Replies

(1) The employer is paying less-than-market rates, and will soon find that his best employees are leaving for greener pastures

Unfortunately, the 'greener pastures' do not exist; it is very difficult to move to another city, and wages tend to be similar no matter where you move. It is simply not possible to just uproot if your employer tells you he can't pay you more than X. I have been out of college for more than three years now, and find wages have been tending to drop, not get higher.

(2) The work done by the employees is not highly valued by the market, and the employer cannot afford to pay higher-than-market wages.

I have many skills that are in high demand, most importantly a brain. I've found that not only am I underpaid-(I do not make a living wage for the coast, even though I am making twice the minimum now... rent is more than 50% of my cost-of-living and I live in a crappy neighborhood with a roomate.) -though-highly-valued (they gave me MVP of sales support... a plaque. No bonus for Xmas.. oh, and I've been sick and have only 4hrs a month, ran out ages ago).

Why should the government force taxpayers or businesses to subsidize poor people?If there were no minimum wage and no welfare, people would work hard enough to eat and live. Some people would choose to work harder for the rewards of a larger paycheck; some people would work just hard enough to feed themselves. Why does government need to stick its nose in the equation?

If there were no minimum wage and no welfare, you would have a whole lot of starving people, unfortunately. I'm not sure that is the trade-off people want.

Nobody wants to support the poor until they themselves are poor, unfortunately. :( And I've met very very few 'lazy' poor people. Most of them work their butts off and can't ever get ahead. Our courier works three jobs, sleeps a couple hours a night, just to support his ex-wife and their two kids. I know, that's just one guy, right...

Quite frankly, the government sticks its nose in because nobody else will. How many people on here would actually hire a poor person to do... anything? Or would you go out and hire the GQ-looking guy with the schnazzy care and the professionally-edited resume?

Just pointing out the other side sucks, too.

(1) The employer is paying less-than-market rates, and will soon find that his best employees are leaving for greener pastures. Unfortunately, the 'greener pastures' do not exist; it is very difficult to move to another city, and wages tend to be similar no matter where you move.

This tells me that your employer is paying market rates for the services you provide.

It is simply not possible to just uproot if your employer tells you he can't pay you more than X.

Why not? In the last two centuries, a lot of people uprooted themselves for an uncertain future in this country. A lot of people still do, legally and illegally.

(2) The work done by the employees is not highly valued by the market, and the employer cannot afford to pay higher-than-market wages. I have many skills that are in high demand, most importantly a brain.

"Demand" and "value" can be two different beasts. "Demand" may exist when there is high turnover in a company. If my burger flippers quit every 3 months, I will have a lot of "demand" for new employees. However, I will not pay these employees more than what I think they're worth.

I've met very very few 'lazy' poor people. Most of them work their butts off and can't ever get ahead. Our courier works three jobs, sleeps a couple hours a night, just to support his ex-wife and their two kids. I know, that's just one guy, right...

I know people like that, too. But then again, I doubt either one of us hang out in the 'lazy poor' crowd. Wasn't there a recent post on FR about poor people and their big-screen TV's?

How many people on here would actually hire a poor person to do... anything? Or would you go out and hire the GQ-looking guy with the schnazzy care and the professionally-edited resume?

I don't think the Mexican day laborers would make the cover of GQ. Nor would migrant farm workers. Yet they still come here and work.

Quite frankly, the government sticks its nose in because nobody else will.

The government sticks its nose in because people in government profit, professionally, from being busybodies, and the People let them do it.

If there were no minimum wage and no welfare, you would have a whole lot of starving people, unfortunately. I'm not sure that is the trade-off people want.

Projectile horse vomit.

How many people on here would actually hire a poor person to do... anything? Or would you go out and hire the GQ-looking guy with the schnazzy care and the professionally-edited resume?

That would depend on what each is charging. Which means that the poor guy gets screwed by minimum wage laws since they limit his ability to compete by offering a lower price.