NationStates Jolt Archive

Most people with an ounce of compassion or a grain of economic sense think that there should be a minimum wage, but should there be a maximum wage that anyone can earn as well?

The minimum wage is absurdly low, so lets set the maximum wage absurdly high. Lets say that no-one is allowed to be paid more than $1000 an hour, thats pretty fair isn't it? With the minimum wage hovering at about $5 an hour, that means that no posh lawyer or accountant will ever earn more than 200 times the amount that a roadsweeper will.

Thoughts?

rich people control the system and would always find a way around it.
would stock options count as wages?

NO there should no be a maximum wage law and there should be no minimum wage law it should to totally up to the owner or owners of a company to chose the wage paid to each employee with no laws to say how.

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.

rich people control the system and would always find a way around it.
would stock options count as wages?Oh, I don't doubt that they would, but it'd be a nice symbolic gesture.

Maybe we should just take their gross income for the year, divide it by the amount of hours they work and adjust the total until its less than $1000 per hour worked.

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.10 million dollars isn't uber rich?

I just live in a different world from other people I think.

If the law was set at $1000 an hour and worked an 8 hour day you would only be able to make $2920000 a year wheres the incentive to excel once you reach that amount. After you make that much and can possibly make no more you would just have to do the bare minimum to get by. Sounds to much like coummunism. Thats why there should be no wage laws the companies do not force you to work the you can look for a new job if you think your wages are not fair.

NO there should no be a maximum wage law and there should be no minimum wage law it should to totally up to the owner or owners of a company to chose the wage paid to each employee with no laws to say how.Ok, well, after buying up all the other jobs in the area, I'm going to offer you a dollar a day to lick my shoes.

we live in a world where the young assume they are going to get incredibly rich.
as they get jobs, they will want the minimum wage raised. they are much more likely to be working on that end of the scale.

Corporate boards should be dictating how much the big CEO's get paid, not laws. :?

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.

Why should you have to give the money you have worked for and earned fairly to the government its not fair.

would stock options count as wages?

No, that's the point. The rich make money from stocks while the non-rich must depend on wages.

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If the law was set at $1000 an hour and worked an 8 hour day you would only be able to make $2,920,000 a year wheres the incentive to excel once you reach that amount. After you make that much and can possibly make no more you would just have to do the bare minimum to get by. Sounds to much like coummunism. Thats why there should be no wage laws the companies do not force you to work the you can look for a new job if you think your wages are not fair.Lemme bloody well tell you something, if I'm paying you three million bucks a year, you'd better be fucking well excelling already, never mind extra insentives.

Corporate boards should be dictating how much the big CEO's get paid, not laws. :?Yes, I agree, corporate boards should be defining CEO's saleries, and they should leave lawmaking to the lawmakers. If only that were the case.

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.

Why should you have to give the money you have worked for and earned fairly to the government its not fair.
Life isn't fair


Is making less money than you actually needed to buy food and have health insurance fair? I'm just asking for a normal level of perspective.

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.

Why should you have to give the money you have worked for and earned fairly to the government its not fair.
Life isn't fair


Is making less money than you actually needed to buy food and have health insurance fair? I'm just asking for a normal level of perspective.

Work harder, go to college, be smart, and excel. Don't wait on me to support you because I don't want to and if it was up to me I would not.

Sounds good! I believe that the owner of a company should never make more than 21 times what the average worker makes. And everyone should get at least 4 weeks paid vacation. Basically, it should be like it is in Europe. You don't see quite as many people who are stupid rich, greedy, bastard, motherfuckers. And I like that.

NO there should no be a maximum wage law and there should be no minimum wage law it should to totally up to the owner or owners of a company to chose the wage paid to each employee with no laws to say how.
i think the reality train doesnt stop at your station bucko

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.

Why should you have to give the money you have worked for and earned fairly to the government its not fair.
Life isn't fair


Is making less money than you actually needed to buy food and have health insurance fair? I'm just asking for a normal level of perspective.

Work harder, go to college, be smart, and excel. Don't wait on me to support you because I don't want to and if it was up to me I would not.Work harder.... when you're sick. Go to college... with no money. Be smart... when your school is falling down. Excel... without any of the things mentioned before.

Man, you conservatives are real heartless.

besides, if it were up to the CEO, he would pay ALL the workers less than minimum wage

thats why we need a minimum wage and UNIONS. its the only leverage the little guy has

NO there should no be a maximum wage law and there should be no minimum wage law it should to totally up to the owner or owners of a company to chose the wage paid to each employee with no laws to say how.

So you don't believe that the middle class should exist? You think that we should have a few people get ultra rich, while we have millions of people dying of easily preventable diseases, and they try to scrape together enoguh money to feed their families? SOunds like fun doesn't it? You know what that reminds me of? China. Supposed to be a communist country right? Well, they have a small group of super wealthy people, and their people making about 12 cents a day. DO you want the US to be like that? You want disease and famine to run amoke? You honestlly beleive you would be one of the lucky few who could afford to live a nice, "happy" life? Let's just hope you never find out.

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.

Why should you have to give the money you have worked for and earned fairly to the government its not fair.
Life isn't fair


Is making less money than you actually needed to buy food and have health insurance fair? I'm just asking for a normal level of perspective.

Work harder, go to college, be smart, and excel. Don't wait on me to support you because I don't want to and if it was up to me I would not.Work harder.... when you're sick. Go to college... with no money. Be smart... when you're schools falling down. Excell... without any of the things before.

Man, you conservatives are real heartless.

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.

Why should you have to give the money you have worked for and earned fairly to the government its not fair.
Life isn't fair


Is making less money than you actually needed to buy food and have health insurance fair? I'm just asking for a normal level of perspective.

Work harder, go to college, be smart, and excel. Don't wait on me to support you because I don't want to and if it was up to me I would not.Work harder.... when you're sick. Go to college... with no money. Be smart... when you're schools falling down. Excell... without any of the things before.

Man, you conservatives are real heartless.

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.See, thats actually the unarguable principle. Conservative: I don't like being a nice, responsible member of society. I want to look out for number 1. Its not even immoral, its amoral, its completly without care for anyone or anything else. How utterly disgusting. I feel nothing but contempt.

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.
who is asking you to support someone else? fair wage for fair work isnt exactly welfare

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.See, thats actually the unarguable principle. Conservative: I don't like being a nice, responsible member of society. I want to look out for number 1. Its not even immoral, its amoral, its completly without care for anyone or anything else. How utterly disgusting. I feel nothing but contempt.

This isn't a matter of consevative or liberal its a matter of where I want MY money to go, and where YOU want MY money to go.

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.See, thats actually the unarguable principle. Conservative: I don't like being a nice, responsible member of society. I want to look out for number 1. Its not even immoral, its amoral, its completly without care for anyone or anything else. How utterly disgusting. I feel nothing but contempt.

This isn't a matter of consevative or liberal its a matter of where I want MY money to go, and where YOU want MY money to go.


and where the fruit do you think your money is going right now, i would LOVE to hear that

The maximum wage should be, at the very most, 1 million per year. Nobody needs more than that.

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.See, thats actually the unarguable principle. Conservative: I don't like being a nice, responsible member of society. I want to look out for number 1. Its not even immoral, its amoral, its completly without care for anyone or anything else. How utterly disgusting. I feel nothing but contempt.

This isn't a matter of consevative or liberal its a matter of where I want MY money to go, and where YOU want MY money to go.Its my money too y-know.

*sigh* Back when the marginal tax rate for the American "Uber-rich" was 95%, they simply didn't work. Ronald Regan only made 4 movies per year because any more wasn't worth his time. It was just money for the government. It that is the case, the productivity of the work force would plummet. People would make up to the mark, and then stop working. People make that money because they have an incredible skill that is in such demand, they get to make that money.

With respect to the minimum wage, all it does is cause unemployment.

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.See, thats actually the unarguable principle. Conservative: I don't like being a nice, responsible member of society. I want to look out for number 1. Its not even immoral, its amoral, its completly without care for anyone or anything else. How utterly disgusting. I feel nothing but contempt.

This isn't a matter of consevative or liberal its a matter of where I want MY money to go, and where YOU want MY money to go.Its my money too y-know.

No I'm just talking of what happens to my money once income tax is paid.

I think the poor should just get off there lazy asses and WORK

I think the poor should just get off there lazy asses and WORK
40% of poor people are working poor
welcome to the real world right wing wacko

Why is it my job to support someone else. Why should I to if I do not wish to.See, thats actually the unarguable principle. Conservative: I don't like being a nice, responsible member of society. I want to look out for number 1. Its not even immoral, its amoral, its completly without care for anyone or anything else. How utterly disgusting. I feel nothing but contempt.

This isn't a matter of consevative or liberal its a matter of where I want MY money to go, and where YOU want MY money to go.Its my money too y-know.

No I'm just talking of what happens to my money once income tax is paid.You might be, but I know that I'm not. I'm talking about the minimum wage, which is not paid out of income tax

*sigh* Back when the marginal tax rate for the American "Uber-rich" was 95%, they simply didn't work. Ronald Regan only made 4 movies per year because any more wasn't worth his time. It was just money for the government. It that is the case, the productivity of the work force would plummet. People would make up to the mark, and then stop working. People make that money because they have an incredible skill that is in such demand, they get to make that money.

With respect to the minimum wage, all it does is cause unemployment.The minimum wage is not the best thing for small buisnesses who create a lot of jobs, I agree, but thats not all that the minimum wage does. It also ensures that people don't have to work under the kind of conditons they were working under in the 19th century, 18 hour days, hardly any money, forced to either work or starve and fired if they joined a union

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.

Minimum wage is at least argueable, but a maximum wage? That is so stupid. That completely deters anyone from being successful. Why dont you just go to a socialist country? There this is followed, it doesnt belong in a free society.

Minimum wage also just contributes to inflation, as it causes businesses to pay more money to people than the work they do is worth, which causes prices to go up.

Minimum wage is at least argueable, but a maximum wage? That is so stupid. That completely deters anyone from being successful. Why dont you just go to a socialist country? There this is followed, it doesnt belong in a free society.

Minimum wage also just contributes to inflation, as it causes businesses to pay more money to people than the work they do is worth, which causes prices to go up.

I agree.

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.Are you just getting these out of the handbook "Conservative phrases for beginners"? When the minimum wage goes up, prices go up, yes, its called inflation. There are a variety of ways that smart people called "economists" have come up with to try and minimise it, which means that increased wages are possible without the side effect of rampant inflation.

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.
you dont live i nthe real world do you?
you must live in one of those mexican slave labor made, poor person tax paid for, republican alternate reality VR machine

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.Are you just getting these out of the handbook "Conservative phrases for beginners"? When the minimum wage goes up, prices go up, yes, its called inflation. There are a variety of ways that smart people called "economists" have come up with to try and minimise it, which means that increased wages are possible without the side effect of rampant inflation.

I am aware of what inflation is.

Minimum wage is at least argueable, but a maximum wage? That is so stupid. That completely deters anyone from being successful. Why dont you just go to a socialist country? There this is followed, it doesnt belong in a free society.Translation: Damn commie, go back to Russia!

How would only earning $3 million a year deter you from being sucessful? If I was earning that much I'd be laughing it up.

In other countries you don't need a maximum wage. In places like Germany the CEO's only take about 40x the salery their workers do, instead of the 100x + that most american CEO's do

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.
you dont live i nthe real world do you?
you must live in one of those mexican slave labor made, poor person tax paid for, republican alternate reality VR machine

Its the truth Liberals just want to bash conservatives.

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.
you dont live i nthe real world do you?
you must live in one of those mexican slave labor made, poor person tax paid for, republican alternate reality VR machine

Its the truth Liberals just want to bash conservatives.You're doing well, now tell us that we're race baiters and you'll have finished chapter 5.

I am aware of what inflation is.Good. So you'll know that a steady inflation is generally regarded as a good thing, and that inflation depends on more than just the minimum wage.

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.
you dont live i nthe real world do you?
you must live in one of those mexican slave labor made, poor person tax paid for, republican alternate reality VR machine

Its the truth Liberals just want to bash conservatives.

truth? the truth is minimum wage is rising far slower than the rate of inflation

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.
you dont live i nthe real world do you?
you must live in one of those mexican slave labor made, poor person tax paid for, republican alternate reality VR machine

Its the truth Liberals just want to bash conservatives.You're doing well, now tell us that we're race baiters and you'll have finished chapter 5.

I am aware of what inflation is.Good. So you'll know that a steady inflation is generally regarded as a good thing, and that inflation depends on more than just the minimum wage.

Inflation is also bad.

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.
you dont live i nthe real world do you?
you must live in one of those mexican slave labor made, poor person tax paid for, republican alternate reality VR machine

Its the truth Liberals just want to bash conservatives.You're doing well, now tell us that we're race baiters and you'll have finished chapter 5.

I am aware of what inflation is.Good. So you'll know that a steady inflation is generally regarded as a good thing, and that inflation depends on more than just the minimum wage.

Inflation is also bad.No, too much inflation is bad. Too little inflation or even "deflation" is also a bad thing. So, that means that the ideal amount of inflation is somewhere between too much and too little. A sortof "Goldilocks" value for inflation if you will.

When minimum wage raises all the prices raise with it. But if you have talent and are willing to work you will not need minimum wage.
you dont live i nthe real world do you?
you must live in one of those mexican slave labor made, poor person tax paid for, republican alternate reality VR machine

Its the truth Liberals just want to bash conservatives.

truth? the truth is minimum wage is rising far slower than the rate of inflationIndeed. The purchasing power of the minimum wage went down 20%, and in the same time period the stock market went up 125%

I am Amazed at the warped sense of scale that we have here. Is it possible that without maximum wage laws the middle class does not cease to exist?

Where did reality go when we made that quantum leap of logic?

No, we should not abolish the minimum wage laws, but I'll warn you that there is no such thing as a high minimum wage. If it were rased to $19 per hour, everything would cost $20 or more. Yes it needs to be raised periodically, but a minimum wage that isn't "Rediculously low" really is an impossability.

But, anyways, no one can really make a career in america on min wage- even low paying establishments will pay seven or ten dollars an hour to aspiring employees. the comment that all CEOs would pay less than minimum wage if they could is absurd! Sure, McDonalds pays low wages, but Walmart (whose stocks sometimes pass microsoft) pay considerably more than minimum wage ($7/hr starting) and offer quite a few ways to aspire within the company (allowing you to make even more money in exchange for more responsabilities)

But there is no use at all for a maximum wage. Most CEOs make a few million a year, but they didn't start out that way, they worked up the rungs in the company. So, even though "its not fair, because it will never be fair" it is as fair as it gets.


the ones who should make us all angry are the playboys who inherit money. but we are trying to abolish the DEATH TAX so that there is no inheritance tax for them. But we all think the death tax (that only ever affected inheritance of $2 million of more) is immoral, right?



So, here's why we shouldn't limit money making:

The uber-rich, like Bill Gates or the Rockafellers, get that way through CAPITALISM. although i have been known to mock it from time to time, i'll defend it here in the interest of the growing economy and worker's Jobs.

Anciently, Uber wealth went into ostentacious displays, like a huge house, with servents/slaves jewels, clothing, fineries, parties ect. Just go see some of the castles in europe, or plantation homes in the southern US.

well, under capitalism the money that the uber-rich make usually comes from owning a business (ie, stock options) It becomes capital: it is re-invested into making more money: making more money by expanding the business, founding new businesses, settling lawsuits ect. The oddest thing is, is that this seems to create more jobs, thereby more consumers, more capital to re-invest in the business and a better economy.

A better economy means that there is actually more money than there used to be! There are more jobs, and if the jobs outnumber the workers then the companies have to rase wages to compete. isn't that odd? So, in the end, even the poor are more wealthy.

Now- this is just peachy until you start to look at what someone else makes and say "Hey! that's not fair!" I am convinced that comunist parties in america and europe are more based on covetousness than actual sound economic advice. Yes, the workers need to be protected to an extent, but this should not be an open punishment on the finacially successful.
May I remind you that all attempts at full comunism have failed (Russia, China) Rather than everyone being equally wealthy as promised, everyone is equally poor.

And as for CEO wages, companies do not pay anyone more than said person is Worth. If the CEO is not doing several million dollars worth of work, he is summarily fired. Just like in hollywood: To keep his job, Harrison Ford must make less than his film makes. Actors would not be payed millions dollars if the studios didn't make back that money in the box office. There is reason to all of this.

There should be no death tax because it takes down the money you can in inhertitance it was the dead person money and they should be able to do what they please with it.

But, anyways, no one can really make a career in america on min wage- even low paying establishments will pay seven or ten dollars an hour to aspiring employees. the comment that all CEOs would pay less than minimum wage if they could is absurd! Sure, McDonalds pays low wages, but Walmart (whose stocks sometimes pass microsoft) pay considerably more than minimum wage ($7/hr starting) and offer quite a few ways to aspire within the company (allowing you to make even more money in exchange for more responsabilities)



nice thoughtful post

im only disputing that one part of it because its so easy to disprove

MEXICO

do you think that companies take jobs to low wage countries out of a charitable interest in building up the 3rd world?

if they COULD pay us workers $1/hour they wouldnt take jobs out of the country.

if they could pay us IT workers the same wages they make in india, we wouldnt hear that sucking sound as they send all those jobs to asia.

in any case, as i said in the beginning, it might be tempting to have a maximum wage but even if it got passed, the rich would find a way around it. im not gonna stay up nights worrying about the poor rich people.

Minimum wage law: yes

Maximum wage law: no

If a company wants to pay someone $10 million per year or even more then thats their choice.
A minimum wage law protects people, a maximum wage law does not.

There should be no death tax because it takes down the money you can in inhertitance it was the dead person money and they should be able to do what they please with it.You're making these sweeping moral claims with no actual justification. Its like you think that people have a right to be rich.

There should be no death tax because it takes down the money you can in inhertitance it was the dead person money and they should be able to do what they please with it.You're making these sweeping moral claims with no actual justification. Its like you think that people have a right to be rich.

Whats wrong with being rich.

There should be no death tax because it takes down the money you can in inhertitance it was the dead person money and they should be able to do what they please with it.You're making these sweeping moral claims with no actual justification. Its like you think that people have a right to be rich.

Whats wrong with being rich.

danger danger willrobinson, sensing clueless republican in the facility

There should be no death tax because it takes down the money you can in inhertitance it was the dead person money and they should be able to do what they please with it.You're making these sweeping moral claims with no actual justification. Its like you think that people have a right to be rich.

Whats wrong with being rich.

danger danger willrobinson, sensing clueless republican in the facility

You still havent given an explanatio. Is it necause it makes the poor people feel bad.

yes people can be rich, but more than likely its at the expense to the poor, taxing peoples assets after they die is kind of ludicrous, but so are the upper majority of taxes imposed on people..

I think your plan's a little flawed, in the sense that the uber rich aren't payed by the hour (with the exception of lawyers and psychiatrists). I think it should be 10 milllion dollars, anually. That way, you can still get rich, but say goodbye to the uber rich. If you earn any more, it should be given to the gov't.

Why should you have to give the money you have worked for and earned fairly to the government its not fair.

Because you are paying for a service, so you have to pay for it just like you would have to pay for any other service. By being a citizen of any particular country not only do you accept rights, but also responsibilities, unfortunately in the selfish climate of today, people are all too willing to forget about the last part.

Maximum wage laws? Say what? Sorry, but while I'd make the minimum wage equivalent to the living wage, by doing such w/maximum wage, we'd be that much closer to communism (while I don't hate it, whenever some country goes commie it seems like somebody always takes advantage of it)

Most people with an ounce of compassion or a grain of economic sense think that there should be a minimum wage, but should there be a maximum wage that anyone can earn as well?

The minimum wage is absurdly low, so lets set the maximum wage absurdly high. Lets say that no-one is allowed to be paid more than $1000 an hour, thats pretty fair isn't it? With the minimum wage hovering at about $5 an hour, that means that no posh lawyer or accountant will ever earn more than 200 times the amount that a roadsweeper will.

Thoughts?

It's not the people who get paid wages who are the ones getting all the money.

Why should we use the dollar? Why not the pound sterling?

For what???
No to minimum wage laws, no to maximum wage laws. Let the market decide about the price of labour!!!

*tssssssssssseeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww*
what was that, oh the clue train

Most people with an ounce of compassion or a grain of economic sense think that there should be a minimum wage, but should there be a maximum wage that anyone can earn as well?

The minimum wage is absurdly low, so lets set the maximum wage absurdly high. Lets say that no-one is allowed to be paid more than $1000 an hour, thats pretty fair isn't it? With the minimum wage hovering at about $5 an hour, that means that no posh lawyer or accountant will ever earn more than 200 times the amount that a roadsweeper will.

Thoughts?

Why don't we just switch over to socialism. Minimum wage is socialistic enough. Passing a law enacting a maximum wage would be like telling people "Okay, you have minimum wage, so as long as you are working you will be this successful, but for you guys at the top, you can't be any more successful because we've made maximum wage laws. Sorry, you're just going to have to stop getting better." When the sky is the limit, competition (which inspires advancements) is endless.