How do 'we' bolster wage growth ? That's the major dilemma going forward - one I see little resolution to in the near term. The middle class was the source of American innovation - with a weakening school system and manufacturing base, that vitality has been drastically sapped.
Wall Street and its hand maidens benefit from the current structure. But the middle class does not, resulting in what could be called 'educational outsourcing' , as the educated class of other countries come here to fill in the gaps our weakened education leaves.
Posted by purple at April 19, 2009 08:36 AMParadox says people are hungry. LMAO.
They're so starving that they eat too much!
The problem with America's poor kids is that they're too fat. Few policy-makers are willing to say this rather obvious truth, which is why America's nutritional programs are caught in a 1930s time warp that amplifies the chief health problem facing poor children -- namely, that they're overweight.Posted by JFixx at April 19, 2009 09:17 AMLiberal advocacy groups, stuck in a gruesome nostalgia for a bygone era of deprivation, still talk of hunger as if it stalks every poor household in the country. They maintain that there are 13.6 million children hungry or at risk of hunger in America, one of the great bogus statistics of our ag. As poverty expert Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation explains, malnutrition, understood as a significant dietary deficiency, essentially doesn't exist in America except in small pockets of the population with other problems, e.g. drug addicts or anorexics. Hunger, defined as going without a meal at least once in the past month, is also extremely rare, according to the Department of Agriculture, affecting roughly one-half of 1 percent of American children.
Advocacy groups get their higher number by resorting to a category in Agriculture Department surveys measuring "food insecurity without hunger," meaning the worry that it might be hard to find a meal. This statistic tries to capture a psychological state rather than anything real, and contradicts the harder (or at least pudgier) evidence on the ground.
According to Rector, the average poor child is, in fact, supernourished. On average, he consumes twice the daily recommended allowance of protein. By age 18, he will be an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier than the average teenager in 1950.
The real problems of the poor tend to be crime, failing schools, out-of-wedlock births, sexually transmitted diseases and poor eating habits. It's time for liberals to upgrade their image of America. We live in such a splendidly abundant nation that even the poor are overweight. Get over it.
Paradox says So would a much higher minimum wage, passage of the Employment Free Choice Act
Unions? Unions have done wonders for the steel, airlines, and auto companies. Unions sent the jobs to overseas companies. Look at what unions are doing to public sector (government) jobs. States, cities, and counties are running huge deficits and have huge ongoing costs to retired workers.
Supporters of increasing the minimum wage argue that they do so in order to help poor and less skilled workers. But government intrusion into the labor market through raising minimum wage generates the same problems that similar interventions produce in other markets. The minimum wage disrupts the natural interaction of supply and demand and leads to inefficient allocations of labor and, eventually, increased unemployment.
California increased the minimum wage in 2008. California has also recently raised taxes. California also imposes many fees for things like family leave, disability, etc. All these increase costs to business and the costs to hire a California worker.
California's unemployment rate has climbed to a record 11.2%. California is a liberal state. Even the Republicans are liberal in CA. Raising minimum wages and taxes have increased business costs
Posted by JFixx at April 19, 2009 09:46 AMThey're so starving that they eat too much!
Don't you just love the way Rector...who I call Rectard... distills complex societal issues into a few words using codes that people like you can understand? Why, here is one now: "They're so starving that they eat too much!" Isn't America great!!! We take care of the poor so well that they get fat! Aren't we wonderful!!! And then there is this Rectard gem: "The real problems of the poor tend to be crime, failing schools, out-of-wedlock births, sexually transmitted diseases and poor eating habits." Hmmmm? But we take care of our poor people! This stuff must be their fault, so screw em.
Of course, research studies support that at the first of the month those who need food support tend to purchase pretty good diets. Meats, veggies, complex carbs...but as the month wears on they struggle with food security and start purchasing highly refined proteins, fats, carbs, etc. This is also true of low-income earners who don't get food support.
You also have to factor in the republi-KKKon phenomena associated with Ray-Gun. You know, no real increase in wages, devalue the dollar by 30% and force the surge in two-earner families just to pay the bills. Meals aren't made at home and everyone eats crap from the local fastfood scum merchants to save time and money. Any of your kids ready for a dollar menu 1200 calorie fat and sodium saturated meal, that only costs $3.00? With free refills!
We'll only see more of the problem. As families lose money they'll be making some really difficult choices. With stress comes activation of hypocretin/orexin cells in the hypothalamus - but most people know about the link between stress and eating. At least those with financial insecurity do.
The minimum wage disrupts the natural interaction of supply and demand and leads to inefficient allocations of labor...
Just like financial regulations strangled the ability of banks, investment banks, and insurers to maximize profits.
Posted by phidipides at April 19, 2009 11:48 AMbut as the month wears on they struggle with food security and start purchasing highly refined proteins, fats, carbs, etc.
That's typical liberal crap-think. Rich or poor, people eat too many calories. Rice, beans and produce are less expensive than packaged foods. People make their own future, fat or thin. It's a choice.
force the surge in two-earner families just to pay the bills.
The costs of flat screen TVs, cell phones, internet data plans, video games, cable TV, tickets to sporting events, dining out, coffee drinks at Starbucks, and such all add up. If you want them, you have to pay for them. Many don't know the difference between wants and needs. Do you?
Posted by JFixx at April 19, 2009 12:36 PMI was amazed by the sign at the entrance to the NASCAR race here in Phoenix last night:
"Fat oil wasting republicans only"
Posted by TIKI AL at April 19, 2009 01:04 PMRice, beans and produce are less expensive than packaged foods.
You don't do the shopping at your Mom's house, do you? I bet you couldn't tell me what it costs to make a salad, or the cost of a box of mac-n-cheese.
People make their own future, fat or thin. It's a choice.
You write for Rectard, dontcha? All those little poor fat kids making the wrong choices in their lives. They better straighten-up quick! They won't be 5 or 6 year-olds forever!
The costs of flat screen TVs, cell phones, internet data plans, video games, cable TV, tickets to sporting events, dining out, coffee drinks at Starbucks, and such all add up.
Don't forget the $12,500 a year for healthcare premiums! Actually, and just because you seem to be about as uninformed as they come, today's median income (two-earner) family has about $1500.00 less in discretionary income than a 1970 (single earner) family.
Amazing, huh? You're going out assbackwards and don't even know it! That's a republi-KKKon for you! Say what you're told to say and don't ask questions!
Posted by phidipides at April 19, 2009 02:30 PMJFixx, you are right. But pdip is on the far side of KKKrazy and the last person who would repond to logic and facts.
Outside of Africa, there aren't too many going hungry per the definition. In Africa the governments are the problem.
Posted by Dennis at April 19, 2009 06:14 PM