Hi kholt; Re minimum wage.
I'm no longer the very radical right winger I once was, but I still can't see any reason for keeping the national minimum wage law around.
The worst part about the minimum wage is their national application. In some parts of the country the minimum wage is so low, compared to the cost of living, or to the scarcity of labor, as to have no effect whatsoever on the local wage rate. In other parts of the country, the minimum wage is well in excess of most people's hourly wage. For example, see:
uark.edu
While those rural areas are not exactly economic powerhouses, it's nevertheless possible to have a very pleasant life on a minimum wage income. Rents are much much cheaper than in the big city, most people grow some of their own food, and there aren't a lot of Starbucks around to spend $10 on a coffee at, even if you had the cash.
For that reason, as well as a general preference for state's rights, I think the national minimum wage should be abolished. I think it should strictly be a local law, and it should take into account local conditions, if it is in law at all.
-- Carl |
