Some of y'all are looking at the wrong end of the dipstick.

Over 40% of American workers make less than $15 an hour. This isn't just about teenagers flipping burgers.

http://fortune.com/2015/04/13/who-makes-15-per-hour/

Of course live poker is perhaps the most labor intensive industry out there. What is it, something like 30 square feet of space plus a $2 deck of cards, maybe $300 for a table and some chairs, and then the dealer's hourly? That makes it fairly unique.

But my gut tells me bjsmith is right. You give people more disposable income, and they'll find a way to dispose of it.

Your argument:

Rich people shouldn't give more money to poor people in the form of higher wages, because keeping the money instead allows them to give more money to poor people.

Logic, what is it.

You're leaving out the biggest expense in a poker room, cocktail service. Each drink served in a poker room costs the room's P&L $2-$3 in a normal setup. That is why I suspect free cocktails would become a thing of the past in poker rooms where that is currently the norm.

I think the debate is pointless. It isn't going to $15/hr. A small jump in min wage will have little or no effect. Maybe the end of the $1 an hour in comps.

I'm not saying we shouldn't give more money to poor people, but I would say that if that is the goal that we should find a way to do it that doesn't involve discouraging employers from hiring.

I was just stating that saying money in the hands of poor people is more valuable to our economy than money in the hands of the rich is wrong.

I think the history and current state of the American economy is pretty strong evidence to the contrary, actually. It's been shown pretty thoroughly that people in advantageous financial positions tend to exploit disadvantaged people in order to maximize personal gain, rather than stimulating the economy like you're suggesting.

Most of the opponents of min. wage increases arguments require a certain level of trust between all of the members of the economy to be true. It's very obvious that we don't have that.

which is what Just as you cannot pick an arbitrary level and say you must pay your workers at least (x) regardless of skill level and not expect businesses to adjust prices.

Except minimum wage is not set at an arbitrary amount lol, it's set based off a number of economic factors, at the rate which is found to be the "minimum living wage", that is, the smallest amount of money you can work full-time for and not be impoverished.

This is why min. wages vary from place to place, and also why saying "doubling the minimum wage is bad" can't make any sense. It could very well be bad in some economies and amazing in others.

This will not happen within the next +10 years. France has around 10€ and Germany 8,50€ min-wage. And these are cultivated countries, not some pilgrims who didn't make it in europe, and hence decided to make war all over the planet.
No wonder NVG is not able to differ in between seriously, and polemic nonsense.

Doubling the minimum wage would close the pay gap between skilled and unskilled labor, removing the incentive to acquire skill. The current minimum wage satisfies your impoverished premise. If you plan to raise a family working for minimum wage full-time lo-****ing-l. Furthermore, establishing a federal minimum wage removes the ability to vary wages from place to place, where small businesses cannot afford $15 for a group of high school kids. Increase your skill set as you age and you wont have this problem.

If you offer me a 2 dollar wage then I will not work for you. Instead Ill pimp out your daughter and sell drugs to your son. Or else you could offer a livable wage and Ill do a good job earning you money.
Do you get it?

'bjsmith22' has a lot more patience than me in dealing with some of these posters who seem to have little to no clue.

Re this post I agree with it completely.

What do you think is the state of the economy?

How are rich people exploiting poor people and how is that not stimulating the economy?

If the only skill you have in "pimping" then you would be better off "pimping." If you think you deserve 25K to sweep floors or ask "you want fries with that?" Lolz.


Only 4% of hourly workers (mostly HS students and recent HS graduates) make minimum wage, stop acting like hourly workers are so oppressed. Learn a trade.

Of course you wouldn't work for me for $2/hr when wal-mart is offering $3/hr while Burger King is offering you $4/hr while target is offering you benefits and $5/hr and chick fil a is sending a limo to your house to pick you up to bring you to their headquarters to discuss a $6/hr position. All the while these places are cutting prices of their goods and services.

What is the free market?

If you agree with his post respond to my above post that points out how silly his point is that rich people having less money doesn't effect the economy (or even that we are somehow significantly better off having money in poor people's hands instead of rich people's).

polemic nonsense, ffs
stop overanalysing in your analysis-paralysis
the old man wants your (de-)vote, and nothing else
stay tough, be real

You don't understand how the economy works do you? The middle class is the driving force behind the economy. Rich people don't run out and buy 1,000 new cars each year. People having money and buying products leads to companies increase profit. Raising the min wage helps put more money into the people who are going to spend it on things they need.
Google the facts before you repeat idiotic talking points from politicians that have been bought and paid for by people like Sheldon *******face****er. I mean Sheldon Alderson

This thread has turned into a bunch of people arguing free market capitalism with a socialist. It left the poker track a long time ago, never to return.

Uh, vast amounts of Americans have to work two jobs to even support themselves, even those with trades. Sure they don't make minimum wage, but they barely make more than that. Everyone, even floor sweepers, deserve a livable wage.

Hi rjustice:

It's even worse than what you say. When minimum wage jobs disappear, people with no skills don't develop any and thus have no value to potential employers for life.

Best wishes,
Mason

Here is a fun chart:



Source

When will poker sites get rid of nanostakes?

Wil people still play 5nl in 10 years from now?

I am not sure which post you are referring to. The state of the economy globally is pretty screwed. The US seems to be coming good slowly.

Rich people exploit poor people as we are fed the economics the trickle down effect myth. Take a look at your political parties (same thing happens in AU but not as bad). The "lobby groups" donate money to various parties and thus get to write the laws to grow their own bank balance. Do some research on the Arms industry influence on the Bush administration. That is one glaring recent example.

I do find it hard to swallow how badly the social inequity and gap is getting wider and wider from rich and poor and so many US citizens are happy with the status quo. I find it quite appalling.

Isn't there correlation with teenage unemployment and US unemployment. Or am I missing something?

If not, let's put those teenagers back to work. Lower it back to $5.15!

lol wat

"jobless rate for 16-19 year olds"

In what world are we expecting people who don't even have full rights as citizenz to have jobs?

All your graph is showing is that when minimum wage goes up, parents are making the correct amount of money and that their kids are, correctly so, not having to get jobs.

lol