Better capitalism?

[treehumper]

Twig, the point of Hanauer's article at the beginning of this thread is to appeal to the self-interests of the stupidly wealthy. To demonstrate how by paying more to the workforce instead of themselves they will actually benefit more so. Let's hope they see the benefits.

 

[wyoclimber]

And exactly why I am very careful what I buy. I do not shop at big box stores and believe me, living in rural Wyoming makes that a challenge. Vote with your dollars people. And inflation happens anyway, don't blame it on paying people a low, but finally living wage.

 

[Bucknut]

I hate to keep throwing cold water on the conversation...... but what the heck is a "living wage"? Whatever it is, it ain't minimum wage. You're not supposed to be able to raise a family on minimum wage. When did this idea take root? These are entry level jobs, rarely even full time. They're supposed to be stepping stones, experience builders to get the foot in the door for bigger and better things. Teenagers. Remember, these people took these jobs willingly. Which means they must be better than the alternative, whatever that may be. And I don't know anyone who's ever worked willingly for a "dying wage". I had a paper route when I was a teen- never occurred to me to whine that I couldn't raise a family of four on it. Man, how times change.

Twig, the point of Hanauer's article at the beginning of this thread is to appeal to the self-interests of the stupidly wealthy. To demonstrate how by paying more to the workforce instead of themselves they will actually benefit more so. Let's hope they see the benefits.

TH, I think we can agree that most people who are "stupidly wealthy" are actually pretty smart. So if it's in their best (self) interest to pay their workforce more, wouldn't they already be doing it? Cause they're so greedy?

 

[treehumper]

Bill Gates, once described accruing more wealth as merely a measuring stick of success. I'm not suggesting they're stupid quite the contrary. Buck, reread the article.

As for minimum or low wage earners, their age is creeping up. How many teenagers have paper routes? Most papers are now delivered by independent contractors who do have a family to support. Same with the service workers in fast food and retail. That's one of the big differences between then and now.

 

[treebing]

I think there is a disconnect in realizing how rich rich people are in this country. No tree guy is ever going to make it rich, not even the president of bartlett or whatever. Doctors aren't rich, nobody we know is really rich, most of the money in this country is in the hands of people you could count on your hands and feet. Everyone else is at their service

 

[treebing]

I think we can make a choice between the government subsidizing workers. Which to me is like welfare to mcdonalds. How nice would it be if I could hire workers at 7 an hour and the government pick up their insurance, housing, and food. Or we can pay them enough so the government is not needed. If you want the government out of the picture then you shouldn't allow corporations to use the government to pay their employees.

Walmart actually gives a class to their new employees on how to hit up the government for benefits

 

[wyoclimber]

Ironically, the people who came up with the food stamp program were all capitalists. They wanted to benefit from government social programs, so rather then set up government food banks ( where what that government assistance was spent on could be controlled), we have food stamps.

 

[wyoclimber]

TH, I think we can agree that most people who are "stupidly wealthy" are actually pretty smart. So if it's in their best (self) interest to pay their workforce more, wouldn't they already be doing it? Cause they're so greedy?[/QUOTE]

I would have to disagree. Are there very smart wealthy people? Most definitely. Are there very smart poor people? Hell yes. Wealth has nothing to do with intelligence. Many people are born into it. Others are born manipulators. Some simply have zero ethics. Some have one talent that make them lots and lots of money but have no brains to back themselves up (most of show business). I recently did work for someone who is very much in that "stupidly wealthy" category. He ran an investment firm very, very successfully, enough to make him billions. Did I respect him whatsoever on an intellectual level? No. Most of what came out of his mouth was plain ignorance, but the man is very good at making money. We do not live in a meritocracy and our aristocrat class proves that to me almost every time I meet one.
And to answer the question about greed. Yes. Why else would a CEO bankrupting a company give himself bonuses every year that equal the yearly salary of 10,000 employees. If he bankrupted the company, he should be going down with the ship. That is how a meritocracy functions.