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- Go to minimum wage... the working poor
... you are definitely right about that...the quality of service indeed declined/declines... but honestly for the lack of what people are willing to pay for their business, who would want to work for pennies and give excellent service?? aaaaahh.. no point in worrying about it, we can't change the world! hahaha
posted by
daisysface
on July 7, 2005 at 4:25 PM
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Back in the '80s,
when they started raising the minimum, things like sugar and cream packets started appearing on tables in diners and restaurants. Essentially it seemed like the owners were saying, "You want $3.40 an hour for these people? Fine. Pour your own damn sugar." When's the last time you've seen two full service gas stations in the same neighborhood? What we do have is a lot of these megaplex gas stations with 48 pumps, although at least 9 of those are down at any one time and have those yellow plastic socks on the hose nozzle.
So theoretically when there is a spike in the minimum wage there is a reduction in services performed by minimum wage workers and an increase in self-services. I say theoretically, but it's mostly a rule of thumb. It doesn't apply in every instance.
Another problem everybody faces, but the working poor especially, is the fact that the less you have to spend on food, the less healthy your diet is. Just look at sugar. Raw sugar costs about $5 a pound and processed white sugar costs about $2 a pound. Same thing with bread. The closer the food is to the soil, the higher the price because the food industry can sell more processed items than natural ones. Processing allows them to stretch out the amount. You don't need as much raw sugar to sweeten something as processed sugar because the raw is more potent.
Anyway I should probably go post on my own blog now, huh? ;) Actually I am working on an essay on nutrition so I can use some of the stuff I've written in that.
posted by
AlienInsomniac
on July 7, 2005 at 11:40 AM
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very well said !!
posted by
daisysface
on July 6, 2005 at 12:52 PM
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Unfortunately
When the minimum wage goes up, general prices goes up. Small business, Big Business doesn't allow the wage to take a gulp out of their bottom line. Sooooo, a raise in minimum wage only really effects those who receive it.
The only real winners are the politicians who trick people out of their votes by manipulating them into thinking a raise in the minimum wage actually helps them.
posted by
Joe_Love
on July 5, 2005 at 9:49 PM
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