News of the Day III

[jdhebner]

Does Tom Hanks sound like he’s got a sore tooth or something?

[Puckhead]

As much as I like and agree with Biden's conciliatory tone, I also know A LOT of people in America feel like this right now...

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Double amen. Fortunately, I don't have any family issues. If anything my daughters and SIL's get more heated than I do. But, the neighbors...Many of us that worked for Biden act just as described above: low key, not "popping off" in public, etc etc. And my pro-Trump neighbors are no more. I'll be short and civil, but no huggie huggie and small talk. I have plenty of other reasonable friends here, some are moderate R's that abhor everything Trump stood for. So, as said above, we move on; but life is way too short to feel we have to accommodate and listen to pure, unadulterated nonsense, racism, greed, and all the rest.

[ChaseSpace]

If the Dems don't get out of their own way and remove or revise the filibuster so McConnell can't hold them hostage for the next 2 years then they're going to effectively break their own backs for the next decade or 2.

You make this much noise about actually helping people and making sure another fascist like Trump can't rise to power but stop short because you don't want to mess with "traditions"? Fuck that. They will sour every first time voter, progressive, or people who are just fed up with the status quo from ever turning to them.

[Bolthed]

Pressure Manchin and Sinema if they will bend to or even listen to the American people. If that doesn’t work, then leadership has to run an end around and make DC a state and expedite that shit. Make Manchin and Sinema irrelevant, even let them change parties if that’s what they really want to do. If they want to obstruct their own fucking party, they might as well join McConnell.

Bottom line: Stop fucking around with optics and norms and traditions and bullshit bipartisan illusions if they thwart all attempts at the agenda that 80 million citizens voted for. The Republicans already have.

[pete]

McConnell just agreed to the 2001 rules.

Schumer said Democrats are going to do COVID relief and infrastructure by reconciliation, which means they can pass it with zero Republican votes if need be and get most everything they want. Those are your public sector economic stimulus bills, which are the ones that should guarantee a more robust recovery.

[Bolthed]

This just in: House and Senate Democrats introduce legislation to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 ... by 2025.

Man, I really miss Zeyk for these moments when the paid loser Democrats sit on their dick and turn millions of people off of politics or of supporting any notion that government helps the people or that politicians can even identify with the issues of the day.

Fucking pathetic.

[Hoek]

Is it raising every year the way Florida's amendment that just passed does?

[ChaseSpace]

Is it raising every year the way Florida's amendment that just passed does?

This was my guess, any confirmation?

[dannybolt]

My guess is that raising it gradually probably protects more of those positions from automation. If you are going to tell a business their labor costs are doubling immediately, watch how many automate, lay off half their workers or shut down completely. I would think gradual increases will keep more of those jobs in the broader market as businesses can adjust their operating models to account for their increasing labor costs.

Seattle, largely the pilot program for this, didn't go from 7.25 to 15; Washington State's went from 11.50 to 15 from 1/1/18-1/1/21, so at most, it went from 11.50 to 15, and the broader state minimum wage was increased more gradually.

If you are looking to all-or-nothing polemical positions like those that Zeyk espouses for your guidance on governance, you are doing it wrong.

[RSchmitz]

If they are forcing $15 on everybody they better be prepared to supplement small businesses with equivalent tax breaks.

I'd also like to to see minimum wage attached to something so we aren't having to re-calibrate every year, it's not good for the economy.

[pete]

This just in: House and Senate Democrats introduce legislation to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 ... by 2025.

Man, I really miss Zeyk for these moments when the paid loser Democrats sit on their dick and turn millions of people off of politics or of supporting any notion that government helps the people or that politicians can even identify with the issues of the day.

Fucking pathetic.

I think a phased increase of the minimum wage for the private sector makes a degree of sense by creating an easier transition rather than all of a sudden more than doubling the minimum wage at a time when the economy for many service industries is already wobbly. Danny makes a good case.

I see no reason to stop public sector work from immediately going to the $15/hr threshold, under the assumption the federal government can provide aid to state and local governments to buttress that effort.

[dannybolt]

I'm not sure tax breaks can really make up for what may amount (depending on location) to a doubling of labor costs over the next 5 years.

While I think that the federal floor makes sense to increase, paying somebody to flip burgers, man a gas station cash register, wash cars, or answer the phone in Seattle is wildly different than in Waldo, FL. The economic disparity between high cost of living cities and low cost rural areas is massive. This is why stuff like the minimum wage should be governed at the state or ideally the local level. I would think that putting the minimum wage nationally at $15/hour will lead to not insignificant job losses in rural areas. It will work fine for metro areas, where COL is much higher.

I'd like the minimum wage to be tied to inflation, like some public sector pensions. I also think it isn't beyond the pale to have Federal employees making that much, at minimum.

[pete]

Just some light reading to suggest that the minimum wage increase will disproportionately benefit rural and low-wage southern cities:

https://www.epi.org/publication/the-federal-minimum-wage-should-be-a-robust-national-wage-floor/

https://www.epi.org/publication/why-america-needs-a-15-minimum-wage/

[dannybolt]

Thanks for sending those along.
The first link doesn't link to any data or research support, which is kind of required for that type of article.
That said I've not been able to dig through the second link just yet.

I'd also like to point out that there have been studies in Washington, where this experiment is already ongoing, that found that there was a reduction in employment positions as the wage was raised, which jives with standard micro and macro economic theory. Of course, I don't have that link handy, but if I get some time I'll research, but for now, treat that as anecdotal.

[ChaseSpace]

If they are forcing $15 on everybody they better be prepared to supplement small businesses with equivalent tax breaks.

I'd also like to to see minimum wage attached to something so we aren't having to re-calibrate every year, it's not good for the economy.

The government already subsidizes the low wages massive corporations like WalMart and McDonald's pay so no reason(outside of lobbying) why they can't do the same for local businesses.