will be wishing they could get a COLA increase but, the government will just say, “If we wait a year for a 1/2% COLA increase it will save the government 2 trillion dollars a year, better put if off till next year and maybe.” See the feds have to pay their employees also and all the Government gets paid by our tax dollars. Sort of like the dog trying to catch his tail, goes round and round and when and if can catch it, then’ll he bite it and all hell breaks loose and the voters start whining and the dog, well he keeps chasing his tail, forgetting what happened the last time he caught it. Best thing to happen, shoot the dog and put a stop to this madness, wages need to stay the same for a little while and then slowly decrease the wages real slow. Teach people that they don’t need a new car every year, don’t need to live in a house that takes 20 or 30 years to pay for, interest cost more that the house, kids don’t need (read Mommie and Daddy also) to have $150 pair of shoes every time they get tired of the old ones, 2 or 3 times a year, you get the idea. We are living above our means, every time you get a wage increase, your standard of living goes up and you start bitching for a wage increase, people are just plain stupid and everybody wants to live like the Jones. Get a life or start eating balonie sandwiches and quit playing the damn lottery for Pete sakes.
Good comments. You probably remember when SS was YOUR money…. then YOUR Congressman decided it was better spent buying votes for HIS retirement security.
Good point on SS it was yours until it was LOANED to the highway system , then forgiven ! Your Representative turned into a lawmaker ! ( Thinking of themselves )
We were taught you had to work for every thing you got , now they want it yesterday !
They don’t understand economics if your wages go up so does your product , the next guy needs a raise and there you are , the dog chasing it’s tail again .
I remember when I finally retired at almost 78 years old. I had started working when I was 10 years old and throughout most of my early years (until 36 YOA) I was working 2 and 3 jobs in order to make ends meet. In the years from 14 to when I retired I think Social Security tax was taken from my wages. When I got out of the Air Force in 65 I returned to work at the railroad where I was working when I enlisted. I worked there almost a year again before leaving and going to work in Law Enforcement. I was back into low pay and working a couple of part time jobs to keep the family housed and fed. I paid a little in social security on the part time jobs but not much. Wages in law enforcement was subject to state retirement so S/S was not much when I retired; I was eligible for just over $800. a month from Social Security – BUT – because I was also eligible for a Public Retirement I had to give up a portion of my social security retirement; it dropped to $289.00 a month. It is based on something called “windfall ” what ever that is.
It made no difference that I had been working all the time and paying into retirement, both social security and state!.
I guess, like Obama, the feds needed to find more money to appease their personal agendas and taking from the American workers was easy for them to do.
You are so right. Me I am 81 years old and remember when my Mother could buy hamburger for .5 cents a pound. She knew more was to use hamburger than I can count. A movie was .5cents and a bag of popcorn was /2cents. My first full time job I was 12 years old and set on a stoule and sold hamburgers for 12 for a dollar. I made .25cents an hour. I worked for Kodak for 25 years and the last six months that I worked I made $15.00 an hour. When they took out the taxes and all of the other things like my share for insurance and ss I acctually was making almost what I was before. When the minimum wages goes up so do the price of groceries and movies and resturants and car prices. The gov is going to take more so in the end no matter how much you get as a raise it will not increase your life style. Now you will have to pay a higher copay for your insurance. Why do people continue to shot them selves in thefoot just because they can.
I remember those days; or at least the days shortly following that time frame. I recall paying ten cents for a movie and 15 cents for a hamburger. I remember, at the age of nine, working in the fields and enjoying the seasonal workers from Mexico. We could not understand the language between us but we all enjoyed them.
Later, however, there were no jobs for us as the number of seasonal farm workers grew. Most of us later were left out of work while the seasonal workers and thier families were there. What little farm work was left at the end of the season could not provide enough work for the kids. We rounded up and sold gunny (burlap) sacks and gallon jugs to the lumber yards (don’t know what they did with them) and mowed laws for 5 or ten cents.
When I was a teenager, the older immigrant kids (seasonal workers) had taken over the lawn and garden jobs also and we were again out of work.
I totally agree, James…and very well stated!
Econ The only way to earn a raise is to make yourself, or to prove yourself more productive. That doesn’t mean emptying your own wastebasket once a week, That means staying up half the night and cleaning the whole office everyday. Profits and business models are fluid and unsure as they have ever been. better concentrate on making yourself indispensable, as conditions are not going to improve soon.
You Never Get What You ask For—–It is Called negotiations—- Be Thankful You Got Want You did
We have had many-many minWage Bills ..”and still have minWage”??? We ALSO have a “larger” gap between the rich and poor…??………With government induced minWage the immediate increased cost will require many medWage to spend more, thus join the minWage group. Since Inflation is a good friend of the Wealthy(those with liquid wealth), their wealth is increased, thus increased spread between rich/poor. The minWage idea is simply a false promise for liberal/progressive votes and a method of Liberal Political donations. The increase will reduce local business while excusing imports………The only way to increase wages is to increase demand for workers; this bill will do THE OPPOSITE. The remedy is reduce regulations and bureaucracy and allow more small businesses to survive. Small business can not survive the present LEGAL requirements/cost……. I investigated a small business; but after investigation, I decided I did not want to work hard long hours to support Lawyers, Bureaucrats, and Politicians.
Minimum wage is just that, the minimum amount to pay somebody for a beginning position, somebody starting out in the work force that has little or no experience at the job. Minimum wage was NEVER intended to support a family of four and all the expenses that go with that responsibility. Every time minimum wages go up so does everything else. Any State that continues to raise minimum wage will soon go bankrupt. Anybody that has a problem with the minimum wage should move to a Socialist country and see how well they do there….
What I did to make more money was to use the experience gained in the first job and get a better job. That is the way the system is supposed to work and it does. It might not work for people that are too stupid to learn and improve themselves, but for those of us with drive and average intellegence, it works well.
I would be interested in seeing how much public colleges and universities make per year. As a former student, i am aware of what they charge students; my interest is in how much other money comes in and, what they pay out. I want to see their profit/loss statements.
This will make tuition over at Portland State (and costs at other businesses) even higher unless they cut many of the jobs of the very people this increase is supposed to help.
The predictable, unintended consequences that the left always ignore will be their own destruction.
What many people are forgetting is that minimum wage workers are also consumers, even with higher wages they are unlikely to save for investment purposes, all their money goes straight back into the economy quickly creating other jobs while some shut down because the business was marginal at best. In the western world, North America is known for having some of the lowest paid minimum wage jobs especially when compared to the European Continent. In general, they have approximately the same rate of unemployment as over here, some countries higher, some countries lower. Yes, there will be many changes with a sharply increased minimum wage scale, and some of the things that other writers have spoken of like robotics at Macdonalds would certainly come about, but as for creating more long term jobless, it has not proven to be so elsewhere.
AND then we get a load of IGNORANT BULLSHYTE from a liberal moron.
I have said for years that these companies that use robots as much as they can, to reduce their costs,plus get tax deductions on the buying of equipment, should sell their products to the robots. See how much money they make then.
IDIOT !!
Next you’ll want the BUGGY WHIP manufacturers to hire you.
In any business the driving, bottom line is cost and how it impacts profits. When your cost threaten your needed income, something has to be given up. This is where you will hear managers say something like, “We have to do more with less!” Less more often then not is a reduction in the labor force. A lay off is coming and we who are the left over employed, will have to work harder. That being said, a huge shift in the hourly cost of keeping a labor force often means some one is going to loose their jobs. That might be great if it is not you. But if it is, the experience will be costly with you paying the way for some one else continuing in their employment rather then you. Just saying, that is how it truly works!
The problem with raising the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour is that your gonna have the same dregs that screwed up your order for $8.00 per hour are now screwing it up for $15.00!
If you don’t replace the ones who don’t want to do the job they hired on to do, your going to have the same problems when their making more money!
And there’s the rub – who’s going to pay for all this free money for no more experience necessary? Time to pay the piper – Oregon, and any other place stupid enough to demand those with little or no experience suddenly get a pay raise – wait – a living wage (I stand corrected). Time to learn the real lessons of supply and demand economics corrupted by non-realistic fiscal policies. That cash does not come out of thin, nor thick – air. By the way, enjoy that $10 Hamburger! Bon appetit! Don’t yell at me – I did not make these stupid decisions, but as long as you are happy with the real cost…..
I jut scratched Oregon and Washington off my “places to visit” list; COMMIEFORNIA, the land of liberal idiots and morons got scratched off long ago.
Oregon is a sancutary state and has gone down the toilet. Our property values have dropped public places are getting discusting to go to. No matter how hard the custodial people try they can’t keep up to keep things clean. When you get over run by 3 Rd world illegals that come here with nasty filthy habits it starts to look more like home to them. Every weekend we see bus loads of them and the first thing they do is hit the welfare office and get a pocket or 2 full of money with a loaded ebt card. While we the AMERICAN CITIZENS get up go to work just to make sure our tax money keeps money in their pockets a free roof over their heads and food in their belly’s. Then the babies start popping out like rabbits so theirs more money and foodstamps. As it is they make at a minimum $34.000 a year off welfare in Oregon I don’t know about else where and we as taxpayers are sick of supporting these low lifes
Good post. “Free money” is worth what it costs. Unless you have the horrific experience of a spotted owl screeching in your ear about housing deficits! Then it’ll cost you more than it’s worth to “make it”? Paper still grows on trees y’know! Keynesian ECOnomics, the gift donkey that keeps biting our…carrots?
This stupidity is PUSHED by GREEDY UNIONS who have THEIR pay rates based on a Percentage ABOVE minimum wage; Get the “minimum wage” UP and they get a pay increase AUTOMATICALLY without any negotiations ; Meanwhile the average American consumer and those on retirement get SCREWED OVER AND OVER. You want to increase minimum wages 50%?; FINE increase my Social Security Check 50% TOO so I can afford the NEW prices on everything.
It’ll help all of society by enhancing aggregate demand. No mention of the time frame for full implementation, which is obviously disingenuous.
And they will soon be bitching about $25.00 hamburgers, too. So what else is new?
Minimum wage increases should NOT happen until AFTER E-Verify is fully implemented and enforced. Passing minimum wage will help more illegal immigrants working in the United States than it will Americans in need of work.
Richard Trumka (AFL-CIO) referring to Donald Trump, stated, “ He’s an Anti-American Bigot “ On his AFL-CIO pages. Trumka suggested Trump works to bring down wages, stated too many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck blaming Trump in great part; Trumka voice a Democratic HALF-TRUTH when he stated Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from this Country (It was to stop allowing the Muslims into America until the government could assure the American people the entries could be made safely and we were not allowing terrorists in – The FBI and State Department both stated they could not, at that time, have any assurance those being allowed in were not terrorists or associated with terrorists) ; Trumka’s comments were full of false suggestions and certainly, 180 degrees out from what ANY UNION LEADER should be saying and doing.
Trumka has over the years supported allowing the illegal immigrants to remain and work in this country. With millions of Americans in need of work Trumka says we should let the illegals work here taking what few jobs have been available. Goo back over the past years and you will find time and time again Trunk’s backing for the illegals. He, like Obama, has turned their backs on the American workers in
favor of the low waged illegals.
I doubt anyone cares much about what Trumka has to say about Trump or whether they like each other but Trumka is screwing over the union members when he
supports the legal and illegal immigrations in taking what few jobs we have available.
What Trumka failed to point out; the huge number of unemployed and underemployed American workers working for wages far less than previously and
many without benefits because of the HUGE number of immigrants (legal and illegal)
being allowed into this country to work. Wages are down because the huge number
of Immigrants taking jobs In America; The Federal Labor Department says 3 out
of 4 jobs in the United States is being taken by immigrants. Congress is allowing
a million immigrant workers a year into this country and OBAMA increased the number an additional 2500.
Trumka has supported allowing the illegals and VISA immigrants into America to join our work force. While we have over 50 million American workers out of work Trumka continues to support importing workers.
The AFL-CIO should be fighting for the work opportunities for American
workers instead of supporting Obama and Hillary in bringing in growing numbers
of immigrants. Obama’s agenda, strongly supported by Hillary and by Trumka, continues
to create harsh consequences for America; for the American men and women in
need of work, and the families with kids who, as Trumka says, “lives from pay
check to pay check,” but even worse, the millions of Americans who get NO PAYCHECKS! TRUMKA needs to be removed and a UNION LEADER put in his place. A Union Leader who fights for the American workers, not backing illegal immigrants working in the U.S. and supporting increased numbers of legal immigrants being allowed to take American jobs. Why should any union member support immigrant employment while we have millions and millions of Americans and their families are need of work?
Make American strong with Union Labor, Make Americans strong with WORKING AMERICNAS, Take care of American Workers first – union or otherwise.
We used to have pride in tags that said, “Made in America” and “Union Made.” Now those are scarce as America sends our jobs overseas and imports more and more of our material from some other country with their ” made in —” tags. Trumka AND the AFL-CIO should be fighting to get the jobs back into America and getting American workers back into the job place!
Pretty spot on, we (that is mostly me) can’t get everything right but, most of the time at least we know basically what is going on. I have one thorn in my foot about the unions, those who like unions would jump up and woop me for. I believe that years ago Unions were good for America and workers. They pretty much kept the owners and CEOs in line from hogging all the profits, made the work place safe (or safer, especially in the steel mills and coal mines, probably other industrial jobs that were pretty hazardous) but, seems to me that the Unions have gone top heavy and have way to much control. They try to control the industry AND workers, those at the top have become very powerful and it is more about control than anything.
Of course the workers profit and they should to an extent. My belief is that the unions have become another tool that has ran industry out of this country. They continually force industry management to increase wages and perks (health care, retirement, benefits, etc). By doing so, the industry finds outsourcing more profitable. It is much easier to lay off employees and get their product produced overseas, read China, Mexico, India, etc. Naturally that leads to unemployment (more cost to the tax payer). Those that could normally find a job,[if rehiring ever came into the game] guess what – all those illegals coming across an open border certainly need employment and many are qualified to do more than seasonal work, some are very smart, don’t sell all as ignorant and stupid like me, I’m not a good speller, (never finished school).
All that said, why – would the unions be so eager for the illegals coming across the border. Makes one wonder, must be because they are mostly Democrat led and it purely seems to me that the Democrats speak out of both sides of their mouth (maybe a few RINOs as well).
They play the game of saying that whatever they do is for the good of the country but, seems everything they do ends up putting money in their pockets and has a detrimental effect on this country, such as the ACA. Me naming a few more would be like pouring water on a duck’s back, just runs off and is ignored and denied. Just really don’t have the best interests of America at heart. Killing industry in America which helps to drain America’s economy doesn’t seem to bother them. When America is destroyed, will they take their millions and go live in another place, some little island in the Azores or someplace like that?
Well, this is getting long and I have to take my wife and buy a few groceries, won’t be any steaks or lobsters, what with all the higher wages the grocery bill gets so high, but not S.S., I have not had a lobster since about 1977. Get to thinking about those things, I have to take a nap and just dream about what they used to taste like, maybe one day before I cross the Jordan?
I read most of the comments and remember a lot of it. There one thing I would like to add. This administration said four weeks ago that it was now operating on 2019 projected tax money. Now I understand and articles I read that America has been operating in the red since 1949 yet congress continues to raise their salaries and Benefits we must pay.
Any required minimum wage is a ridiculous concept. All it does is limit jobs available to workers. If there is a minimum wage there also needs to be a required minimum production figure to get that wage. It’s called earning a wage. Do you people not unde4rstand what you will pay for stuff if wages have to be 15 dollars? WAKE UP.
I am convinced that Liberals have no concept of reality, common sense or economic truth. They will find there in Oregon that they will not be able to maintain a responsible or reasonable economy as time moves forward. There will eventually be fewer jobs for starting youg folks. Benefits will decrease and disappear. Small businesses will not be able to compete. Prices will dramatically increase along with a hike in taxes. Do you think waitresses and such will ever again bring home great tips? That will end. Everything will increase in price dramatically. Minimum wage was and is not meant to be a living wage. It was set to get young people working at unskilled entry level positions while going to school. Also some extra cash for retirees needing or wanting something else to do. Higher wages were designed and meant for eventually trained, skilled and experienced people moving up in the process. A truly living wage that is designed to support a family, house, car and all that comes as we grow and mature is not for the jobs at entry level unskilled positions for obvious intellectual and economic reasins. You will destroy your state’s economy and make a place that is impossible to live in. Wise up to truth!
Oh my the entry level dolts are whining about not being paid enough for flipping burgers and learning how to actually work. Poor babies.
You don’t like making entry level pay, then find a job that pays what you think you are worth. Understand though, you will be required to actually work. You will have to put your big boy pants on.
And for you dolts that think entry level work should begin at 15.00 per hour, get ready to lose your job, your benefits/ your ability to purchase anything, because that extra cost of teaching you how to work is going to come from somewhere. It is the bottom line thing, you see. Businesses are there to make money, not change your diapers for you.
So grow up, put your big boy panties on and actually get off your lazy a$$ and go to work, like an adult. That or shut the hell up