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In Michigan, Obama presses to raise minimum wage to 10.10

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posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 06:46 PM
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I happened to a video from today, when Obama gave a speech in Michigan University. I thought of sharing it here and getting opinions from Americans on the matter.

As I am not American I will not go into much depth on my opinion, I personally did agree with most of the speech, despite there being quite some partisan talk (although in general I did agree with the talk on republicans, at least that is based on my perception so far) , although after all he is a politician and considering it is election year... .

I did copy a paragraphs I personally liked. Whether America or some other nation, these are something I do agree with.

Links:

Video: www.usatoday.com...

Transcript: www.mlive.com...



So that’s the good news. We fought back from the worst economic crisis in our lifetimes. We’ve laid the foundation for America’s future growth. But here’s the problem: There’s been a long-term trend that has really been hitting middle-class folks and folks trying to get into the middle class, and that’s been going on since before most of you were born. The economy increasingly has folks at the top doing really well, but then middle-class families, people who are struggling to get into the middle class, they’re working harder, but their wages, their incomes aren’t going up.

And we’re a better country than that. In America, we do not believe in opportunity just for the few. We believe that everybody should have a chance at success. Everybody. (Applause.) And we believe our economy grows best not from the top down, but from the middle out, and from the bottom up. (Applause.) And we want to make sure that no matter where you’re born, what circumstances, how you started out, what you look like, what your last name is, who you love -- it doesn’t matter, you can succeed. That’s what we believe. (Applause.)

... //comments on teaching job, social works)//
My point is we got to make sure that everybody can afford to do things that may not pay huge sums of money but are really valuable to society.
...
All of which brings me back to this issue of the minimum wage, giving America a raise. Now, raising the minimum wage is not going to solve all of our economic challenges. The majority of folks who are working get paid more than the minimum wage. As Americans we understand that some people will earn more than others. But here’s one thing we do believe: Nobody who works full-time should be raising their family in poverty.

...

But the fact is most people who would benefit from a higher minimum wage are not teenagers taking on their first job. The average age of folks getting paid the minimum wage is 35. A majority of lower-wage jobs are held by women. Many of them work full-time, often to support a family.

... //On republicans//
Look, here’s the truth. They’re not necessarily cold-hearted, they just sincerely believe that if we give more tax breaks to a fortunate few and we invest less in the middle class, and we reduce or eliminate the safety net for the poor and the sick, and we cut food stamps, and we cut Medicaid, and we let banks and polluters and credit card companies and insurers do only what’s best for their bottom line without the responsibility to the rest of us, then somehow the economy will boom, and jobs and prosperity will trickle down to everybody.
...

What the argument is right now about is whether we also affirm the values that make sure we’ve giving everybody a chance; making sure our fellow citizens can also pursue their dreams; that we’re not just looking out for ourselves all the time, but we’re also looking out for the person next to you. That's also what America is about. That's what we have to do again.


edit on 2-4-2014 by Cabin because: (no reason given)

edit on 2-4-2014 by Cabin because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 07:00 PM
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reply to post by Cabin
 


Raising the minimum wage does nothing more than create more tax revenue for the government! Other than that it suckers those into the voting trap that are stuck in these positions to vote for the party that is promoting it!

I am all for people making a living wage, don't get me wrong here, but this is a political move that happens before every freakin election.

What will happen to small family owned business whom might own a restaurant? Most restaurants operate on a small profit margin. So by raising the minimum wage, this business now has to do one of two or three things. Raise prices, skimp on the quality of ingredients, OR get rid of a few employees.

This whole minimum wage crap is nothing more than the government trying to blame small businesses for problems that were created by the government!

Ok, you might mention McDonalds or such......what will they do? Reduce their workforce and raise prices! It's a farce that the Democrats bring up every time they get desperate for votes! Instead of addressing why our economy went from a manufacturing to a service based one, they deflect to make the small guys pay more!
edit on 2-4-2014 by seeker1963 because: (no reason given)

edit on 2-4-2014 by seeker1963 because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 07:21 PM
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That's great. Every rise in the minimum wage creates more unemployment and is a step closer to robots taking over minimum wage jobs. A minimum wage of $12.50 an hour, for example, translates to $25K a year FTE, which is approximately the cost of keeping a robot online. Robots, in the form of self check-out kiosks, ATMs, etc. have already cost the economy several million jobs. In the next few years they will be taking over all warehousing, fast food, and retail, all bastions of low wages.

And you'll love it. Just like answering machines, when they first appeared you hated them for how obtrusive and impersonal they were. How dare someone put one on their phone? But today you're angry if they don't. How dare they not have an answering machine on their phone? It's the same with Home Depot. At first you cursed it because the damn barcode reader wasn't consistent. Now you only use a human clerk as a last resort for complex issues. Over 90% of the time, self-check out works a lot faster and is more convenient. Gas? Unless you live in Oregon, that's been self-serve for decades. Retail? You don't need malls and store clerks. Just click on it and it shows up in the mail.

It's particularly ironic that Obama says all this in Michigan, where cities like Detroit and Flint are shadows of their former selves, where they are bulldozing neighborhoods into the dirt and where crime is sky high. Why? Decades of Democratic Party rule for one. Unions ensuring the auto industry is pushed overseas for another. Why hire a whining American workforce when the Japanese and Koreans can produce a quality car cheaper and without complaint?

So go ahead. Raise the minimum wage, then wonder why you don't have a job.



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 07:35 PM
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The average age of people earning min. wage is 35? really? That is disgusting

We don't need a raise in the min wage, we need those peoples jobs back.

tariffs on imports and tax the lobbyist.



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 07:37 PM
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Only Obama could raise minimum wage for the countries lowest paid workers and be ridiculed for it on ATS!

Its like some of you want him to REDUCE minimum wage.

Disgusted once again with the blinkers this site provides.

raising minimum wage is a great move by Obama and will help those living below or on the poverty line.



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 07:39 PM
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reply to post by Cabin
 


great move...this should help with the affordable care act rates....now the feds should start raising the interest rates within the next year...



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 07:45 PM
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reply to post by Agit8dChop
 


I agree they should raise the minimum wages...but I also don't believe that anything this administration does is that black and white..



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 07:49 PM
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reply to post by Cabin
 


If Obama really wanted to help Detroit, he'd cut all taxes, so businesses would relocate there, provide tax incentives for any new business, so people could create industry and people get above a minimum wage.

Government does not create jobs.

Government stifles creativity, industry.



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 07:54 PM
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Agit8dChop
Only Obama could raise minimum wage for the countries lowest paid workers and be ridiculed for it on ATS!

Its like some of you want him to REDUCE minimum wage.

Disgusted once again with the blinkers this site provides.

raising minimum wage is a great move by Obama and will help those living below or on the poverty line.



*Sigh*

I personally want these people to make MORE than minimum wage.

But that won't happen with constant government interference.



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 08:26 PM
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beezzer

Agit8dChop
Only Obama could raise minimum wage for the countries lowest paid workers and be ridiculed for it on ATS!

Its like some of you want him to REDUCE minimum wage.

Disgusted once again with the blinkers this site provides.

raising minimum wage is a great move by Obama and will help those living below or on the poverty line.



*Sigh*

I personally want these people to make MORE than minimum wage.

But that won't happen with constant government interference.



Isn't it amazing?

They don't address one damn thing that was said, but they don't hesitate to become a cheerleader! It isn't about people making more money, it is about a government that takes takes takes!!!!

If the Democrats cared so damn much about minimum wage, why the hell do they wait until they need votes to bring it up?
edit on 2-4-2014 by seeker1963 because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 08:40 PM
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"In Michigan, Obama presses to raise minimum wage to 10.10"

He is campaigning with taxpayer money !!!

Hmmm.

Tonight he's in Chicago for .....

you guessed it.....

fundraiser events and steak dinners !!

steaks at our expense !



Earlier in the day, President Obama was at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he talked about raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour up from $7.25 an hour. And while opponents say that could close some businesses, the president said a higher minimum would get 28 million people out of poverty.
..... and get 40 million into poverty and more taxpayers into deeper debt !!




posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 08:59 PM
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Yes, let's raise the minimum wage to just a bit less than what I make. I'm sure proofreading is only worth just a little more per hour than burger flipping and retail clerking. Nevermind that you couldn't drop almost any of those people into my job and expect them to perform it while you could drop me into their job and I could do it just fine.

There is a reason I make more than minimum wage. I have skills most don't. There is reason they only make minimum wage. They have skills most have, including, traditionally high school kids and college students who are learning better skill sets.



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 09:22 PM
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Ironic he's in Michigan making that speech, while ignoring Detroit and its poverty, jobless rates...and the fact it is in bankruptcy.
The fact that the Detroit retirees are being asked to face HUGE cuts to their income.
The fact that those same have lost their healthcare.
The fact that the education system has failed in Detroit.

That wage will not help those folks...at all.



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 09:34 PM
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In my humble opinion, the answer isn't to raise the pay of the lowest skill and apprentice type jobs in our economy. Despite the fact, this will actually benefit me. Considerably.

Federal Work Study on college campuses base off min. wage. At least it does here. So, it'll mean more off my student loan if I end up working back through that instead of college employee. (actually..I'm only making a bit over $9 directly from the college..so it helps there too).

They can keep it though. Please.....keep it. There will be fewer positions available and those working, will be doing more to cover the positions that cut to balance the bottom line. It's tough enough to get hired, even on the low end of the job scale. Especially on the low end. Raising overhead to make employing people even less attractive ..just doesn't compute.

We need to rebuild the job segment of our economy that pays MORE than minimum by merit and nature. Not raise the bottom to somehow bridge the gap from the bottom up to what we've ruined. (Teens will have about 0 chance as this gets higher and unemployment remains a major issue... Who hires a kid when an adult with a good history is standing there too, and they represent most of the stack of apps?)



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 10:19 PM
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Agit8dChop
Only Obama could raise minimum wage for the countries lowest paid workers and be ridiculed for it on ATS!

Its like some of you want him to REDUCE minimum wage.

Disgusted once again with the blinkers this site provides.

raising minimum wage is a great move by Obama and will help those living below or on the poverty line.



You think Obama is the Only President that's Ever Raised the Minimum Wage?
You think Obama is the Savior of the People, the Poor People?
You do know that Bush, OMG Not Bush,,,, yes, Bush along with a Democrat House in 2007 raised the Minimum Wage?


Democrats and their supporters in organized labor responded warily to Bush's proposal to link a minimum wage hike to tax breaks for business, saying the increase should be passed on its own merits. Democratic leaders have promised to make increasing the $5.15-per-hour minimum wage one of the first orders of business when the new Congress convenes Jan. 4.

Bush supports

In 2007 there was about 1.7 million or 2 % of our work force earning Minimum Wage.
In 2014 we have about 3.55 million or 4.7% of Americas worker making minimum wage, that's according to, pew research.
If you really need graphs and all that go here:
Minimum wage worker
Who's fault is it that we have 4.7% of our work force making minimum wage? Who's in Charge, Who Promised you people in 08 that Voted for him, he had Shovel Ready Jobs, Did they Every materialize?

Then You Voted For Him Again and your standard of living has not gotten any better.
We still have to-many Unemployed American's!
You have to understand, if my two rental properties where cheap enough for a person making minimum wage to afford, the moment I know he / she was making more money, I would remember that for Lease Renewal time, The Rent Just Went Up!

edit on 2-4-2014 by guohua because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 10:35 PM
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something people don't think about.

all the minimum wage is about is keeping the same amount of tax money coming in. due to the fact that they know people working for minimum wage are going to be cut back to less than 30hrs a week due to obamacare.

working 40hrs a week at $7.25 is $290, working at 30hrs a week at 10.10 is $303, just ten bucks more at the same tax rate. same amount coming in.
the dumb bastards don't think people realize this.

edit on 2-4-2014 by hounddoghowlie because: (no reason given)

edit on 2-4-2014 by hounddoghowlie because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 2 2014 @ 10:43 PM
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hounddoghowlie
something people don't think about.

all the minimum wage is about is keeping the same amount of tax money coming in. due to the fact that they know people working for minimum wage are going to be cut back to less than 30hrs a week due to obamacare.

working 40hrs a week at $7.25 is $290, working at 30hrs a week at 10.10 is $303, just ten bucks more at the same tax rate. same amount coming in.
the dumb bastards don't think people realize this.

edit on 2-4-2014 by hounddoghowlie because: (no reason given)

edit on 2-4-2014 by hounddoghowlie because: (no reason given)


RIGHT!!!!
That is Sooooooo Right and you know What?
All those businesses will raise their prices so you pay more for that chess-burger and fries or pair of jeans because their paying the worker, Ten More Bucks A Week!!!
The waitress will get less of a tip and there will be less customers at the local circle K and they'll have to close the doors, or cut your hour's even more.



posted on Apr, 6 2014 @ 06:20 PM
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Agit8dChop
Only Obama could raise minimum wage for the countries lowest paid workers and be ridiculed for it on ATS!

Its like some of you want him to REDUCE minimum wage.



Only Obama could force people to buy health insurance and call it "universal healthcare". Yeah. Maybe you need to think about the effect raising the min wage actually has. None. Stuff will just get more expensive.




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