The experience of Seattle, where the minimum wage was raised to $15, shows without a doubt that it costs jobs:
…while the city of Seattle experienced a sharp drop in employment of more than 11,000 jobs between April [when the first min wage hike took place] and December last year (light blue line, BLS data available here), employment in Seattle’s neighboring suburbs outside the city limits (the Seattle MSA jobs less Seattle city jobs) increased over that period by nearly 57,000 jobs and reached a new record high in November 2015 before falling slightly in December.
Progressives want this outcome for two reasons:
- The unemployed are dependent on government handouts for their survival, and will vote for Democrats (the progressive party) to keep the benefits coming
- People with ambition to be more than lumpen are forced to pay vast monies (often borrowed) to the education industry, which is owned and operated by progressives. While acquiring the credentials that may (or may not) enable them to get jobs at minimum wage or higher, they wull also be propagandized into progressivism.
This strategy is entirely cynical, sacrificing the welfare of others in order to enrich and empower progressives.
Progressives want this outcome for two reasons:
People do not understand systems, They see the one little issue and think A fixes B. But will not acknowledge the multitude of factors. And the point is doing something, not fixing something.
Systems approach is not taught anymore. The carbon cycle, the water cycle, etc.
We actually think a president can fix things. We think we can control the weather by controlling co2. We think carrots will solve all our health issues.
Not only has Seattle passed a $15 minimum wage, they also have city sponsored homeless camps; and I heard yesterday on the local news, the city is opening shoot up shelters to give safe spaces for street people to do illegal drugs. Of course Washington has already legalized pot.
So, apparently the goal is to produce masses of unemployed, homeless people who are in a drugged stupor.
What more could you ask for a Democrat voter?