AT&T Thanks Democrats For Telecom Immunity > "a slew of private corporate-sponsored parties"

reply to DownTheShore

Re: "a slew of private corporate-sponsored parties"

and does that same consumer protection cover the drug addicts too?

reply to SLD

The point is that "party platforms" are just corporate-driven agendas. I applaud his ability to "spoil" the race by forcing the major parties to take the third-pary will seriously. Same for the voters - make them aware that there really could be a choice. I could care less whether McBush or Obama get elected - the outcome will be the same 4 years from now. Corporate agendas will be furthered by the administration at the cost of the citizens.

Do you realize that the minimum wage is $12.43 hour in Australia, nearly every other civilized country is much higher than us and they almost all get 6 weeks paid vacation per year, in Australia tax free, why don't you look at the inflation rates in other countries- you are talking complete nonsense with your "skyrocketing inflation"

Why don't you actually LOOK at the inflation rates of just about every other civilized country not paying a little more for minimum wages but nearly double in most cases? You also have to consider things like-less govt benefits/ less govt health care/30% taxes collected on those higher wages/ products made in China would NOT increase in price.
Our real inflation is caused by massive govt spending (and massive tax cuts to the mega rich) and increasing the national debt 4 trillion in 6 years!
But if you want to - go on blaming the poor for everything-BUT they are Americans who would buy my products if they could earn more money. maybe there would be less family violence/drug abuse/ crimes leading to costly jail space we are paying for.
It would be much cheaper to subsidise employers' wage cost than pay for the ever increasing welfare state we have created! Lets elimilate this welfare state and let people earn enough to take care of themselves.
Take that minimum wage to $18 and require everyone to buy their own health insurance! Eliminate food stamps and everything else to anyone capable of working-BUT-pay them.

I am saying employer wage subsidies in a transition period of years entirely paid for with a reduction in welfare benefits for say 70% (in the able to work category)in this massive and growing welfare state we have created. At the moment we are getting nothing but higher taxes and no productivity at all from these people. And there will be jobs-the baby boomers are retiring and there will actually be labor shortages-lets get the welfare people working and pay them enough so they can take care of themselves including compulsory health insurance!
To give you an example, if say Walmart sells a product for $10 and all the various wages needed to get that product sold is $1 (it is much less) and you double the minimum wage-how much are you going to pay-$11, assuming no subsidies, but there will be subsidies because these people will no longer qualify for welfare benefits. So I would say that $10 product may cost $10.25 and the employee will earn double and SPEND that money! Some of it will be on compulsory health insurance-guess what, we are not paying for that anymore. Get the Govt out of peoples lives!
We would also see a massive reduction in State expenditures on these people so maybe sales taxes could be reduced. We would also have a number of Govt workers that would have to find a real job.

I am definitely not talking price (or wage controls-only a high minimum), no socialism, only what we are already doing in the way of bribed politicians generated subsidies to big business BUT this would be largely paid for with a massive reduction in welfare/health govt payments to people not producing anything but higher taxes.
Look at the whole picture, an example is what West Germany did when it gained back East Germany (a basket case similar to our welfare state). They-overnight traded worthless east German marks for hard currency real marks, AND required that wages would only be paid in real marks with a high minimum (although not as high as West Germany).
Most people thought they were completely crazy (most wanted a "welfare" approach) but look at Germany now! They eliminated their welfare state. Yes, there were many jobs temporarily lost but the explosion of well paying jobs made up for this quickly and created many new ones.
Don't get me wrong- I am not talking about those that really need govt help.

reply to ChrisXP

Usually when people are promoting free markets, they are doing so from an idealistic vantage point. The same can be said for people that push for a more socialized agenda. The reality, as you have stated, often lies somewhere in between a true free market and a command economy.