not all democrats suck
A group of Democrats here in Michigan want to raise the minimum wage to $7.16 an hour -- a hike that is long over due. It is a tragedy that in a country that has seen such amazing prosperity and growth over the past 50 years, minimum wage workers are paid less, in real/constant dollars, than at any point of time in that period. Conversely, it is sad that the richest workers are paid more in real/constant dollars than at any time during those years. Where the fuck are our values?
Republicans and Chambers of Comemrce will bitch and moan (and, in fact, are) that requiring the poorest among us to earn more will somehow hurt the economy. That paying a McDonald's worker -- who currently can't buy a "value" meal with what he now earns for an hour's work -- more will hurt small businesses, and destroy an economy that is suddenly so "fragile" when this idea is proposed (as opposed to being held as "strong and growing" during the whole Bush campaign). I would contend that paying a McDonald's employee enough to buy a value meal would be good for the economy -- that spending is a good thing in a capitalist system, and that the more money is out there in the hands of consumers, the better (an argument that sounds freakishly Bushian in nature to me). I would contend that allowing a McDonald's worker to work one job to earn his living rather than two or three would be good for those family values that Republicans would seemingly rather legislate.
Republicans seem to forget that though capital and investment is important for the growth of an economy...our economy is ultimately rooted in the consumerism of the lower and middle classes -- all money trails end up at the grocery stores, restaurants, and retail stores, all services ultimately aimed at that lowest level of capitalism (okay, aside from big ticket items like houses and cars and the like). After all, a tech company provides services to a bank that provides services to the consumer that buys shit at the store. It's a good thing to have money in ordinary people's pockets.
But I'm probably not making sense, I don't want to spend nearly enough time writing this as I need to. I'm just glad that finally some Democrats are showing some balls and doing something for the common man rather than just blowing a bunch of hot air and cuddling up with the Republicans so as not to upset them.
Republicans and Chambers of Comemrce will bitch and moan (and, in fact, are) that requiring the poorest among us to earn more will somehow hurt the economy. That paying a McDonald's worker -- who currently can't buy a "value" meal with what he now earns for an hour's work -- more will hurt small businesses, and destroy an economy that is suddenly so "fragile" when this idea is proposed (as opposed to being held as "strong and growing" during the whole Bush campaign). I would contend that paying a McDonald's employee enough to buy a value meal would be good for the economy -- that spending is a good thing in a capitalist system, and that the more money is out there in the hands of consumers, the better (an argument that sounds freakishly Bushian in nature to me). I would contend that allowing a McDonald's worker to work one job to earn his living rather than two or three would be good for those family values that Republicans would seemingly rather legislate.
Republicans seem to forget that though capital and investment is important for the growth of an economy...our economy is ultimately rooted in the consumerism of the lower and middle classes -- all money trails end up at the grocery stores, restaurants, and retail stores, all services ultimately aimed at that lowest level of capitalism (okay, aside from big ticket items like houses and cars and the like). After all, a tech company provides services to a bank that provides services to the consumer that buys shit at the store. It's a good thing to have money in ordinary people's pockets.
But I'm probably not making sense, I don't want to spend nearly enough time writing this as I need to. I'm just glad that finally some Democrats are showing some balls and doing something for the common man rather than just blowing a bunch of hot air and cuddling up with the Republicans so as not to upset them.
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