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December 05, 2013

With ObamaCare In Shambles, Liberals Have Decided To Pivot To...The Minimum Wage
— DrewM

After once again demonstrating their prowess on all matters economic with ObamaCare, liberals have turned their attention to another economy crippling idea...increasing the minimum wage.

Naturally all the usual suspects, Obama, the media, and professional liberal agitators are united for the push.

First, Obama had his big economic speech yesterday in which he called for hiking the minimum wage to address income inequality. Gotta spread it around, right?

This was tied to today's strike against fast food shops in selected cities across the country.

And then there's the lefty propaganda under the guise of non-partisan scholarship.

Whether or not most of those who work 40 hours a week at the minimum wage or near it and are supporting families believe that they are entitled to food and housing, the fact is that they are doing what we have long believed was fulfilling our basic social contractÂ—work hard, be productive, and you and your family can live a decent life with a place to live, food on the table, clothes on your backs, and other necessities. In the past, Republicans thought that the market ought to set wages, and that a combination of government devicesÂ—including the earned-income tax credit, housing subsidies, food stamps, Medicaid, and other social-welfare programsÂ—could fill in the gaps to make that social contract work, while also trying to remove disincentives from work via welfare reform. There is not only a continuing belief in some quarters that markets should set wages, but strenuous efforts to make deep cuts to food-stamp funding and slash other programs that help low-income workersÂ—condemned as Â“takers.Â”
It is a fact that our economic system continues to have big gaps. The web of subsidies can create real disincentives for those at the bottom of the scale who want to work but would actually lose more benefits than their minimum-wage income would bring in. The effective marginal tax rate for a couple both making low wages if the second person works can be more than 100 percent because of benefit formulas. A couple of weeks ago, when I wrote about the war on food stamps, I mentioned a D.C. woman who is struggling to feed herself and her daughter, but calculated that she would need a job paying $15 an hour to do better. That is an artifact of poorly constructed, patchwork policies. Liberal cant notwithstanding, there is a culture of dependency that can discourage work among many. But the fact is most people out of work want to workÂ—it defines their self-worth.

So because the liberal welfare state has become so (relatively) generous that the minimum wage would need to be nearly doubled for it to make economic sense for a person to get a job. It then of course falls to businesses to somehow find the money to pay workers more money, even though they are not providing any additional value for that increased wage.

Of course the money for that new higher wage will come from a combination of fewer workers or increased cost to consumers. Meanwhile the consumer and business owners who are expected to carry the increased wage burden will still have to pay the taxes to fund the welfare benefits that compete with wages in a never ending upward spiral.

And that's going to create economic growth?

According to Barack Obama, yes.

Here's how to improve our economy and create hundreds of thousands of jobs: #RaiseTheWage. http://t.co/NLM2t9NyhS pic.twitter.com/UDTcTSaqZJ
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 4, 2013

Do these people really believe this or are they just messing with us?

Of course no policy fight in the Age of Obama would be complete without liberal totalitarians wondering if King Barack I could just do this on his own without all the messiness of congressional involvement.

Well, progressives say, there's a whole group of low-wage workers that he can fix this for, just with the stroke of a pen. The chairmen of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Reps. Raul Grijalva and Keith Ellison, wrote a letter that urges the president to circumvent Congress and sign an executive order to raise the minimum wage for workers employed through federal government contracts with private companies. This letter comes months after 49 members of the CPC requested the same thing from the president, only to hear radio silence about it from the White House.
"It's frustrating," says Ellison, who hand-delivered the letter to the president after his speech Wednesday. "We know his heart is in the right place and he wants to do something, and this is something he can do."
It's especially frustrating for Ellison and his caucus considering there is no chance such a measure could pass the Republican-held House and that Obama said months ago that he would use "whatever executive authority I have to help the middle class."

Unrelated prediction: Liberal love of robust unilateral executive action will end the second a Republican wins the White House again.

The minimum wage fight comes down to a fight between two camps..people who understand economics and the vast majority of Americans. You either understand that wages are a function of labor supply and demand as well as individual skills or you think pay rates are simply social constructs that can be raised or lowered devoid of any connections to real world conditions and consequences.

But hey, the same coalition that brought the wonders of their economic understanding of health insurance market to us through ObamaCare can be wrong, can they?

In crass political terms the fight to raise the minimum wage is simply about paying off Democratic constituent groups like the young, minority women and union workers with other people's money.

What's not to love about that? Unless of course you are the one being stuck with the bill or a worker who will either lose their job or fail to get one because reality will kick in no matter what liberals want to believe.

Posted by: DrewM at 07:11 AM | Comments (310)
Post contains 1005 words, total size 7 kb.

1 He has to give his peeps somebody new to hate; the "big bad insurance company" card has been played out.

Posted by: teh Wind at December 05, 2013 07:13 AM (B3WUC)

2 Breaking: In new cost saving move, Obamacare to cover only generic Viagra-like substitute: dixaflopin.

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:13 AM (VIaw0)

3 BF Barry likes to pivot.

Posted by: Reggie Love at December 05, 2013 07:13 AM (q4QfH)

4 I agree with someone to do x work for x dollars. They agree to pay me x dollars for x work. And this is anyone else's business... why?

Posted by: Bat Chain Puller at December 05, 2013 07:15 AM (SCcgT)

Unrelated prediction: Liberal love of robust unilateral executive action will end the second a Republican wins the White House again.

And if that Republican has stones (yes, I know), his response should be FYNQ.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at December 05, 2013 07:15 AM (zF6Iw)

6 Weapons.
Grade.
Stupidity.

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 05, 2013 07:15 AM (wtvvX)

7 Step 1: Raise minimum wage to $15/hr

Step 2:

Step 3: Profit!

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 07:16 AM (GQ8sn)

8 Obama is doing to fast-food what he did to Health Insurance.

Posted by: Jimbo at December 05, 2013 07:17 AM (V70Uh)

9 MAW

Math Always Works, the hell you say!

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 07:17 AM (kXoT0)

10 Let's end this discussion by proposing that we raise the minimum wage to $50/hr ... or better, $75/hr.
It won't take long for Democrats to run for the door.

Posted by: Frankie Goes To Labor Dept at December 05, 2013 07:17 AM (e8kgV)

11 Bumbles O'Fuckstick has had FIVE FUCKING YEARS to "create jobs".

He's failed.

You're a fuckwad, Bumbles.

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 05, 2013 07:17 AM (wtvvX)

12 How the fuck do they think raising the min. wage creates hundreds of thousands of jobs!? Just when you think they just can't be this dumb....they are.

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at December 05, 2013 07:17 AM (bCEmE)

This isn't 'pivoting'; this is flailing. Unfortunately for the Democrats ObamaCare is a cornucopia of fail. There is no end to it until it is ended. All of the pivots reek of desperation and the pivots are going to get ever more frantic as 2014 goes on.

If I weren't along for the ride I would enjoy watching this.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Death Capades - ObamaCare on Ice! Sponsored by the Outrage Outlet at December 05, 2013 07:17 AM (hLRSq)

14 Oh, so even if we take their numbers as truth, ONE FUCKING MONTH of job growth in a normal economy.

ONE MONTH. And a weak month at that.

Gee, that's great: What are you going to do for the other 11 months and for the 9.5 some odd million that don't have jobs?

Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 07:18 AM (VjL9S)

15 I try not to eat fast food. Today, in solidarity with Capitalist Employers, Mrs. USA and I will dine on Whataburger for lunch.

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:18 AM (VIaw0)

16 The number of people who believe in this fairy tale is truly heartbreaking.

Posted by: Jinx the Cat at December 05, 2013 07:18 AM (l3vZN)

17 Conservatives need to shout from the rooftops how this destroys small business instead of trying to rebut with basic mathematical and economic principles that Leftists either don't understand or willfully ignore. Put them on the defensive and make them explain why they want to destroy the largest sector of employment. Don't try to play defense.

Posted by: Burn the Witch at December 05, 2013 07:18 AM (D1w3d)

18 From sea to sea, there will be rampant unemployment at all job levels due to Obama's various plans---please tell me again how that raises the GDP?

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 07:18 AM (kXoT0)

19 The HouseÂ’s chief investigator says the FBI is stonewalling his inquiry into whether the agency and the Internal Revenue Service targeted conservative group True the Vote for special scrutiny, and Rep. Darrell E. Issa is now threatening subpoenas to pry loose the information from FBI Director James B. Comey Jr.
Mr. Issa, California Republican, and Rep. Jim Jordan, Ohio Republican, are leading the House Oversight and Government Reform CommitteeÂ’s IRS inquiry. They also said the FBI is refusing to turn over any documents related to its own investigation into the IRS, which began in the days after an auditorÂ’s report revealed the tax agency had improperly targeted tea party groups for special scrutiny.

Six months after it began, the FBIÂ’s investigation has resulted in no release of information. The congressmen said the FBI even rescinded an offer for an in-person briefing with the assistant director in charge of the investigation. The reversal, after the FBI consulted with the Justice Department, suggests political meddling, the two investigators said.

... It appears that there is no FBI investigation, so the FBI may not be stonewalling at all.
Instead, it just could be that there are no documents to turn over.

Posted by: Frankie Goes To DOJ at December 05, 2013 07:19 AM (e8kgV)

20 Robot Serves Up To 360 Hamburgers Per Hour (h/t Glenn Reynolds)

LINK: http://preview.tinyurl.com/bepfmnt

Posted by: mrp at December 05, 2013 07:19 AM (HjPtV)

21 tsk tsk.

Disagreeing with me????

You RAYSSSSSSSSSSSSSIT!

& the middle Class.

Posted by: Emperor Barak I at December 05, 2013 07:19 AM (DVC2D)

22 140,000 jobs?! 140,000 in a single month won't even get him to neutral growth.

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 07:19 AM (FcR7P)

23 No way possible to compose a cogent comment when befogged by the lethargy following a mid morning nap. The only possible rational response is to start the mid afternoon nap early.

Posted by: Need More at December 05, 2013 07:19 AM (ZBNqF)

24 All this means nothing when there are millions of foreigners in this country working under the table. It will only exacerbate unemployment. But I wonder if this isn't tied to monetary policy.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 05, 2013 07:20 AM (Y92Nd)

25 I love the other argument being pushed that if we raised the minimum wage we'd spend less on Medicaid and Food Stamps. Yeah, somehow I don't think it works like that. For a variety of reasons, lower employment and inflation just to raise a few. As for me, while applying for my part time work, I'm asking for a lowly $9/hour. Which when you consider I have 5 years fast food experience (ahh, my teenage years and early 20s) another 8 months in grocery work (between college and full time work, and some after while I liked the extra income) and 2 years of staff management experience (As a student worker in college I actually managed a staff of 30 or so other students)... Right where was I, oh when you consider all of that you'd think I could make more, but I've been in this market before, I know that $9 is about it, (if I'm lucky) because the labor market sucks. If Barky really cared, we'd start growing the job market. (FWIW, I'm looking for fulltime work too, and hoping to get 28k, and that's lab work FFS.) The TL;DR. Go ahead, raise the minimum wage and watch everyone less qualified than me lose their job to people like me.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 07:20 AM (GaqMa)

26 Must...win back...young...voters.......

Posted by: Burn the Witch at December 05, 2013 07:21 AM (D1w3d)

27 WHATABURGER!!!!

Man, that sounds good. With fries and a ginormous vanilla shake.

Yep. That'll be lunch!!

Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 05, 2013 07:21 AM (wtvvX)

28 TFG's gift to the country:

Step 1: Cut a hole in the box.

Step 2: Put your dick in the box.

Step 3: Make America open the box.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 07:21 AM (GQ8sn)

29 On The Five the other day, Bob Beckel was ranting about how raising the minimum wage never hurts the economy because University professors say so. Someone responded with the question, if that's so, why don't we just raise the minimum wage to $50 an hour and be done with it? Math, it can eat your lunch!

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:21 AM (VIaw0)

30 Yeah, about that: "Proposed Cuts Would Barely Dent Massive Growth of Food Stamps" http://tinyurl.com/l6rehla

Posted by: The evil food stamp "cuts" at December 05, 2013 07:22 AM (X866z)

31 Clearly, all we need to do to make everyone rich is have the government give us all a salary of $1 million for doing nothing, or better yet, mandate that private companies pay those salaries. Utopia achieved, you guys.

Posted by: Peejay at December 05, 2013 07:22 AM (xYVem)

32 Just wait til I get my hands on that executive pen.....

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at December 05, 2013 07:22 AM (GjPnA)

33 "All of the pivots reek of desperation and the pivots are going to get ever more frantic as 2014 goes on." I certainly hope Rahm Emanuel taught him how to spot when he turns.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 05, 2013 07:23 AM (Y92Nd)

34 If forcing business to pay their least valuable employees nearly 50% more would create so much economic growth, why do they need the government to force them to?

Furthermore, how does paying someone more for the same level of production lead to an increase in Gross Domestic Production?

Lastly, if we're to assume raising it to $10/hr would be so great, why don't we just go straight to $100/hr? Wouldn't that be 10x as good?

Posted by: mugiwara at December 05, 2013 07:23 AM (W7ffl)

35 28 WHATABURGER!!!! Man, that sounds good. With fries and a ginormous vanilla shake. Yep. That'll be lunch!! Posted by: Tex Lovera at December 05, 2013 11:21 AM (wtvvX) Just like you like it!

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:23 AM (VIaw0)

36 Clearly, all we need to do to make everyone rich is have the government give us all a salary of $1 million for doing nothing, or better yet, mandate that private companies pay those salaries. Utopia achieved, you guys.

Posted by: Peejay at December 05, 2013 11:22 AM (xYVem)

You laugh, but that's already been proposed in some Scandi countries. I think San Fran was toying with that idea too.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 07:23 AM (GQ8sn)

37 I got so mad at this idiot's nonsense about income inequality (which HE has caused) that I had to take a break. Yes, dumbfuck, a brain surgeon is worth 400 times as much as a McDonalds worker. Deal with it.

Posted by: Meremortal at December 05, 2013 07:23 AM (1Y+hH)

38 I started to get angry about this museum grade stupidity and then I remembered: Oh, I'm acting as if these folks actually want to make things better for poor people. Silly me. That's the last thing they want. this is all about 2 things: Farming votes by scapegoating and pushing more money into union coffers, from whence it will flow to Democratic ones (union wages are indexed to min. wage in many parts of the country. Min goes up, presto chango, more money to unions! Shazam!)

Posted by: Weirddave at December 05, 2013 07:23 AM (N/cFh)

39 Whataburger with green chile and cheese.

They have really good ketchup. for the fries.

Posted by: Need More at December 05, 2013 07:23 AM (ZBNqF)

40 Sorry, that's 9.5 million who have given up looking for work because of Obaaama.

There's millions more who could work, but don't bother looking or are on welfare.

One fucking month of weak-ass job growth in a normal economy. If no more babies are born that'll only take 5.6 years.

And let's say you are one of those unemployed or underemployed: YOU AIN'T FUCKING LOOKING FOR A MINIMUM WAGE JOB!!!

Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 07:23 AM (VjL9S)

41 Do these people really believe this or are they just messing with us?

They really believe it. They've been conditioned to believe it, and don't understand arithmetic--basic fucking arithmetic--well enough to realize there could be anything wrong with the proposal besides "greedy corporations."

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 07:24 AM (/kI1Q)

42 Must...win back...young...voters....... Posted by: Burn the Witch at December 05, 2013 11:21 AM (D1w3d) They can't pay off their student loans or afford his health insurance. Thanks, big government!

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 05, 2013 07:24 AM (Y92Nd)

43 If I like your wage, you can keep your wage.

Posted by: President Obama at December 05, 2013 07:24 AM (xvtYZ)

44 Nobody can be this stupid, so they must just be fuckin' with us.

Posted by: Clownf*cker at December 05, 2013 07:25 AM (RQDhf)

45 That graphic's logic speaks to me. I understand! 1. Put on clean tee-shirt. 2. Marry Kate Upton. 3. Win the WSOP.

Posted by: jwpaine @PirateBallerina at December 05, 2013 07:25 AM (2oU2+)

46 'It appears that there is no FBI investigation, so the FBI may not be stonewalling at all."

IIRC, then FBI Director Mueller was grilled by Issa's committee about the progress of the FBI investigation. When asked, Mueller couldn't a) say how many investigators were assigned to the case b) name the person in charge of the investigation

Posted by: mrp at December 05, 2013 07:25 AM (HjPtV)

47 How will raising the cost of doing business create more jobs????? It's a fucking mental disease with these momzers, I swear to G-d. But the way to make their heads explode is to throw it back at them: "Why not raise it to $20 an hour? $30? $50?" When they start backtracking then you have caught them in the inconsistency of their own argument. Still, can we haz revolooshin?

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 05, 2013 07:25 AM (olDqf)

48 Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 11:23 AM (GQ8sn) I had a libtard member of my DnD group send me an article that automation will bring about a "guaranteed income utopia." I laughed my ass off. I love me some automation, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't mean we'll suddenly be free of scarcity.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 07:25 AM (GaqMa)

49 $10/hr is what all the illegals make around here. Coincidence?

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 07:25 AM (FcR7P)

50 How long before the names Obama and Edsel evoke similar reactions in the general public? Both names were once associated with shiny new objects skillfully marketed to an unsuspecting American public.

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:27 AM (VIaw0)

51 Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 11:21 AM (GQ8sn) I hope it ends like the skit with JEF in cuffs being pushed into a squad car.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 05, 2013 07:27 AM (Y92Nd)

52 So 140,000 (PIDOOMA) jobs is "hundreds of thousands of jobs"?

Barry wasn't kidding when he said he had trouble with 7th-Grade math.

Posted by: Waterhouse at December 05, 2013 07:27 AM (8b2sh)

53 Math: It doesn't matter whether you understand it, it understands you.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 05, 2013 07:27 AM (ee9LE)

54 Obama should tie the minimum wage to obamascare. Tell those "youths" he needs to sign up that if he raises the minimum wage to $50.00 an hour, then they will be able to afford his outrageous non-affordable healthcare. At that point even the LIV should see the stupidity of raising the minimum wage. After all, anybody who deserves to be paid $15.00 an hour, already is being paid that.

Posted by: Chilling the most at December 05, 2013 07:28 AM (gxtMZ)

55 Standard libtard playbook: When you get caught red-handed and looking stupid, change the subject.

Ignore the minimum wage crap, keep calm, and keep pounding on Obamacare.

Posted by: Kristophr at December 05, 2013 07:28 AM (c6N69)

56 Double the minimum wage and obamacare: perfect job killers

Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 05, 2013 07:29 AM (t3UFN)

57 Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 11:24 AM (/kI1Q) My post at 50, yeah about that. The guys plan to pay for his utopia: tax corporations. As I remember (and it was crazy so my mind rejected it) the idea was with a guaranteed government provided income wages would collapse (since people would no longer *need* to work) then cooperate revenue would go up because...Keynes (my sub in for any stupid economic voodoo were government spending grows the economy like a weed) so net profits would be sky high. Tax them and viola! Again, ass, laughed off. Now then, I have to go shop for some jewelry for my wife (SHHHHHH Don't tell her)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 07:29 AM (GaqMa)

58 I had a libtard member of my DnD group send me an article that automation will bring about a "guaranteed income utopia." I laughed my ass off.

Oh yeah, guaranteed income.

For robots that is!

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 07:29 AM (GQ8sn)

59 Unrelated prediction: Liberal love of robust unilateral executive action will end the second a Republican wins the White House again.

And of course, said Republican will then proceed to do nothing to undo anything that the Left rammed through, not to mention that it will be uncivil to prosecute the Obama admin members for all their lawlessness....

Posted by: [/i][/b]KG at December 05, 2013 07:29 AM (p7BzH)

60
Yeah, I guess we have all noticed the fast food strikes and the minimum wage bills and speeches and so on coming at the same time.

I pretty much despise these commie bastards, but I grudgingly acknowledge one thing, they can coordinate issues and people like a mofo. And the commies own most of the press to boot.

That is one reason why I am not as confident as some that next years senate elections will go so swimmingly for the GOP.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at December 05, 2013 07:30 AM (caCiW)

61 Wait, I get to pay new employees more AND pay double for their health insurance in a declining economy? Well, sign me up for that clusterfuck!!

Posted by: Employers everywhere at December 05, 2013 07:30 AM (FcR7P)

62 So if you "work hard" you are entitled to a decent life?
Who determines that you are indeed "working hard"?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at December 05, 2013 07:30 AM (BrrWI)

63 Of course the money for that new higher wage will come from a combination of fewer workers or increased cost to consumers. There is a third option; cut the hours of employees. Have your burger flipper show up only during peak hour. Let the customers wait in long lines during off peak hours so that fewer employees have to do more work. No more eight hour shifts, you work from seven am to ten am, then punch out. Report back at noon until three. Oh yeah, you're also on a rotating shift of days so that you never know when you'll have a day off. There are ways to make a fifteen dollar an hour wage work, but I don't think anyone really wants to work like that. But aren't the Democrats so generous and caring -- all the while totally, blissfully unaware of the law of unintended circumstances?

Posted by: Recovering Businessperson [/i] at December 05, 2013 07:30 AM (OPROh)

64 That graphic's logic speaks to me. I understand!

1. Put on clean tee-shirt.
2. Marry Kate Upton.
3. Win the WSOP.

Posted by: jwpaine @PirateBallerina at December 05, 2013 11:25 AM (2oU2+)

How much do I get for one out of three?

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 07:30 AM (GQ8sn)

65 ATTENTION: THAT SQUIRREL IS DEAD. Next.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here)-also drooling imbecile incapable of doing algebra or something at December 05, 2013 07:30 AM (659DL)

66 That Barack Obama tweet *cannot* be real. They can't really believe this. They can't really believe that people will believe this. People can't believe this.

Right. Right? Right?!

Posted by: Uriah Heep at December 05, 2013 07:31 AM (jhI6f)

67 The chairmen of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Reps. Raul Grijalva D-LaRaza and Keith Ellison D-Sharia. fify

Posted by: X at December 05, 2013 07:31 AM (KHo8t)

Even LIVs and millenial dimbulbs are starting to realize that Obama doesn't have a clue. His legendary power of persuasion that got him elected (persuading Democrats to commit massive voter fraud) is losing its mojo.

Why have mojo when you can have mo reggie.

Posted by: dirks strewn at December 05, 2013 07:31 AM (kfcYC)

69 How can anyone be blind to the fact that if every menial job that a 16 year-old can easy handle pays enough to support a family, the economy will crash and burn? If I have to pay an unskilled worker as much as a skilled one, guess who I'm hiring and who is out of work?

Posted by: Meremortal at December 05, 2013 07:31 AM (1Y+hH)

70 I had a libtard member of my DnD group send me an article that automation... Wait, what? People still play Dungeons & Dragons?

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 07:31 AM (FcR7P)

71 tsrblke: Automation will only change what we value more.

If manufacturing goods become as cheap as water from a drinking fountain, then the raw materials. energy needed, and the intellectual property used will become valuable.

Posted by: Kristophr at December 05, 2013 07:32 AM (c6N69)

72 20 Robot Serves Up To 360 Hamburgers Per Hour (h/t Glenn Reynolds) - I gotta get me one of those.

Posted by: Christie Cream at December 05, 2013 07:32 AM (ee9LE)

73 @ $15 an hour, will mc'd's getting my order correct?.....all of a sudden the schlubs behind the counter are going to actually be capable of doing their job? really?

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl at December 05, 2013 07:32 AM (8JJ6O)

74 Maybe Obama should start here: http://www.gaypatriot.net/2013/12/05/something-funny-happened-around-20078/

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:32 AM (VIaw0)

Raising minimum wage creates hundreds of thousands of job..where millions of jobs used to be.

Posted by: dirks strewn at December 05, 2013 07:33 AM (kfcYC)

76 If the entitlement state makes enough folks walk away from minimum wage jobs then businesses would offer higher than the minimum wage to get workers. Since that is not happening that premise is bogus. If you set an artificially high price on labor the demand for labor will decline. There is something about supply and demand that eludes Liberals or maybe they just hate poor people more than making people poor.

Posted by: Mr. Feverhead at December 05, 2013 07:33 AM (6ahup)

77 Wait, what? People still play Dungeons & Dragons? Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 11:31 AM (FcR7P) i was wondering the same thing...

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl at December 05, 2013 07:33 AM (8JJ6O)

78 As one moron ( apologies, I do recall who) so eloquently put it, here is the test for minimum wage: The lowest wage at which someone is willing to do the job. That's it. Period. Anything else is damaging command economy bullshit..., just plain bullshit

Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 05, 2013 07:33 AM (aDwsi)

79 Obama is a lame duck already. Its just gonna be 3 more years of side shows, distractions, false flags, strawmen and a petulant little man-child's attempt to relive 2008 over and over and over......... Posted by: Mallamutt, RINO President for Life at December 05, 2013 11:25 AM (OWjjx) He's as big a crook as Nixon and Clinton, except he photoshopped halos on himself and promised to raise the sea levels. He has also hijacked over 1/6th of the US economy and hit many middle class families squarely in the pocket, forcing them to rely on government assistance for the first time in their lives, like the black woman who worked in defense asking if she and her husband would now be living on beans and weiners, or the Washington state woman automatically and unwillingly signed up for Medicaid. Pitchforks are gonna come out against this SOB when the GOP takes the Senate and begins impeachment proceedings. I see at least 55 seats picked up, and Democrats up in 2016 in conservative districts will go along with popular sentiment. After all, Obama didn't make their lives easier.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at December 05, 2013 07:34 AM (Y92Nd)

80
All my working life I've been under the impression that minimum or entry level wage was what you were paid while your employer decided whether or not to keep you.

Raising this wage to the levels proposed posits( to me) the recipient is expected to work at that job for his/her career.

There is no incentive for advancement. Are these people truly that callous?

Posted by: irongrampa at December 05, 2013 07:34 AM (SAMxH)

81 Is this some back-door way to sorta kinda 'fix' the ObamaCare part-time job problem? 7.75 x 40 = $310/wk gross 10.10 x 29 = $292.90/wk gross I doubt most minimum wage workers were really working 40 hours anyway. 38 hours at the old wage is almost exactly the same as 29 hours at the proposed new wage. ObamaCare makes businesses cut your hours, so we'll just make them pay you more to make up the difference! Problem solved!

Posted by: Guy in Texas at December 05, 2013 07:34 AM (AcmH4)

82 So those 140,000 jobs generate what...a TRILLION dollars in GDP and that generates....carry the two, 50 million jobs that generate a GAZILLION dollars and soon we'll all be Steve Jobs. Rich and dead.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here)-also drooling imbecile incapable of doing algebra or something at December 05, 2013 07:34 AM (659DL)

83 Also I hate any website that uses Disqus for their comments. It won't load because of my company firewall.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 07:34 AM (GQ8sn)

84 "I pretty much despise these commie bastards, but I grudgingly acknowledge one thing, they can coordinate issues"

The "issues" tactics don't work too well at the moment. That's why we're seeing a dramatic increase in hate-crime hoax fails. When everyone is feeling the government boot heel on their necks, there's a kind of solidarity in suffering. Dems have every reason to worry.

Posted by: mrp at December 05, 2013 07:34 AM (HjPtV)

85 Remember, the function of a business is not to make a profit. It is to provide a job at which the employee can fully express zee's creativity, intelligence and experience personal growth. That's really what this is all about. Trying to use reason and logic and facts and such is irrelevant when you realize that those proposing such things reject, out of hand, the notion that a business exists to turn a profit for the owners of the business. In fact, arguing that only proves that the person advancing the argument does not comprehend the way in which the world should work. In other news, it looks like Sammich of Oppression, Fries of Intolerance and a Hate Shake (I'm thinking cookies & cream) are on the menu for lunch today.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 05, 2013 07:35 AM (VtjlW)

86 Math: It doesn't matter whether you understand it, it understands you.

Posted by: WalrusRex at December 05, 2013 11:27 AM (ee9LE)

Yes. The whole problem with Math and other immutable things is that people think things are mutable because humans are mutable, after all, they can cut holes in their bodies and stick "jewelry" in them or get a big ugly tattoo to disfigure themselves and identify them as bad ass. So therefore, they must be Masters of the Universe and therefore:

1. Instantly addictive drugs will not addict them.

2. Indiscriminate sex will not result in STDs or unwanted fetal clumps.

3. Etc., etc., et al

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 07:35 AM (kXoT0)

87 This seems like the perfect time to recall all the economic predictions Obama made regarding Stimulus. And the sequester. Or anything really. He's never right.

Posted by: gwelf at December 05, 2013 07:35 AM (nyxv/)

88 Recovering Buisness Person said: There is a third option; cut the hours of employees. Have your burger flipper show up only during peak hour.

And this has the *drum-roll* added benefit/feature/"unintended consequence" of reducing your full-time employment numbers below the Obamacare threshold.

Everybody's a winner!

... On second-thought, maybe it will boost GDP via a second-order mechanism of reducing Obamacare regulation and implementation on businesses. See, the liberal loyalists were right, even Obama's lies are truthful!

Posted by: Uriah Heep at December 05, 2013 07:35 AM (jhI6f)

89 Beck had the girl who wasn't allowed to sell mistletoe on this morning. She was great. He is selling her mistletoe on his website. Demand was such that his website crashed, just like FUBARcare.

Posted by: Christie Cream at December 05, 2013 07:35 AM (ee9LE)

90 87 Also I hate any website that uses Disqus for their comments. It won't load because of my company firewall. Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 11:34 AM (GQ8sn) Why can't everyone upgrade to Minx 0.7 alpha?

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:36 AM (VIaw0)

91 Has BOR weighed in on this yet? He's usually a total retard about economic matters so I'm wondering if somebody's been able to talk some sense to him on this single issue.

Posted by: Captain Hate at December 05, 2013 07:36 AM (yDOhC)

92 I have the perpetually restrain myself from shaking people and screaming NO ONE OWES YOU ANYTHING!!.

Posted by: toby928© insists on talking about robots at December 05, 2013 07:36 AM (QupBk)

Ah Good King Barack. He's been taking tips from his lefty friends in Venezuela. Those boys know how to run a goldanged government, brooking no interference from anyone.

Well first they came for the toilet paper factories. Seems like all that good central planning was so smart that they couldn't produce toilet paper for the country without the plant going broke., Sabotage! they cried as they wiped their backsides with--er, nothing much.

The latest ploy by Chavez's successor is to put price caps on the price of cars. That in a country where used cars may cost twice as much as new cars.

What these clowns are trying to do is set up a second Caribbean museum of old cars---Caracas will look like Havana---1950's clunker heaven.

You keep going Good King Barack. I don't know what's left that you haven't already fracked up--but I trust you'll find something else to wreck in the next three years.

Posted by: Comanche Voter at December 05, 2013 07:36 AM (VAche)

94 I'd like to see some citations on the numbers on that chart. Other than "my ass" or "fantasy land."

Posted by: brak at December 05, 2013 07:37 AM (NaTky)

95 64 Wait, I get to pay new employees more AND pay double for their health insurance in a declining economy? Well, sign me up for that clusterfuck!!
==========
Don't forget all the paperwork you have to complete for each and every employee.
1) I-9
2) W-4
3) W-2
4) 941
5) 940
6) State unemployment reports.
7) paychecks and stubs

timecards
9) and more I've forgotten.

Are you beginning to see what no one is hiring and/or prefers illegals/under the table wages?

Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 07:37 AM (VjL9S)

"they are doing what we have long believed was fulfilling our basic social contract"

HAAHAHAHAHA !

Fucking "social contract"

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 07:37 AM (nTgAI)

97 Someone needs to do a commercial... Simple chart showing how much the Labor cost increase will drive up the price of fast food... Point out that those costs WILL go directly to the cost of food...

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 05, 2013 07:37 AM (lZBBB)

98 Anything to change the conversation from Obamacare and its failures so far.

Posted by: whyme at December 05, 2013 07:37 AM (l9mF2)

99 Also I hate any website that uses Disqus for their comments. It won't load because of my company firewall.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 11:34 AM (GQ8sn)

My iPhone takes forever to load them.

Posted by: Captain Hate at December 05, 2013 07:37 AM (yDOhC)

100 How much do I get for one out of three? Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 11:30 AM (GQ8sn) I'm pretty sure that nails down the Vice-Presidency.

Posted by: jwpaine @PirateBallerina at December 05, 2013 07:38 AM (2oU2+)

101 Fucking "social contract" Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 11:37 AM (nTgAI) Yeah.... where is this 'social contract'? Because I never F'n signed it.... And they keep changing it.... Only contract my forebears signed for me? The US Constitution.... which THEY are not following.

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 05, 2013 07:39 AM (lZBBB)

102 I don't remember signing a social contract.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 07:39 AM (GQ8sn)

103 Tax the rich to pay the poor

Till there ain't no middle class no more.

Posted by: Barrio Bomba at December 05, 2013 07:39 AM (KQp38)

104 If you set an artificially high price on labor the demand for labor will decline. The demand for *legal* labor will decline. The demand for illegals, which is sacrosanct in California, will increase.

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 07:39 AM (FcR7P)

105

One more unintended (?) brick paving the road to Redbox Nation.

Every time they do this, another business sector's labor costs shift to the point that it makes financial sense to automate.

Posted by: Robot-Americans for Obama at December 05, 2013 07:40 AM (Hj9yW)

106 The demand for *legal* labor will decline. The demand for illegals, which is sacrosanct in California, will increase.

And you know what? They won't be paid anywhere near $10 or $15 an hour!

Back to square 1.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 07:40 AM (GQ8sn)

107 How to explain minimum wage hikes to an idiot: You: You know how much a fast food taco costs? Idiot: About a dollar. You: Would you buy it if it was 10 dollars? Idiot: No. You: You're the taco.

Posted by: Mr. Feverhead at December 05, 2013 07:41 AM (6ahup)

108 Ahhh.... Idea for New Commerical... Just show this chart.... Then... barrak saying you can keep your health insurance... and keep you Doctor... Then... Graphic.... I guess now we can keep our Jobs? if we like them... PERIOD?

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 05, 2013 07:41 AM (lZBBB)

109 Fitting that Obama pivots to magic math! the day after we learn that USA is now 26th out of 34 countries in Math. http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/PISA-2012-results-US.pdf I offer the following verbatim from the report without further comment: "Students in the United States have particular weaknesses in performing mathematics tasks with higher cognitive demands, such as taking real-world situations, translating them into mathematical terms, and interpreting mathematical aspects in real-world problems."

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:41 AM (VIaw0)

110
Me and Barack Obama have a lot in common. We're avid golfers and fisherman.

Posted by: Fredo Corleone at December 05, 2013 07:41 AM (pJF+c)

111 You're the taco. Nice.

Posted by: toby928© insists on talking about robots at December 05, 2013 07:42 AM (QupBk)

112 "Sammich of Oppression, Fries of Intolerance and a Hate Shake Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 05, 2013 11:35 AM"

Totally stealing that.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at December 05, 2013 07:42 AM (knoK7)

113 I think the left's mental contortions go like this:

1. Obama must succeed
2. Only jobs created under him are minimum wage
3. People are bitching because they can't survive on minimum wage
4. Increase the minimum wage dramatically
5. Everyone happy, Obama is now a great jobs creator!

Of course, when all the small low paying business close up shop, that will be something else entirely, however, that will be attributed to "economic policies of the Republican controlled house."

Does that sound accurate?

Posted by: shibumi at December 05, 2013 07:42 AM (25HWz)

114 "they are doing what we have long believed was fulfilling our basic social contract"

HAAHAHAHAHA !

Fucking "social contract"

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 11:37 AM (nTgAI)

There is another gem in this statement: "what we have long believed"

Well there is the other half of your fucking problem; failure to recognize reality.

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 07:42 AM (nTgAI)

115 And you know what? They won't be paid anywhere near $10 or $15 an hour! Actually, they already are. And, as RoyalOil pointed out, you save a shitload in paperwork.

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 07:42 AM (FcR7P)

116 The demand for *legal* labor will decline. The demand for illegals, which is sacrosanct in California, will increase. Well then we better legalize them and get them voting, err I mean working, post-haste

Posted by: Your betters in Congress at December 05, 2013 07:43 AM (NaTky)

117

But even with an issue on which which the president appears to fall in line with a majority of Americans, heÂ’s struggling.

The Pew poll showed ObamaÂ’s approval rating on immigration, for instance, was at 32 percent, with 60 percent disapproving, and Quinnipiac showed just 35 percent approving of Obama on that issue.

Please explain how a majority of Americans are Â“in lineÂ” with the President when you have Â“60 percent disapprovingÂ”.

Perhaps, this can be explained by the use of the word "appears". The appearance may simply be a sham.

Posted by: Frankie Goes To Probability at December 05, 2013 07:43 AM (e8kgV)

118 Mike Hammer said: That's it. Period. Anything else is damaging command economy bullshit..., just plain bullshit

Absolutely! I consider this a litmus for people who comprehended the first week of macroeconomics 101 and those who never showed up.

This is basic supply-demand curve dynamics

This isn't difficult stuff; If a job or task produces $8/hr output, why the fuck would a company pay someone $10/hr to do it? Answer: They won't.

Furthermore, who is to say that because a job or task doesn't produce $10/hr in output that job or task isn't a perfectly valid and useful job?

...ohh, right, the same government who says that your healthcare plan isn't good enough. Motherfuckers.

Posted by: Uriah Heep at December 05, 2013 07:43 AM (jhI6f)

119 12 Tami "Just when you think they just can't be this dumb....they are." Being a public employee or academic your whole life does that. Next "cure all" from the hat will be, "to lower unemployment, we will have people share Jobs by working part-time to employ more people." They tried that in France about 2 or 3 decades ago. Watching the democrats ru(i)n a country is painful.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at December 05, 2013 07:44 AM (z6rnp)

120 Do these people really believe this or are they just messing with us? The Underpants Gnome Administration.

Posted by: rickl at December 05, 2013 07:44 AM (zoehZ)

121 That "chart" looks very underpants gnomish to me.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 05, 2013 07:44 AM (xSegX)

122 "Students in the United States have particular weaknesses in performing mathematics tasks with higher cognitive demands, such as taking real-world situations, translating them into mathematical terms, and interpreting mathematical aspects in real-world problems." Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 11:41 AM (VIaw0) Funny.... how when I read this my mind flashed through... Obamacare... Paul Krugman... Federal Budget... in really quick flashes...

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 05, 2013 07:44 AM (lZBBB)

123 15 I try not to eat fast food. Today, in solidarity with Capitalist Employers, Mrs. USA and I will dine on Whataburger for lunch. Same here. I usually avoid fast food but after work I'm going to stop at Mighty Taco in solidarity with capitalist employers.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 05, 2013 07:44 AM (7ObY1)

124 Thomas Sowell does a great job going over the history and reality of how destructive minimum wage laws are to entry level jobs and the employment prospects of the young and poor. As usual the preferred progressive policy is the most destructive to the people they are supposedly helping.

Posted by: gwelf at December 05, 2013 07:44 AM (nyxv/)

125 This is an explicitly articulated plan that ensures that unemployment for American citizens living at or below the poverty line will be permanently high, while employment for illegals is guaranteed.

Americans at the poverty level can never rise if they never get even a chance at learning how to work. It used to be understood that part of working for the local Dairy Queen for $1.50 an hour was that you would learn how to work and that the owner of the DQ would train you to work and then help you by writing you letters of reference, etc. Now, they are shutting the door out of poverty and nailing it shut.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 07:44 AM (kXoT0)

126 Seems like a good time to pick up some robot insurance.

Posted by: Clownf*cker at December 05, 2013 07:45 AM (F26eZ)

127 1. Obama must succeed 2. Only jobs created under him are minimum wage 3. People are bitching because they can't survive on minimum wage 4. Increase the minimum wage dramatically 5. Everyone happy, Obama is now a great jobs creator! Does that sound accurate? Actually, yes. I wouldn't put that thinking past them.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 05, 2013 07:45 AM (7ObY1)

128 Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at December 05, 2013 11:30 AM (BrrWI) The same guy I know who advocates for guaranteed income is also anti-copyright. One of his arguments for the anti-copyright is the "sunk work fallacy." The idea that just because you worked doesn't mean you deserve payment. And then he demands either a minimum wage increase or a guaranteed income. WTF? (BTW, I agree with the Sunk Work Fallacy to an extent. Work grants you the right to take your product to market and attempt to sell it that's all, that's the purpose of copyright, to ensure someone can't do near 0 work and undercut you. It doesn't instantly make anything valuable, but if something does indeed have value it protects it.)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 07:46 AM (GaqMa)

129

This is a genius move on the Dem's part. They can't defend themselves on Obamcare and astonishingly, almost against their will, the GOP seems to be doing well with it.

They also can't defend themselves when it comes to the minimum wage, or the welfare state. The difference here, however, is that the Republicans/conservative/libertarians are so utterly clueless that they can win on it. They're changing to a topic where their opponents not only can't seem to articulate a proper response, but can be guaranteed to be so obnoxious about it that they'll drive people to the other side in horror. And then they'll be scathing at them for not wanting to be on the side of obnoxious corporatists. (See: every time young whites have the temerity to not go GOP, just because the GOP does nothing to support their interests - and often actively goes against them.)

Posted by: Lizzie at December 05, 2013 07:46 AM (3hJcU)

130 That's really what this is all about. Trying to use reason and logic and facts and such is irrelevant when you realize that those proposing such things reject, out of hand, the notion that a business exists to turn a profit for the owners of the business. In fact, arguing that only proves that the person advancing the argument does not comprehend the way in which the world should work. Posted by: alexthechick ---------------------- ATC - Listen to a minute or so of this, broadcast yesterday, FF to 1:00. The money quote at 2:35 "Liberals are not about reason.."

Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 05, 2013 07:46 AM (aDwsi)

131

I can see it now, the minimum wage pickets:

"What do we want?"

*A Living Wage!*

"When do we want it?"

*I don't know, maybe when we grow up and actually have to pay for our own rent/mortgage, and after we get educated to the point where we actually have marketable skills that would justify higher pay!*

In my dreams, at least.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 05, 2013 07:46 AM (TOk1P)

132 why stop at 140,000 jobs? why not raise it until we reach full employment? oh yeah, because it's retarded.

Posted by: X at December 05, 2013 07:46 AM (KHo8t)

133 I mean, you got your ass out of bed and showed up, right..
===========
My nephew was complaining the other day about how he's not making enough to pay all his bills.
His mom was talking to him.
"Could he work more days and hours?"
"Yes."
"but mom, I have to have at least one day off a week. I can't work every day."

Amazing. Just amazing.

Not going to school, no kids, no wife--wtf do you have to do but work?

That's the mindset.

Even better: he was complaining about the kid 2 years younger than him they just hired to be his manager "don't tell me how to do my job, I've been here longer than you!"

Psst. If you've been working in the same food service place for more than a year and they haven't made you a manager it's 'cause you're not very good at your job and show no prospect or initiative worth rewarding.

Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 07:46 AM (VjL9S)

134 8 Obama is doing to fast-food what he did to Health Insurance. If you like your value meal, you can keep your value meal ... as long as it meets the new Federal minimum standards -- namely, a side of birth control pills and a colorful condom toy.

Posted by: edj[/i] at December 05, 2013 07:47 AM (klzyR)

135 OK, raise the minimum wage to $15/hour. Then legalize all the illegal aliens and pay them $15/hour. No, I can't see where that could go wrong.

Posted by: rickl at December 05, 2013 07:47 AM (zoehZ)

136 Well then we better legalize them and get them voting, err I mean working, post-haste Posted by: Your betters in Congress Don't you worry, since at least 2006, there is never a day-worker to be found in the parking lots on election days. Funny, huh?

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 07:47 AM (FcR7P)

137 Well, let's just cut to the chase. Why not have an election where the winners get to take everything the losers have? At least it would be more efficient. If you vote for the loser then you lose your shirt. If you vote for the winner then you get a free ride at someone else's expense.

Then, when everyone votes for the same guy, we can go back to everyone earning their way again because there will be no one left to rob.

Posted by: Thatch at December 05, 2013 07:47 AM (qYvEa)

138 ATC - Listen to a minute or so of this, broadcast yesterday, FF to 1:00. The money quote at 2:35 "Liberals are not about reason.." Posted by: Mike Hammer --------------- Ooops, link : http://tinyurl.com/nhq63av

Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 05, 2013 07:48 AM (aDwsi)

139 Psst. If you've been working in the same food service place for more than a year and they haven't made you a manager it's 'cause you're not very good at your job and show no prospect or initiative worth rewarding. Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 11:46 AM (VjL9S) ^^^this^^^

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl at December 05, 2013 07:48 AM (8JJ6O)

140 From each according to his ability To each according to his need.....

Posted by: hello, it's me also a creep-assed cracka.. at December 05, 2013 07:48 AM (9+ccr)

141

Posted by: Mallamutt, RINO President for Life at December 05, 2013 11:42 AM (OWjjx)

**slides over tin of blue unction**

Apply liberally.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at December 05, 2013 07:49 AM (zF6Iw)

142 Even Krugman doesn't argue that raising the minimum wage won't kill jobs. He says it will, but...that it won't kill very many and that it will have all sorts of other beneficial effects. Of course, he overstates all of it. What one forgets is that the raise in the minimum wage is a war on low cost-of-living states. You can raise the minimum wage to $10/hr and it won't effect anything in NYC. But with the new self-checkouts, retail doesn't need minimum wage labor anymore and will be much more ready to dump them.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 05, 2013 07:49 AM (xSegX)

143 There is a robot Vending machine that make Pizza, they have robots that make hamburgers and fill your drink, soon you see more fast food places adding touch screens.

Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at December 05, 2013 07:49 AM (b6koZ)

144 116 "Sammich of Oppression, Fries of Intolerance and a Hate Shake Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 05, 2013 11:35 AM" LOL, nice, Alex. Oh, and I saw Hate Shake open for Orange Juice.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 05, 2013 07:49 AM (7ObY1)

145 Hey fsck-face, we need more than 14 million jobs... you are off by a factor of 100... do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars

Posted by: phreshone at December 05, 2013 07:49 AM (Pr6hk)

146 So what's minimum wage now, like $250,000 a year? I need a fucking job.

Posted by: Martin "Piss and Shit in Her Mouth" Bashir at December 05, 2013 07:49 AM (yhJhK)

147 "Here's how to improve our economy and create hundreds of thousands of jobs:" From the same derps that brought you "saved or created" and "shovel-ready" jobs.

Posted by: Scott M at December 05, 2013 07:49 AM (AdBfq)

148 We are The Hunger Games now.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 07:49 AM (kXoT0)

149 108 If you set an artificially high price on labor the demand for labor will decline.

The demand for *legal* labor will decline. The demand for illegals, which is sacrosanct in California, will increase. Not for everyone out here in Cali. I still have my two kids for slave wage labor. And, a side benefit for oppression is that both kids are WHITE AND MALE! Winning!

Posted by: Havildar-Major at December 05, 2013 07:50 AM (kduZC)

150 why stop at 140,000 jobs? why not raise it until we reach full employment? oh yeah, because it's retarded. I like that. What do we need, 15 million jobs? If minimum wage were $1000/hr, that would add $3.26 trillion to GDP and that is when we get the jobs. Hurrah, Democrat Math!

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 07:50 AM (FcR7P)

151 Don't worry! The GOP has spent the last 30 years counter-acting the soft-headed notions that have infected our popular culture. They have inoculated the zeitgeist so well this has no chance of working to the Dem's benefit.

#imaginationland

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at December 05, 2013 07:50 AM (uCNam)

152 -
""Dozens of demonstrators lined up outside an east side Detroit McDonaldÂ’s restaurant in an effort to protest what one man called Â“slave wagesÂ” for fast-food workers.""

----------------------------------

Oh my God!! They're pooping in your mouth????

Posted by: Martin Bashir at December 05, 2013 07:50 AM (8GKDa)

153 why stop at 140,000 jobs? why not raise it until we reach full employment? You know what they did, right? GDP/#of employed = productivity. Now imagine a world in which McDonald's automates and tell me what this does to the productivity number. These guys are economic geniuses, I tell you.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here)-also drooling imbecile incapable of doing algebra or something at December 05, 2013 07:51 AM (659DL)

154

A liberal economist walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender says that will be $10.00. The liberal is aghast. " twenty dollars? are you kidding me?"

The bartender says " yeah it sucks for you but the good news is I now make $15.00 an hour "

Posted by: polynikes self proclaimed king of walked into a bar jokes at December 05, 2013 07:51 AM (m2CN7)

155 The same guy I know who advocates for guaranteed income is also anti-copyright.

I don't think there should be no copyright, but I think 125 years or whatever is ridiculous. Computer software is normally fully obsolete in 10-15 years, and that's on the long end of the first-sale usefulness of intellectual property.

The part where fixing that would deeply hurt progtard mothership Disney is strictly a wonderful side effect, of course.

Posted by: Ian S. at December 05, 2013 07:51 AM (B/VB5)

156 fgs, we should just raise the salary of every worker the same as our leadership and They should all be paid the same as one another and with all the same bennies, and i would also like to be afforded their status and access to parties with free flowing booze .
why should They have Moar and We have less?

2.be.fair.

Posted by: willow at December 05, 2013 07:51 AM (nqBYe)

157 We are The Hunger Games now.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 11:49 AM (kXoT0)

These assholes just don't realize they will turn everything a simple shade of gray, like death if they get their way

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 07:52 AM (nTgAI)

158 also it should be mandatory all over the world that all start and End on equal footing in every way.

Posted by: willow at December 05, 2013 07:52 AM (nqBYe)

159
The latest ploy by Chavez's successor is to put price caps on the price of cars. That in a country where used cars may cost twice as much as new cars.
What these clowns are trying to do is set up a second Caribbean museum of old cars---Caracas will look like Havana---1950's clunker heaven.

Posted by: Comanche Voter at December 05, 2013 11:36 AM (VAche)

It'll be worse. Because the current cars in Venezuela are most likely 80s or newer, which means they'll be a LOT tougher to keep on the road by garage tinkerers. Anything with an engine computer? Fuggetaboutit.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at December 05, 2013 07:52 AM (TIIx5)

160 A nun walks into a bar and I piss and shit in her mouth. Knock knock!

Posted by: Martin "Piss and Shit in Her Mouth" Bashir at December 05, 2013 07:53 AM (yhJhK)

161

Posted by: polynikes self proclaimed king of walked into a bar jokes at December 05, 2013 07:53 AM (m2CN7)

162 Good News! Learned today that new Obamacare plans WILL cover at-home colonoscopy self-exam kits!

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:53 AM (VIaw0)

163 A liberal economist walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender says that will be $10.00. The liberal is aghast. " twenty dollars? are you kidding me?"

The bartender says " yeah it sucks for you but the good news is I now make $15.00 an hour "

Posted by: polynikes self proclaimed king of walked into a bar jokes at December 05, 2013 11:51 AM (m2CN7)

Math ?

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 07:53 AM (nTgAI)

164 Here in Cali the fast food joints are being run by 90% Hispanics, most of which don't speak English. When the wage goes up who is gonna be hired? A somewhat capable English speaker possibly College educated or the "others" who are not quite as "educated."

Posted by: hello, it's me also a creep-assed cracka.. at December 05, 2013 07:53 AM (9+ccr)

165 In other news, it looks like Sammich of Oppression, Fries of Intolerance and a Hate Shake (I'm thinking cookies & cream) are on the menu for lunch today. Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting

I'm on board! For here or to go, that is the question.

Posted by: mrp at December 05, 2013 07:53 AM (HjPtV)

166 One other racist thing, those Chinese, Korean, Pakistani, and Indian kids who grow up working in the parent's restaurants or stores sure as Hades learn math from working the cash register and they learn that they are working so the family can eat.

Kids on the farm or ranch in California, Kansas, Orgeon, Nebraska, Oklahoma, or Texas learn the same thing, but, it does nuttin for my racist creds to point that out, so I won't.

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 07:54 AM (kXoT0)

167 Excellent. Everything is proceeding as we planned. Soon we will own their fast food production as well. Press enter to continue.

Posted by: A job stealing ATM at December 05, 2013 07:54 AM (6ahup)

168 We are not amused that a Hunger Games character with our name killed animals in Girl on Fire.

Posted by: PETA at December 05, 2013 07:54 AM (q4QfH)

169 I had the "Why not raise minimum wage to $highNumber" argument recently. Their answer was "that's not politically feasible." IOW they had no idea it'd be a bad idea.

Posted by: bonhomme at December 05, 2013 07:54 AM (6qlHs)

170 Oh for the love of G-d. A longtime friend just posted on his FB page "I hope Obama changes the law so he can run for a third term." I replied "Say hello to my defriended list." Instant defriend.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 05, 2013 07:54 AM (7ObY1)

171 It's also always a big sop to the Unions because many of their contracts use minimum wage as a baseline calculation.

If the GOP House was really devious, it would say something like they'd raise the minimum wage in exchange for a repeal of ObamaCare.

Then you'd see some "blue on blue" violence.

Posted by: McAdams at December 05, 2013 07:54 AM (2TMCu)

172 You're the taco. Posted by: Mr. Feverhead at December 05, 2013 11:41 AM (6ahup) ...and Today's Internet has been won! Thanks to all our other contestants for playing.

Posted by: jwpaine @PirateBallerina at December 05, 2013 07:54 AM (2oU2+)

173 social constructs that can be raised or lowered devoid of any connections to real world conditions and consequences This describes Joe Biden.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at December 05, 2013 07:55 AM (oFCZn)

174 Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 11:46 AM (VjL9S) Not true. In my case it was because you had to be 18, and I was only 17 when the new store manager offered me a promotion. (When I informed him of my age it was withdrawn.) I actually later turned down a promotion to shift manager because I knew my time was coming to an end, and due to my huge performance increases earlier the wage bump wasn't worth what they were going to dump on me responsibility wise (I knew that staff not going to respond to me) I took the lesser role of "trainer." Regardless I still made more than at least one shift manager (who informed me thusly after looking at my check, which netted her a suspension!)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 07:55 AM (GaqMa)

175 There are certain ideas that Progressives seem to be relentlessly drawn to an no amount of rational debate can persuade them otherwise. Prohibition and eugenics were Progressive favorites in the early days of the 20th century. Government health care is one of their great loves. A high minimum wage is another one of those irrationally loved Progressive ideas. The only way to get past these wrong Progressive ideas seems to be to put them in place and experience the damage like we did with Prohibition or when the Nazis horrified the world with their eugenic programs. My modest proposal would be for Republicans in Congress and the Senate to agree to abstain from voting while Democrats raise the Minimum Wage to $15 or $20. Even higher if the Democrats want it. Of course, when the inevitable consequences hit, Democrats will insist that Republicans are to blame for allowing Democrats to win party line votes in both houses and the media will join in but I think that is only going to erode trust in the media even more.

Posted by: Obnoxious A Hole at December 05, 2013 07:55 AM (RpO68)

176 Good read : " Lies and Hypocrisy Are Essential Components of Liberalism", Kurt Schlicter at Townhall: http://tinyurl.com/lvj2x74

Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 05, 2013 07:55 AM (aDwsi)

177 Math ?

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 11:53 AM (nTgAI)

yeah I wrote twenty when meant to write ten. No math involved.

Posted by: polynikes self proclaimed king of walked into a bar jokes at December 05, 2013 07:55 AM (m2CN7)

178 Oh. My. Fucking. God. I now need to sign up for Obamacare.

Posted by: Martin "Piss and Shit in Her Mouth" Bashir at December 05, 2013 07:55 AM (yhJhK)

179 I presume a carbon tax will lead to people using more fossil fuels.

This is one of those topics where libs and lefties are so out of touch with reality that it's almost impossible to get them to get their heads out of their butts long enough to have a coherent thought.

Posted by: Mallfly at December 05, 2013 07:56 AM (bJm7W)

180 "I hope Obama changes the law so he can run for a third term." Stop and think about how disturbing that sentence is on about fifty different levels.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here)-also drooling imbecile incapable of doing algebra or something at December 05, 2013 07:56 AM (659DL)

181 Want more?

Posted by: Mallamutt, RINO President for Life
============
Keep going.

I was just thinking of the ones I had to fill out back when I had 1-2 employees.

And all of that I have to pay to have stored for 7 years.

And don't forget--I had to fill out that paperwork so I could pay the taxes.

You wanna fucking guess how likely it is that I'll ever, ever, ever have another full-time employee?

Mos people--I call them wage slaves--have no idea the amount of hidden costs their employer bears behind the scenes just so they can show up to complain about how hard their job is and how unfair it is that the boss/owner is making more money than they.

Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 07:56 AM (VjL9S)

182 Posted by: hello, it's me also a creep-assed cracka.. at December 05, 2013 11:53 AM (9+ccr) I have a friend whose daughter just got her RN out here in Cali... and can't get a job here... She does not speak Spanish.... So... moving out of State...

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 05, 2013 07:56 AM (lZBBB)

183 My wage base increases by 30% what do I do? I go hire more people, cause I am dumb as a rock. I get by on volume.

Posted by: Liberal Business Owner at December 05, 2013 07:57 AM (0FSuD)

184 Posted by: Ian S. at December 05, 2013 11:51 AM (B/VB5) Oh, I'm very much with the modified Friedman plan which I believe was 8 years with a 5 year renewal option. Disney has corrupted copyright. He's very much "everything should be free!" (He thinks theft only applies to physical goods, which I find...wrong.)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 07:57 AM (GaqMa)

185 I am a very strong man. I know this to be true because after 5 years under the yoke of Obama, I have yet to beat my brains out on my desk while reading about his latest communist idea.

Posted by: Meremortal at December 05, 2013 07:57 AM (1Y+hH)

186 Wait, there's still an open fast food place in Detroit? Really? ATC - Listen to a minute or so of this, broadcast yesterday, FF to 1:00. The money quote at 2:35 "Liberals are not about reason.." Posted by: Mike Hammer --------------- Ooops, link : http://tinyurl.com/nhq63av Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 05, 2013 11:48 AM (aDwsi) Oh thank God, I thought for a second there I'd started drinking at work and just didn't notice.

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Now with extra taunting. at December 05, 2013 07:58 AM (VtjlW)

187 A jack-up of the minimum wage may result in a jack-up of nominal GDP, but it would have a negative effect on real GDP as inflation spikes.

Posted by: steveegg at December 05, 2013 07:58 AM (o44nj)

188 They're protesting a local McD's today - smart move when it's only 5 degrees!

The local news interviewed their leader who said (approximately), "This is a 200 billion dollar industry. People working there are living in poverty. We think they should give that profit to them."

In other words, the industry makes money and we want more. Morons.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 05, 2013 07:58 AM (JRmiD)

189 Why can't the democrats be happy wrecking only 1/5 of the economy at a time?

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 07:58 AM (VIaw0)

190 Pivot, pivot, pivot, pivot, twirl, plie, pivot.

Posted by: Dr. Jesse Pinkman at December 05, 2013 07:58 AM (kkbgQ)

191 Sammich of Oppression, Fries of Intolerance and a Hate Shake I'm showing my solidarity by going to Might Taco. So I guess I'm having a Burrito of Bigotry, an Empanada of Injustice, and maybe a couple of Tacos of Tyranny to take home for later.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 05, 2013 07:58 AM (7ObY1)

192
138

Psst. If you've been working in the same food service place for more than a year and they haven't made you a manager it's 'cause you're not very good at your job and show no prospect or initiative worth rewarding.
Posted by: RoyalOil

Here's the thing- my late wife was Honey Creek's 2nd highest paid employee- she took home $603 every two weeks- do the math. She did have medical and retirement benefits.

At this time Mickey Dee's was advertising for part-time, assistant, and full-time managers. 25K, 35K, and 50K- with escalating levels of bennies. Around these benighted parts that is good money.

Posted by: backhoe at December 05, 2013 07:58 AM (ULH4o)

193 185 Oh. My. Fucking. God. I now need to sign up for Obamacare. Posted by: Martin "Piss and Shit in Her Mouth" Bashir at December 05, 2013 11:55 AM (yhJhK) Think of all the free colonoscopies you can get!

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at December 05, 2013 07:59 AM (oFCZn)

194 Math ?
Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 11:53 AM (nTgAI)

yeahI wrote twenty when meant to write ten. No math involved.

Posted by: polynikes self proclaimed king of walked into a bar jokes at December 05, 2013 11:55 AM (m2CN7)

heh, It was a good joke

Posted by: The Jackhole at December 05, 2013 07:59 AM (nTgAI)

195 Ugh. MighY Taco. Damned fingers.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 05, 2013 07:59 AM (7ObY1)

196 So, I was a little bored this weekend and I got around to thinking and so I drank me some piss and ate me some shit. Not bad, actually. Thinking of doing it again.

Posted by: Martin "Piss and Shit in Her Mouth" Bashir at December 05, 2013 07:59 AM (yhJhK)

197 The local news interviewed their leader who said (approximately), "This is a 200 billion dollar industry. People working there are living in poverty. We think they should give that profit to them." In other words, the industry makes money and we want more. Morons. Posted by: Lizzy at December 05, 2013 11:58 AM (JRmiD Actually some level of managers at corporate owned McD's get stock options each year (2nd assistant and higher I think?) Our Store managers got profit sharing as well. So they already do that, he's just stupid (and clearly doesn't work there.)

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 08:00 AM (GaqMa)

198 A jack-up of the minimum wage may result in a jack-up of nominal GDP, but it would have a negative effect on real GDP as inflation spikes.

Posted by: steveegg

Only in an economy with a tight labor market.

You know, the one that does not exist.

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at December 05, 2013 08:00 AM (uCNam)

199 Stop and think about how disturbing that sentence is on about fifty different levels. I did, that's why I defriended the idjit.

Posted by: BlueStateRebel at December 05, 2013 08:00 AM (7ObY1)

200 Prohibition and eugenics were Progressive favorites in the early days of the 20th century.

They still are.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 08:00 AM (/kI1Q)

201 Oddly all of the left's actions are easily explained as "War Necessitated Deviations from Normalcy"...

the thing is we thought the war was the GWoT instead it is The War on the GOP and Reality...

happy landings

Posted by: sven at December 05, 2013 08:01 AM (9jfyN)

202 I see striking workers anywhere near a food service establishment and I am never going in there.

Posted by: garrett at December 05, 2013 08:01 AM (TRNQp)

203 I have been reading about Michael Totten's trip to Cuba. If you have not read it yet, go read it. Very good. Apparently the Cuban government mandates a salary of $20/month and a ration card. Maybe instead of minimum wage Teh One should impose the same salary for everyone and take care of the whole income disparity mess.

Posted by: Penfold at December 05, 2013 08:01 AM (Fbt5B)

204 42 Do these people really believe this or are they just messing with us?

They really believe it. They've been conditioned to believe it, and don't understand arithmetic--basic fucking arithmetic--well enough to realize there could be anything wrong with the proposal besides "greedy corporations."
---

Nailed it. To expand on it, the libtards think that companies should fire the "useless executives" (up to and including the CEO), or at least drastically reduce their pay. After all, the person who hands you the burger is doing more work than some pencil-pusher.

When I turn this argument around on them, noting that most government workers are also unproductive, overpaid pencil-pushing drones, they immediately try to change the subject.

Libs do not like arguing with me because I won't let them change the argument until I literally get them to hold their ears and yell "LALALALALA!!!" I'm easily entertained.

Posted by: Biff Boffo at December 05, 2013 08:01 AM (YmPwQ)

205 >>So they already do that, he's just stupid (and clearly doesn't work there.)

Ignorant and greedy - came across loud and clear. Probably union, too.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 05, 2013 08:01 AM (JRmiD)

206 177 A longtime friend just posted on his FB page "I hope Obama changes the law so he can run for a third term." Yes. The President controls the FEC, so running for a third term is just a matter of changing a few rules.

Posted by: edj[/i] at December 05, 2013 08:01 AM (klzyR)

207 Obama learned everything he knows about economics by watching that episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia where Mac and Dennis try to create a "self sustaining economy" by printing Paddy's Dollars.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at December 05, 2013 08:01 AM (+lsX1)

208 207 HeatherRadishÂ™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 12:00 PM (/kI1Q)

Now the 1,2 punch is Eugenics and industrial prohibition....

some things never change

Posted by: sven at December 05, 2013 08:02 AM (9jfyN)

209 When we replace fast food workers with robots whose going to screw up my order?

Posted by: Mr. Feverhead at December 05, 2013 08:02 AM (6ahup)

210 Posted by: backhoe at December 05, 2013 11:58 AM (ULH4o) My last store manager at McD's was a "fixer" they sent him to stores in disarray to...fix. He was said to have made 6 figures when you accounted for profit sharing and other bonuses (we were a gross $2mill store.) Sounds about right, he drove a very nice car. He also started as a drive through employee at 15. My memory is a bit shady but I think McD's paid for a business degree in there at some point. He came in, cleaned up our labor and waste costs. He was still there when I left, but I think he was getting ready to be transferred again.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 08:02 AM (GaqMa)

211 O/T I got Christmas tree today. Interesting, prices have gone DOWN. I asked why? Not as much demand, economy, etc. Hope and fucking change.

Posted by: Nip Sip at December 05, 2013 08:02 AM (0FSuD)

212 209 I see striking workers anywhere near a food service establishment and I am never going in there.
---

I understand the sentiment. The problem is that the "strikers" are not really fast food workers, but paid union drones. And low-paid drones, at that.

Posted by: Biff Boffo at December 05, 2013 08:02 AM (YmPwQ)

213 From twitter: Dear Person Who Salts My Fries: Someone else can be hired, trained & in your place before you can say S-E-I-U. #KruiserFeelings

Posted by: USA at December 05, 2013 08:03 AM (VIaw0)

214 They're protesting a local McD's today - smart move when it's only 5 degrees!

The local news interviewed their leader who said (approximately), "This is a 200 billion dollar industry. People working there are living in poverty. We think they should give that profit to them."

In other words, the industry makes money and we want more. Morons.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 05, 2013 11:58 AM (JRmiD)

Yeah, with stockholders. I am one of them. So I will cross their fickety picket line to buy food if I so choose. Additionally, McDonald's was a first job for a lot of influential people who are now captains of industry and even Hollywood stars. A lot of those Hollywood graduates of Mickey D's credit that experience with teaching them about work and producing a product. http://money.msn.com/personal-finance/famous-alumni-of-mcdonalds

Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 08:03 AM (kXoT0)

215 DC just increased it to $11.50. Let's see how that turns out. My prediction - shittily.

Posted by: RWC at December 05, 2013 08:03 AM (fWAjv)

216 216 When we replace fast food workers with robots whose going to screw up my order? I got you covered.

Posted by: Windows Vista programmer at December 05, 2013 08:03 AM (0FSuD)

217 Posted by: Nip Sip at December 05, 2013 12:02 PM (0FSuD)

I didn't pay anything for a Christmas tree.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sJewishDildo at December 05, 2013 08:04 AM (oJ5Fd)

218 223 Windows Vista programmer at December 05, 2013 12:03 PM (0FSuD)

RIGHT BEHIND YOU!

//Linux Local 957

Posted by: sven at December 05, 2013 08:04 AM (9jfyN)

219 A really crazy idea I heard: Link/index/marry minimum wage to unemployment/workforce participation somehow. As fewer people are unemployed, the minimum wage is set higher. As more people need work, the minimum wage drops.

I have no idea the practicality of this, but it might be a way to split the baby, politically.

Posted by: Matt S. at December 05, 2013 08:04 AM (PDTch)

220 When we replace typewriters with computers who's going to screw up whose?

Posted by: Mr. Feverhead at December 05, 2013 08:04 AM (6ahup)

221 Seriously, their "thinking" goes like this:

1. Raise minimum wage.
2. Minimum wage employees have more money.
3. More money gets spent and improves the economy.
4. Improved economy creates more jobs.

The notion that increasing labor costs results in fewer jobs and higher costs for goods and services (weakening global competitiveness) doesn't enter into their calculus.

After all, Paul Krugman says it'll be OK, and that's all the proof they need.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at December 05, 2013 08:05 AM (SY2Kh)

222 The logic of that chart is so fucking stupid. I am embarrassed that someone in the WH knows that little about economics. The jokes write themselves. Leo should have a field day. Let's see if the NY Slime calls out this stupid.

Posted by: Nip Sip at December 05, 2013 08:05 AM (0FSuD)

223 Pivot, pivot, pivot, pivot, twirl, plie, pivot. Posted by: Dr. Jesse Pinkman -------------------- Barky Obama : Whirling dervish

Posted by: Mike Hammer at December 05, 2013 08:05 AM (aDwsi)

224 Posted by: Sherry McEvil, Stiletto Corsettes at December 05, 2013 12:03 PM (kXoT0)

I wasn't planning on eating fast food today (homemade hummus and grilled hanger steak for lunch), but if I see a place being picketed I will stop in and buy something.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 05, 2013 08:05 AM (oJ5Fd)

225

A KFC worker and a Popeye's worker walk into a bar. They ordered a drink and started complaining to the bartender about how little they get paid and deserve to make at least 15.00 an hour.

The bartender looks at both of them and says " Keep fucking that chicken"

Posted by: polynikes self proclaimed king of walked into a bar jokes at December 05, 2013 08:06 AM (m2CN7)

226 A really crazy idea I heard: Link/index/marry minimum wage to unemployment/workforce participation somehow. As fewer people are unemployed, the minimum wage is set higher. As more people need work, the minimum wage drops.

I have no idea the practicality of this, but it might be a way to split the baby, politically.

Posted by: Matt S.

It would have to be massive ... something on the order of free market.

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at December 05, 2013 08:06 AM (uCNam)

227 Now the 1,2 punch is Eugenics and industrial prohibition....

Also prohibitions on personal consumption. Fast food bans, candy bans, soda bans, and MADD is still trying to ban alcohol. The only pleasurable substances they'll let you put in your mouth are marijuana and dicks.

But if somehow the dick ends up in the wrong place, Obamacare will pay for the amniocentesis and the doctor who demands you abort after you get the results.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 08:06 AM (/kI1Q)

228 worker.. I'm sorry i would not be able to afford a new car on 15.00 dollars an hour to get back and forth to work and pay for the children in daycare , pay for housing and my portion of Obamacare .
i need 25 and hour and food stamps, maybe the Car insurance and upkeep should be given freely to help me out .

Posted by: willow at December 05, 2013 08:06 AM (nqBYe)

229 These are the same people who told us welfare payments, IIRC, were good for the GDP. They are liars, idiots & ideologues.

Posted by: Baldy at December 05, 2013 08:06 AM (2bql3)

230 Reading the news reports, the folks in the White House are holding a lot of meetings lately.

Posted by: mrp at December 05, 2013 08:06 AM (HjPtV)

231 Yes. The President controls the FEC, so running for a third term is just a matter of changing a few rules. Posted by: edj at December 05, 2013 12:01 PM (klzyR) Except for that whole 22d Amendment thingy. But yeah, other than that, you're spot on.

Posted by: Sean Bannion[/i][/i][/u][/s] at December 05, 2013 08:07 AM (sbV1u)

232 I heartily endorse this Democrat product or service.

Posted by: Krugsty the Klown at December 05, 2013 08:07 AM (2iHnw)

233 Ever wonder where they get the 'secret sauce' hint - look on the left http://tinyurl.com/kftcuhp

Posted by: RWC at December 05, 2013 08:07 AM (fWAjv)

234 233 weft cut-loop at December 05, 2013 12:06 PM (uCNam)

It's insane...so I went to Burger King the other day and I saw that they had the entire staff hobbled...

like literally Roots hobbled you know...

horrible that people are forced to work their jobs and never leave taking the skills the business that rented their time trained them in....

Posted by: sven at December 05, 2013 08:08 AM (9jfyN)

235 The only pleasurable substances they'll let you put in your mouth are marijuana and dicks. Go on

Posted by: Reggie Love[/i][/i][/u][/s] at December 05, 2013 08:08 AM (sbV1u)

236

Posted by: Hollowpoint at December 05, 2013 12:05 PM (SY2Kh)

In addition to increasing the minimum wage of these fast food workers they are going to distribute rocks to all of them so they can break a lot of windows that way the economy will really boom.

Posted by: polynikes self proclaimed king of walked into a bar jokes at December 05, 2013 08:08 AM (m2CN7)

237 Seriously, their "thinking" goes like this:

1. Raise minimum wage.
2. Minimum wage employees have more money.
3. More money gets spent and improves the economy.
4. Improved economy creates more jobs.

Replace step 1 with payroll tax cuts, OTOH, and watch how vehemently they deny steps 2-4 will follow.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 08:08 AM (/kI1Q)

238 Posted by: Biff Boffo at December 05, 2013 12:01 PM (YmPwQ) Now.... all that being said there is a HUGE income disparity in the US, and its getting larger. The Haves seem to have more... and those trying to break into the system seem to have less. My brother lives in Southern Cali.... I live in Central Valley Cali... and its two different worlds. Those who are industries, like Banking, or Finance... ie those who move the wealth of the nation around while not really producing anything are doing well.... While those of us who produce for a living... are not... Why? The Government.... Those with money have lobbyists to protect their interests... the rest of us get taken advantage of because we don't have the money to play that game....

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 05, 2013 08:09 AM (lZBBB)

239

Lower unemployment by making shovel-ready jobs spoon-ready jobs!

Posted by: Liberal Economic Logic at December 05, 2013 08:09 AM (BrQrN)

240 Except for that whole 22d Amendment thingy. But yeah, other than that, you're spot on.

Posted by: Sean Bannion at December 05, 2013 12:07 PM (sbV1u)

There is no way around the 22nd. And trust me, they have thought about it.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 05, 2013 08:09 AM (oJ5Fd)

241 Except for that whole 22d Amendment thingy. But yeah, other than that, you're spot on. Posted by: Sean Bannion at December 05, 2013 12:07 PM (sbV1u) ~ More of a guide than a law.

Posted by: Barky Underpants at December 05, 2013 08:09 AM (6ahup)

242 worker, (after minimum wage increase across the board)
"I need another increase i can no longer afford the basics in life have you seen what a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread costs!"

Posted by: willow at December 05, 2013 08:09 AM (nqBYe)

243 It used to be that men would look at their own economic situation and decide whether or not they were making enough to support a family before marrying someone, and women wouldn't agree to marry a man who didn't have the visible means to support her and her children. Now, I guess marriage is another "right" where anybody in any economic situation can enter into it because someone else will be made to produce the required resources for your family. By all means, start a family when you're washing dishes or stuff grocery sacks, then blame the corporations for not paying you enough to keep your children fed. It's not like they're your responsibility or anything.

Posted by: Socratease at December 05, 2013 08:10 AM (3V4IJ)

244 >>Additionally, McDonald's was a first job for a lot of influential people who are now captains of industry and even Hollywood stars.

I think most people from past generations worked at a fast food joint or some other minimum wage job as the first job, probably while still in high school or college (I delivered papers in 5th and6th grade, then worked as a cashier in a hardware store in HS).

I think part of the problem is that there's been a cultural shift away from kids working - now they're doing internships and do0gooder/college app-enhancing stuff. Instead, it's immigrants manning these entry-level service positions, and if they have minimal education/skills, it is more than just an entry-level transitional gig. So they may actually be supporting a family with these wages, which is not what these jobs can support (as the sole breadwinner). Sad.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 05, 2013 08:10 AM (JRmiD)

245 234 HeatherRadishÂ™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 12:06 PM (/kI1Q)

Yup the bright side is statistically I am past the point of no return in my life's journey...

it's all downhill from here baby

Posted by: sven at December 05, 2013 08:10 AM (9jfyN)

246 Proof that the progressives don't really want to SOLVE the minimum wage issue, but really just want the issue?

IF they wanted to FIX the minimum wage they'd simply INDEX THE MINIMUM WAGE, ALA SOCIAL SECURITY. Then it would rise automatically each year to reflect inflation.

But they don't, do they?

It not a "PROBLEM" they want to solve for working families, it's an "ISSUE" they want to gin up anger about.

Period....

Posted by: proudvastrightwingconspitator at December 05, 2013 08:10 AM (StXqh)

247 You know what comes next after minimum wage hikes right? Do I even have to say it?

Minimum employees.

A business will have to maintain a minimum number of employees in order to remain in business. It'll be full-retard communism by then.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 08:11 AM (GQ8sn)

248 I actually later turned down a promotion to shift manager because I knew my time was coming to an end, and due to my huge performance increases earlier the wage bump wasn't worth what they were going to dump on me responsibility wise
=======
did that myself once, furniture delivery though. Knew damned good and well I didn't want to be the first turd-catcher when SHTF and I knew I was leaving soon to go to college. so, it wouldn't be good for both of us.

Heh.

Double heh since there were at least 10 guys who'd been there way longer than me and didn't get the offer.

Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 08:11 AM (VjL9S)

249 Replace step 1 with payroll tax cuts, OTOH, and watch how vehemently they deny steps 2-4 will follow. Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 12:08 PM ~ Well you have the GOP answer to this nonsense right there.

Posted by: Mr. Feverhead at December 05, 2013 08:11 AM (6ahup)

250

"I hope Obama changes the law so he can run for a third term."

Exactly why I don't have FB. "So, just before I defriend you - what other parts of the Constitution do you wish Obama would change? I need to know whether you're playing 'Axis and Allies' or you've just gone full Nazi."

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at December 05, 2013 08:11 AM (zF6Iw)

251 Their arguments is just another variation of the Broken Window Fallacy.

http://tinyurl.com/34ojjhu

Posted by: John P. Squibob at December 05, 2013 08:12 AM (kqqGm)

252 While we're raising the minimum wage can we also put a cap on hooker salaries? $400 for an hour is just too much.

Posted by: Sphynx at December 05, 2013 08:12 AM (OZmbA)

253 If raising the minimum wage raises GDP and thereby increases the number of jobs...what is the mechanism that halts growth at 140,000 jobs? Have to ask Krugman that one, because it sure seems like it should lead to infinite growth (and should have several times in the past).

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 08:12 AM (FcR7P)

254 259 Sphynx at December 05, 2013 12:12 PM (OZmbA)

You're talking about lawyers right?

Posted by: sven at December 05, 2013 08:13 AM (9jfyN)

255 Stupid party should let Dems have this one. No debate, no argument. Let them own it.

Posted by: Yojimbo at December 05, 2013 08:13 AM (l90JL)

256 And while we're at it, lets cap vodka prices too. Fifth of Smirnoff for $10 sounds about right.

Posted by: Sphynx at December 05, 2013 08:13 AM (OZmbA)

257 Of course by "Stupid party" I mean Republicans.

Posted by: Yojimbo at December 05, 2013 08:13 AM (l90JL)

258 Chitown Clown Community agitator, agitating and mobilizing his LoFoMoFos. Give em food, housing, healthcare, cell phones, abortions and the same wages as the skilled! That will work as long as the rest of the sheeple will pay for it! Time for a million man armed march! To the pitchforks and torches!

Posted by: ConcealedKerry or SubMitt at December 05, 2013 08:13 AM (vXqv3)

259 Nood.

The stompening continues,

Posted by: Sean Bannion[/i][/s][/u][/b] at December 05, 2013 08:13 AM (6T8Ay)

260 261 259 Sphynx at December 05, 2013 12:12 PM (OZmbA)

You're talking about lawyers right?

I said hookers. Not backstabbing whores.

Posted by: Sphynx at December 05, 2013 08:13 AM (OZmbA)

261 Ah, good old Tacos of Tyranny. I still remember them opening for Long John Baldry at the Orpheum in '67.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at December 05, 2013 08:14 AM (zF6Iw)

262 You know what comes next after minimum wage hikes right? Do I even have to say it?

Minimum employees.

A business will have to maintain a minimum number of employees in order to remain in business. It'll be full-retard communism by then.

It will be minimum hours per week. Gotta have those people working long enough to force them to pay into ObamaCare.

Posted by: John P. Squibob at December 05, 2013 08:14 AM (kqqGm)

263 >>A business will have to maintain a minimum number of employees in order to remain in business. It'll be full-retard communism by then.

Ayn Rand had their number decades ago, huh?

The problem is that these are transitional and/or supplemental type jobs, but thanks to other Lefty moves like lax immigration policy and kids not deigning to work at these kinds of jobs (think: OWS spoiled kids) they're now demanding that *every* job pay enough to support a family. That's insane, and to use one of their favorite words, "unsustainable!"

Posted by: Lizzy at December 05, 2013 08:14 AM (JRmiD)

264 He also started as a drive through employee at 15. My memory is a bit shady but I think McD's paid for a business degree in there at some point. He came in, cleaned up our labor and waste costs. He was still there when I left, but I think he was getting ready to be transferred again. Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) No Really! at December 05, 2013 12:02 PM (GaqMa) But notice that a lot of these "Raise The Minimum Wage!" types wouldn't take a job like that. This guy has to move all the time. They don't want to sacrifice for a good job.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 05, 2013 08:14 AM (xSegX)

265 214 Obama learned everything he knows about economics by watching that episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia where Mac and Dennis try to create a "self sustaining economy" by printing Paddy's Dollars.
========
Did you see Raising Hope a few weeks back?

They did the same thing. Started out as a barter exchange, then to Burt's Bucks. Then endless printing, wheelbarrows of paper money.

At the end, after the collapse and anger they say, "That was stupid, there's no way it was going to work. Good thing the people running this country are smarter than us, right? And would never do anything like that?"

Posted by: RoyalOil at December 05, 2013 08:14 AM (VjL9S)

266 No. The Dems need more union members, pronto. More money for more activism. More bodies in the streets, with signs, bodies atop floats and stilts. More bodies gettin' IN YOUR FACE. More bodies to stuff ballot boxes. More and more and more. Because the alternative is losing the Senate in 2015 and the White House in 2017 and everything that was in the dark would come to light.

Posted by: mrp at December 05, 2013 08:14 AM (HjPtV)

267 268 Ah, good old Tacos of Tyranny.

I don't think I'm down for Tranny tacos.

Posted by: Sphynx at December 05, 2013 08:15 AM (OZmbA)

268 Now.... all that being said there is a HUGE income disparity in the US, and its getting larger.

And? A huge income disparity means someone's getting what should be yours? Just spitballing here, but if banking and finance is an easy way to make a lot more money and making a lot more money is important to you, you should maybe consider trying to get into banking and finance.

Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at December 05, 2013 08:15 AM (+lsX1)

269 Stupid party should let Dems have this one. No debate, no argument. Let them own it.

Posted by: Yojimbo

No, they should outbid the Dem's and call out the stupidity.

If the Dem's think $10/hr is wonderful, they should agree to $50/hr or no deal.

Of course, the GOP couldn't advertise free bacon without fucking it up.

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at December 05, 2013 08:16 AM (uCNam)

270 Banking and Finance produce things, just not tangible things. They produce efficiency in financial distribution, financial liquidity, trust in currency, etc. I've never understood the argument that only physical goods are real productivity. So a guy moving boxes around is productive and valuable, while a guy making business loans is a what? Tool of a weak service economy?

Posted by: bonhomme at December 05, 2013 08:16 AM (6qlHs)

271 "It would have to be massive ... something on the order of free market."

-- Hush now! Don't give the game away. On entry level jobs: I remember being told it builds character. But, every college I applied to never seemed to ask about my odd jobs painting and building fences for money. "Real work" doesn't seem to matter in the college application process.

Posted by: Matt S. at December 05, 2013 08:16 AM (m7EhJ)

272 There is no way around the 22nd. And trust me, they have thought about it.

Amendments can be repealed.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hjres15

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs a beer at December 05, 2013 08:16 AM (/kI1Q)

273 @EC

When I was in college, naturally in a philosophy class, one of my classmates said that the government should require every corporation to employ someone so there would be no unemployment. I turned and looked at her and said "so, the government should tell my dad, who runs a small business, that he has to hire as many people as possible, so should he raise his prices and lose customers or drop everyone's pay so he can hire more people?" She stumbled on that bit and then said that is not what I meant and shut up.

Posted by: Penfold at December 05, 2013 08:17 AM (Fbt5B)

274

There was a quite amazing chart put out a few years ago, I think by AEI, which showed an almost complete track of rising unemployment in 2007-8, commonly believed to have been simply the result of the housing bust and financial crisis, and the last minimum wage hike that was forced by Nancy Pelosi after Democrats took control of Congress in 2006.

The only good thing about another minimum wage hike is that it will certainly cause a lot of Obama voters to lose their jobs. The productive ones will keep theirs. Although an awful lot of them will simply have their hours cut. Labor is one of the most fungible costs for any business, and unless we go to Soviet-style laws requiring that all workers get 40-hour workweeks at a state mandated wage and benefits, this is not going to help very many workers.

My son has two roommates, and they are struggling right now to pay their rent and utilities and food on part-time minimum-wage jobs. I would be tempted to support my son getting a "raise" from to $10, but he is barely getting 20 hours a week now and I have no doubt that would be cut, leaving him no better off. He is instead looking for a better job that uses some of the skills he actually has. Since he will graduate college in 18 months I want him to understand how the labor market works.

Posted by: rockmom at December 05, 2013 08:17 AM (NYnoe)

275 and everything that was in the dark would come to light. You've got to be shitting me! Whose gonna shine the light on or hold anyone accountable? McStain, Grahamnsty, Boner, McConnell, Cantor, Rubeo,??????? Once the Repunks return to power, if they ever do, it will be business as usual unless we can send em a spine or two.,

Posted by: ConcealedKerry or SubMitt at December 05, 2013 08:18 AM (vXqv3)

276
1. Raise minimum wage.
2. Minimum wage employees have more money.
3. More money gets spent and improves the economy.
4. Improved economy creates more jobs.
***
Essentially the broken window fallacy.

Does every left wing economic idea come down to breaking windows so we can reap the profits of replacing them?

Posted by: 18-1 at December 05, 2013 08:18 AM (P3U0f)

277 There is no way around the 22nd. And trust me, they have thought about it. The 2nd Amendment is interested in your newsletter.

Posted by: t-bird at December 05, 2013 08:18 AM (FcR7P)

278 Funny, Harry Reid exempts senior Senate staff from ObamaCare enrollment and Barry's complaining about the minimum wage in the private sector.

Posted by: mrp at December 05, 2013 08:20 AM (HjPtV)

279 Does every left wing economic idea come down to breaking windows so we can reap the profits of replacing them? Ja, und?

Posted by: Kristallnacht at December 05, 2013 08:20 AM (FcR7P)

280 When I was in college, naturally in a philosophy class, one of my classmates said that the government should require every corporation to employ someone so there would be no unemployment. I turned and looked at her and said "so, the government should tell my dad, who runs a small business, that he has to hire as many people as possible, so should he raise his prices and lose customers or drop everyone's pay so he can hire more people?" She stumbled on that bit and then said that is not what I meant and shut up.

Posted by: Penfold at December 05, 2013 12:17 PM (Fbt5B)

All my humanities classes were chock full of retards like those. I couldn't wait to finish my electives and get the fuck out of that side of campus. Hawt chicks or not.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 08:22 AM (GQ8sn)

281 Here's my Photoshop effort at Obama's #RaiseTheWage campaign:

http://tinyurl.com/ky5sgkq

Posted by: Phinn at December 05, 2013 08:22 AM (KOGmz)

282 We are confident that amnesty to 30 million low-skill illegal immigrants will definitely help the economy and push wages higher. Plus it is really more fair.

Posted by: Pelosi-Obama-Reid-Wassrman-Shulz at December 05, 2013 08:26 AM (Vv4Go)

283 You know what makes wages rise? A roaring economy. The other way around DOES NOT WORK. EVER.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here)-also drooling imbecile incapable of doing algebra or something at December 05, 2013 08:26 AM (659DL)

284 I assume the House would have to vote for raising the minimum wage? Or is there some executive-branch-only workaround? Seems like this is an issue that might excite the Dem base in 2014--interesting that they feel they need to jazz up their base.

Posted by: Emily at December 05, 2013 08:28 AM (7Rn+/)

285 Posted by: Gristle Encased Head at December 05, 2013 12:15 PM (+lsX1) Ah.... so see a problem... point out a problem... and become part of said problem? Note that during the Economic downturn that started under Bush... Even during the 'banking crises'.... banks were profit centers... They did MUCH better than the rest of the economy... Even though THEY were the center of the crises.... Now.... without Government intervention... how in the hell does that work? An industry that creates nothing... that does nothing more than move money around (while taking its cut off the top)... an industry that should be there to support the companies that actually produce wealth... Somehow does better than the rest of the economy AFTER they (and the Government who supposedly Regulates them) screw up the Economy? Corporatism is the Partnership of Corporations and Government to wield the reigns of Power.... and with the Fed Res System, we are there... Hell... they can't even audit the Fed to find out where the US Govs GOLD is!!!

Posted by: Romeo13 at December 05, 2013 08:28 AM (lZBBB)

286 In ObamaMath 140,000=hundreds of thousands.

Posted by: King Barky the Liar at December 05, 2013 08:31 AM (WGm5T)

287 Raising the minimum wage to $15/hr is such a no-brainer, with absolutely no downside, that Democratic city governments everywhere should be doing just that in their jurisdictions. Local prosperity will follow, to the confounding of economic conservatives.

Messieurs et Mesdames?

Posted by: PersonFromPorlock at December 05, 2013 08:31 AM (lILC0)

288 There is a robot Vending machine that make Pizza, they have robots that make hamburgers and fill your drink, soon you see more fast food places adding touch screens. Posted by: Patrick from Ohio at December 05, 2013 11:49 AM

The touch screens won't have trouble understanding English, won't spit on your food, and won't screw up your order and give you the death stare for pointing out that the order was fucked up

I hope fast food automation comes soon

Posted by: kbdabear at December 05, 2013 08:39 AM (aTXUx)

289 Sandy Hook Benefit Concert Canceled Due to Low Ticket Sal Hallelujah (Chicago Musicians Care) - A Gift to Sandy Hook CHICAGO Â— A Chicago benefit concert to help first responders to last year's Sandy Hook massacre was canceled due to low ticket sales, it was announced Wednesday. Teachers, cops, emts, etc all have insurance to cover any time of counseling they need. They don't need a benefit concert. The people throwing it probably make their living producing this sort of shit. It's alo another way to promote the gun grabbing agenda. Glad they had to cancel.

Posted by: Dr. Jesse Pinkman at December 05, 2013 08:41 AM (kkbgQ)

290 You're going to see industries like fast food start investing heavily into robotic type automation. It would be money well spent.

The era of a teenager working to make a few extra bucks on minimum wage is long gone, now adults expect their shit job to take care of them, their health care, their 26 year old kids health care, their education, their retirement, etc.

Most people used to understand that if you flip burgers for a living, you're going to be poor.

Posted by: McAdams at December 05, 2013 08:41 AM (2TMCu)

291 If the Dems can muster a 2/3 majority votes from both the House and Senate, and also get 36 state legislatures to sign on, they can repeal the 22nd. And the 2nd, too, come to think of it.

Some people think that Obama will just stay in the WH past Jan 20, 2017. I'm of the mind that he won't.

Posted by: Biff Boffo at December 05, 2013 08:41 AM (YmPwQ)

292 Raising the minimum wage to $15/hr is such a no-brainer, with absolutely no downside, that Democratic city governments everywhere should be doing just that in their jurisdictions. Local prosperity will follow, to the confounding of economic conservatives.

Messieurs et Mesdames?

Posted by: PersonFromPorlock at December 05, 2013 12:31 PM

Rule here. If you assert your theory as a no-brainer, you're required to show your work

Show us also that you're run a business and raising your employees starting pay resulted in greater productivity and profit

Posted by: kbdabear at December 05, 2013 08:43 AM (aTXUx)

293 If the Dems can muster a 2/3 majority votes from both the House and Senate, and also get 36 state legislatures to sign on, they can repeal the 22nd. And the 2nd, too, come to think of it.

Some people think that Obama will just stay in the WH past Jan 20, 2017. I'm of the mind that he won't.

Posted by: Biff Boffo at December 05, 2013 12:41 PM (YmPwQ)

Something tells me there would be a lot of lead flying around before that happens.

Posted by: EC at December 05, 2013 08:43 AM (GQ8sn)

294 I'm a junior network administrator at a very small company (~40 employees) and I bust my ass for $19.41 an hour. I'm on call 24/7 and I have to deal with all of the little problems in the system and shitty jobs that the senior network admin doesn't want to deal with. I'm fine with this - it's called paying your dues and I knew that was part of the ride when I bought the ticket.
But I think of all the times I've been wriggling through plenum space with one end of a Cat 5e cable in my teeth hoping that the old factory where the office is does doesn't have too much asbestos in it...I could be working at Dollar General for almost as much. Oh well, Dollar General doesn't have a really zaftig receptionist who flirts with me constantly.

Posted by: Fart at December 05, 2013 08:45 AM (2aB+q)

295 It has long been an idea that capital (entrepreneurs etc. ) do nothing but steal laborers' efforts in order to make a profit. This brand of economics views business owners as parasites in two ways. One, charging more for their product than it costs the business owner. The second, because in their world, anyone could do the job of the entrepreneur and management because all of the real effort comes from the workers. The idea that workers should be paid by their productivity and relative scarcity is inconceivable to them. In essence, they view the capitalist system as organized theft of consumers and workers by the capitalist class.

Posted by: wg at December 05, 2013 08:46 AM (UCd8k)

296 Obama believes in "equality of outcome" ... (except for rewarding his rich cronies)

So the beginner fast food guy should make $15/hr, and so should the doctor taking care of Medicaid patients.

Hospitals and drug companies and insurers that demonstrate foresight and public minded attitude, by contributing to Democrats, are allowed to make outrageous fortune, as long as they continue to preach the leftist gospel.

Posted by: Illini Bill at December 05, 2013 09:06 AM (V7EQG)

297 When, oh when, has raising the minimum wage ever created hundreds of thousands of jobs?

Somebody please tell Barry that the last liberal pixie dust factory is about to close. They'll have to rely on recycling their dust from here on out. Of course, they're experts at that.

Posted by: dissent555 at December 05, 2013 09:22 AM (yR6A1)

298 They keep talking about pivoting. Anyone remember the Friends episode where Ross is trying to move his new couch up the stairs. He keeps yelling at Chandler and Rachel to Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! Chandler hilariously responds to him with shut up! Shut up! Shut uuuuup! Then eventually they try to move the couch back and it falls over the railing. About sums up Obama and his attempts to pivot to the economy.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at December 05, 2013 09:23 AM (f0sEV)

299 You have to understand that these people have never run a business. They themselves have sucked off the govt teat all their lives whether it was for college grants, aid, etc. then once they get in govt. the money they have to spend on their projects is endless and unaccountable. So the only concept they know is that one simply needs to mandate that the money machine, whether it's govt. or evil corporations, spend more as they see fit.

Posted by: Jen at December 05, 2013 09:39 AM (z6rIp)

300 Really, think about it. What gainful employment has Obama EVER performed? I don't remember hearing about any kind of employment,including summer jobs. He drifted through college on your and my money, he then went to grad school again, on your and my money or possibly some rich progressive's dime, then went to "work" as a lawyer in one or two year stints for various legal groups in Chicago, all of which are public policy groups. His two big resume enhancers were that he was the first black Harvard Law Review president and as a Community Organizer. No real info on any successful case litigation while he was lawyering, so one has to imagine that most of his lifestyle in Chicago was financed by govt. grants, etc. until Michelle landed the celebrated several hundred thousand dollar hospital board job. Mooch, of course has the same resume as her hubby, including an inactive law license since 93, and then a series of public sector jobs such as Mayor Daley's staff membership, etc. No end to the flow of money, which is why they both believe it is someone else's responsibility to produce it and their responsibility to distribute it as they see fit.

Posted by: Jen at December 05, 2013 09:56 AM (z6rIp)

301 Do these people really believe this or are they just messing with us? Yes, they believe it because they don't actually understand either economics or mathematics. Increasing the wage floor has consequences: number of people you'll hire at minimum will go down you're more likely to hire someone with experience who needs/wants the job than some bored teenager who wants some pocket change at some point down the road, everyone making more than minimum wage will start to agitate for a pay increase to keep pace with the increase in living expenses in the absence of that pay bump to everyone else, people will cut back on the number of times they do business with places whose prices have gone up If you really want to torque off a progressive, tell them you think the minimum wage should be $100/hour. If they demur, come back with the and why not? question. They don't have an answer for that.

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie © at December 05, 2013 09:56 AM (1hM1d)

302 Barak Obama: killing jobs since 2009.

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie © at December 05, 2013 09:57 AM (1hM1d)

303 Oh well, Dollar General doesn't have a really zaftig receptionist who flirts with me constantly. You could go for sexual harassment...unless she's cute, and you like zaftig and she's actually zaftig and not round. Otherwise, I feel your pain, having run cat5 thru questionable space that could be asbestos infested. The dust and fiberglass from the drop ceiling tiles are bad enough. Of course, that doesn't compare to the places were someone punched holes thru the cinder blocks and left the debris on the ceiling tiles...

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie © at December 05, 2013 10:04 AM (1hM1d)

304 If doctors were only allowed to make $15 an hour, Obamacare might have a better chance of working.

Posted by: Anchovy at December 05, 2013 10:44 AM (MNxW+)

305 Posted by: kbdabear at December 05, 2013 12:43 PM (aTXUx)

Pull and reset the circuit breaker on your sarcasm detector.

Posted by: PersonFromPorlock at December 05, 2013 11:16 AM (lILC0)

306 "...the same coalition that brought the wonders of their economic understanding of health insurance market to us through ObamaCare **CAN'T** be wrong, can they?..." FIFY.

Posted by: justturnright at December 05, 2013 11:23 AM (HUP4X)

307

the misery index shows some interesting things when looking at the dates minimum wage laws have been passed. interesting thing when minimum wage laws are being seriously contemplated for that matter.

"income inequality"

how about "attractiveness inequality" or "hot partner inequality"

any thehot bitches that are squawking about this shit gonna put their money where their mouths are and blow me? getting tired of closing my eyes and pretending its a hottie.

Posted by: i like anchors at December 05, 2013 12:31 PM (MRpbd)

308 At this point I'll mention that since we're in the second decade of the 21st century it is entirely possible to cut the work force in most fast food restaurants by 80-90% or more and go to a virtually automated setup.

Posted by: Speller at December 05, 2013 02:18 PM (J74Py)

309 Does anyone remember that "Friends" episode where they were trying to move a couch, and Ross kept freaking out and yelling, "PIVOT, PIVOT, PIVOT"?

Posted by: Elizabeth at December 05, 2013 06:03 PM (JgIkz)

310 Math, er my math, is good. What say, peasants?

Posted by: mickytx at December 05, 2013 09:17 PM (3qVIz)

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