Capitalism =/= paying your employees as little as possible

[houndawg]

You simpering, chairborne, soft east coast pussies don't know what real work is. Come on out to the farm and we'll see who has a work ethic.

Better you stay in your air conditioned cubicles and talk about how hard you "work" and how kids have it easy today.

I guarantee you I took at least 5 years off my life working my fingers to the bone on the farm until I left home, and then summers while in college, and it took me 3 years after college to land a job that wouldn't be considered "laborer".

So talk to the hand about how you rode a combine all day, Cornpone.

Don't have a combine. Do it all with a 1961 Massey-Ferguson 35. No cab, no power steering.

[GannonFan]

...the whole point of this article is not to take away anyone's right to run their business as they see fit or to take away the right to not be appreciative of the advantages our SYSTEM offers their business.

It's an observation about values. It's a BIG picture/societal discussion.

The degree of butt hurt and fear of criticism runs strong with you conks.

Values have been trashed for some time...on both sides of the ledger; a fact neglected by the writer.

Paying people more does not equate to loyalty. In fact, the very employees who attach their "loyalty" to a company due to their higher pay are the ones who will bolt in a heartbeat for a better paycheck.

The idea that a company should pay a worker more money so that the worker can go out and buy more stuff, and more services, is ridiculous - unless, of course, you would like to recreate the artificial, company-owned towns of the past. Sure, during those days a company actually grew and made more profits from expanding their little empire to include ensnaring people into working hard and then using all their money to pay for every other thing the company provided.

But what this guy is proposing is that every company pay all their workers more so that the American capitalistic economy, as a whole, can "grow", but without regard to the success or bottom line of each individual business. As if it is every company's unselfish duty to contribute their "fair share" to what this author thinks would be a greater society.

Man, Cluck's on fire in this thread.

I think his point here is great - it's the same fallacy that comes with the left's idea that they can reduce poverty and the number of people in it if we only drastically raise the minimum wage. The economy is far more dynamic than those simpletons who espose that belief (and I'd include the author of this article in that simpleton group) would ever understand. Sure, you raise the minimum wage drastically (not just a few cents, say double it as some have recently asked for) and you get a momentary benefit to those receiving minimum wage. But then the economy responds to that shift, and prices go up (because it costs more to produce what was being produced and because now more people in the market can afford the higher prices). People at the higher end of the wage scale start to make more because they can sell the same or more amount of stuff for more money, and eventually everyone is making more money. However, everything costs more so in the end, it's a wash - most everyone ends up right back where they were, relative to each other in terms of what they can afford based on their income. So any immediate gains are illusory and soon disappear. But, it sounds great and sounds like you care about poor people so people espouse this idea. It never works, but I don't think that's ever the real intention of policies like this.

[kalm]

Values have been trashed for some time...on both sides of the ledger; a fact neglected by the writer.

Paying people more does not equate to loyalty. In fact, the very employees who attach their "loyalty" to a company due to their higher pay are the ones who will bolt in a heartbeat for a better paycheck.

The idea that a company should pay a worker more money so that the worker can go out and buy more stuff, and more services, is ridiculous - unless, of course, you would like to recreate the artificial, company-owned towns of the past. Sure, during those days a company actually grew and made more profits from expanding their little empire to include ensnaring people into working hard and then using all their money to pay for every other thing the company provided.

But what this guy is proposing is that every company pay all their workers more so that the American capitalistic economy, as a whole, can "grow", but without regard to the success or bottom line of each individual business. As if it is every company's unselfish duty to contribute their "fair share" to what this author thinks would be a greater society.

Man, Cluck's on fire in this thread.

I think his point here is great - it's the same fallacy that comes with the left's idea that they can reduce poverty and the number of people in it if we only drastically raise the minimum wage. The economy is far more dynamic than those simpletons who espose that belief (and I'd include the author of this article in that simpleton group) would ever understand. Sure, you raise the minimum wage drastically (not just a few cents, say double it as some have recently asked for) and you get a momentary benefit to those receiving minimum wage. But then the economy responds to that shift, and prices go up (because it costs more to produce what was being produced and because now more people in the market can afford the higher prices). People at the higher end of the wage scale start to make more because they can sell the same or more amount of stuff for more money, and eventually everyone is making more money. However, everything costs more so in the end, it's a wash - most everyone ends up right back where they were, relative to each other in terms of what they can afford based on their income. So any immediate gains are illusory and soon disappear. But, it sounds great and sounds like you care about poor people so people espouse this idea. It never works, but I don't think that's ever the real intention of policies like this.

Thank you Messrs Laffer and Norquist. How's that trickle down working for you?

(Although Cluck is right about values being trashed on both sides of the ledger... )

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Moving to Minnesota! There are several Somali immigrant owned enterprises in Minnesota. There are about 25,000 Somali immigrants in the state.

Which brings me to a point.
Africa and Somalia- very hot climates.

Probably the 2 states in the lower 48 with the coldest climates- Maine and Minnesota.

2 of the whitest states in the country- Maine and Minnesota.

The 2 states in the lower 48 that it made the least sense to relocate Somali refugees- Maine and Minnesota.

The 2 states that Somali refugees were relocated to....Maine and Minnesota.

What kind of f'ing idiots decided to do that? Makes zero sense. It would have made far more sense to send them where it was much hotter with a lot more black people, like the deep South.

It is because MN has such a generous welfare benefits.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Great post - this is what is ruining America

You really are an idiot.

This entire country has been scammed into buying unnecessary things...and then they complain they don't have enough money.

Seriously, are you saying people don't have enough money with which to live?

Try this...stop buying food at restaurants. Instead, buy basics and make meals. You will save a boatload of money on food (and "medicine"), you will be healthier, and feel better. Instead of paying $180/month for phone, internet, and cable TV (with the sports channels, HBO, and other unneeded crap), go to the library when you want to surf the net and check out some books that will educate you on things such as investing, good health, and any other subject you wish to learn. Drop the health club membership and walk around the nearest park. Stop spending money on cigarettes and beer. Don't ever buy a new car...you are just throwing money away. Take your money out of the typical bank and get yourself to a credit union - there is no reason to pay a bank fees to keep your money - and stay away from those check cashing places.

Stop renting...a huge waste of money. Move in with another group of people for a few years (friends, family, co-workers) to save money, keep your legs closed, learn to fix up the place instead of calling a $100/hour plumber/electrician (there are free books in the library that can help you learn and free instruction at Home Depot and other area places). Turn off the g-damned cell phone service that you don't NEED.

SAVE AND INVEST YOUR MONEY. Create your own generational wealth instead of wasting everything you have on crap while still wanting more.

Cripes, we have 18-year-old kids popping out babies and getting free housing and food stamps...and then they complain about not making enough at the local Burger King or Wal-Mart. As though they "deserve" to earn more so that they can keep up with those who made better choices. Are you kidding me?

Americans have been sold the American Dream of owning a house, or renting a "place of their own", at an early age, buying all sorts of unneeded gizmos so that they can keep up with the Joneses. What a crock of crap. Nobody needs a tenth of the stuff they consider "necessary."

Anyone can save money if they make the right choices...and make sacrifices with a long term goal in mind. But, ohhhhhhh no. To a Lib, it is criminal to make someone sacrifice consumer goods in order to plan out a better future.

One of the best posts on this forum in a long time.

Kudos to you.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

the worst of it these mealy-mouthed weasels will look straight at you and talk about how "our greatest resource is our people".

Remember the good old days when the Red Brigades used to kneecap those slimy fvcks on the street? That's what we need more of in this country.

LOL...you're an idiot!!

Go hole-up with your buddy Snowden in Russia...

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Great post - this is what is ruining America

LOL...you are clueless....