I frequently go to Subway because it is convenient. I just told the manager that it seems like they have all new people. She stated that a lot of people just quit because of the 28hrs deal. However, I didn't know that because of Obamacare Subway cut the maximum number of hours employees could work. I mentioned that if the minimum wage was raised that it also might effect employees. She said that her manager said that stores will have to make do with fewer workers if it is raised to the amt. proposed. So now for the musings. It is interesting to me that in the name of helping the poor, the working poor are getting screwed. And I would assume the working poor are probably the Dems largest base and most ardent supporters. I understand that Romney appears to be an aloof elitist, and I understand that his 47% comment during the election was idiotic, but even without that comment Romney was going to lose. There are loyal Republicans and loyal Democrats, but I wonder what it takes for people to abstain from voting. Clearly, people with an understanding of economics or even personal finance can understand that many of the policies being enacted are harmful to the economy. Will all the previously working poor who are going to the unemployment lines continue to elect Dems? Perhaps they will because now they are dependent on the government. However, I wonder what the odds are of people realizing that the government made them dependent. And yes, I do realize that BI will soon tell us they are all the same. I don't care as that has nothing to do with the OP.
You forgot two important considerations: 1.) If it is on the internet or TV it has to be true, and if it is on the news it can't be biased in any way. 2.) You still think that everyone has as much common sense as you do, you think too low of yourself!! There are a lot of people, roughly 47% that need to be told what to do, how to do, and not worry about the consequences.
I don't think the goal is to help people make it on their own, the goal is to make them more dependent on government largess and more inclined to vote into power the politicians that will give them more.
One of the owners of Wag-a-bag in Austin told my mom, that complying with the new insurance requirements in Obamacare could very possibly cause their business to fold. That's even with cutting hours for employees or paying the fine which is cheaper than insurance. The original OP was correct about our current administrations actions hurting the poor more than anyone else. The poor will be hurt by the insurance laws. They will be hurt most by raising energy/fuel costs. They are even hurt by illegal immigration and raising minimum wage.
It is impacting health care as well. My friend is a Physician Assistant who works at the UTHSC here in San Antonio, As you know, it is a teaching hospital. She works in the spinal injury/back/neck injury department. Many, if not most of her patients are on Medicare/Medicaid or have no insurance. Some have chronic pain, or have just become acquainted with a wheelchair or a disease such as MS. Up until next month, these patients were seen every 2-3 months for a minimum of a true 30-45 minute appointment, where my friend would manage all the different tests, follow-up, and worked with PT and social workers. She also worked closely with their primary physician to keep them apprised of the medical plan. Well, as of last month they have shut the program down, using one MD, to see the patients one time. Then these often complex patients will be shuffled off to a primary care MD Since there is a huge shortage of FP MDs, they will be lucky to get 10-15 minutes and lots of meds.instead of therapy and injections. Also on the books is the Nephrology dept. and one other for now that I can't remember. More will be coming, and this is supposed to be a teaching hospital! The residents are getting screwed as well. It is absolutely without a doubt that these patients will receive sub-par care, and it was explicitly explained to my friend that she was being laid off due to the new health care rules and they were "weaning" patients off the higher standard of care. My friend already has a new job, but feels terrible for the patients she has established relationships with, those that she has found issues no on else had the time to unearth. Her patients are incredibly distraught---it is just a bad thing all around. Gird your loins for when all this really hits the fan. And my .02 cents about the "smokers" higher premium--how in the world are they going to prove who smokes and who will admit to it. Everyone is supposed to have car insurance by law and look at how well that works. Dumbest idea ever.
If raising the minimum wage solves the problem of the working poor, why not just raise it to $25/hr? There are several states that already have a higher minimum wage than the national min wage. They also have the highest unemployment rates. Correlation????
I agree that the new healthcare rules are poorly conceived so I'm not going to even try to defend them. The minimum wage, though, is a different story. My cousin owns about a dozen fast-food franchises and is a past-president of his chain's national franchisee organization. Thus, he is in a position to know more about this issue than most people, including me. My cousin complains incessantly about the minimum wage, and how much money it costs him. However, he laughs at the idea that he would cut back his staff because of a wage hike. He employs the number of folks he needs to run his restaurants. No more, no less. If he can make do without an employee at $8.50 per hour, then he could have made do without that employee at $7.50 per hour. If he has 3 people on staff during a slow period, a $1 wage hike will cost him $3.00 per hour. If he sells 20 meals during that hour, he needs to make an extra $0.15 per meal to break even. If the market won't bear this price increase, then he loses a bit of profit. But if he cuts staffing, he can't serve his customers and they don't come back, costing him market share. At some point, a minimum wage hike is too costly and runs a company out of business. This is why it is so important to phase wage hikes in slowly by indexing to inflation. Employers can manage a dime here and a quarter there, but a sudden increase of $1 is more difficult. Cutting costs is important, but managing costs is even more important. This is consisistent with the academic literature about the correlation between minimum wages and unemployment. Some "experts" say there is a positive correlation, but it is never all that significant. Other "experts" (more than half total) say there is no correlation. A few even say that minimum wages reduce unemployment, but I don't see how that could be the case. The conclusion I draw is that moderate minimum wage increases do more good than harm, but that increases that are too large all at once should be avoided.
A note on dependency - "The Food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing this year the greatest amount of free Meals and Food Stamps ever, to 46 million people. Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us "Please Do Not Feed the Animals." Their stated reason for the policy is because "The animals will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves." There is a message here... HHD
