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CARSON: Obama is wrong that raising minimum wage will fix income inequality
The Washington Times ^ | January 28, 2014 | Ben S. Carson

Posted on 01/29/2014 9:07:38 AM PST by jazusamo

Opportunity, not entitlements, is the path forward

There has been much discussion about income inequality recently. President Obama seems to think that we can make significant progress in eliminating poverty by raising the minimum wage, as his State of the Union address highlighted.

Many hope that through a simple declaration, the poor can be elevated to a higher social status. Such people fail to realize that pay is associated with value — otherwise, we could just pay everybody $1 million a year and let everybody be rich.

In a capitalistic society, those individuals who produce the wherewithal to obtain income tend to be paid quite handsomely, while individuals who don’t generate significant income are paid accordingly.

As in any situation that involves human beings, there will be some abuses, but generally speaking, this kind of system works by incentivizing individuals to do the things necessary to enhance their value in the marketplace.

Many in the current administration and their sycophants in the news media are trying to persuade Americans that there is significant improvement in the general economy, while record numbers of people are enrolling in the food-stamp program and receiving various government subsidies.

Common sense would dictate that if the economy is improving, there should be an accompanying decline in the number of people depending on government supplements.

Since we are not seeing such logical associations, it is reasonable to suspect the premise that there is significant improvement in the economic health of our nation is false. Either that, or we are incredibly stupid and irresponsible by redistributing the nation’s wealth to those who don’t need it.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: bencarson; inequality; minimumwage; obama; workethic

1 posted on 01/29/2014 9:07:38 AM PST by jazusamo
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To: AllAmericanGirl44; Bigg Red; duckman; EDINVA; ELS; fatnotlazy; gaijin; iceskater; JustAmy; ...
Ben Carson *Ping*

Ben Caron photo BenCarson_zps8b233ca1.jpg

Please Freepmail to get on or off this list…

2 posted on 01/29/2014 9:09:47 AM PST by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: jazusamo

If one is opposed to income inequality then it logically follows that one supports income equality, otherwise known as Marxism.


3 posted on 01/29/2014 9:19:12 AM PST by Glenmore
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To: jazusamo

If I get the same as everyone, what’s my motivation for working hard?


4 posted on 01/29/2014 9:23:37 AM PST by andyk (I have sworn...eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.)
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To: andyk

There is no motivation and socialist countries have found that out time and again, of course the Marxist in the WH knows that.


5 posted on 01/29/2014 9:28:44 AM PST by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: jazusamo

Unequality = Free Ride


6 posted on 01/29/2014 9:34:10 AM PST by Vaduz
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To: jazusamo

As long as we consider wages to be income, or gain, which means there’s no value in our labor and experience, the minimum wage argument is academic.


7 posted on 01/29/2014 9:34:50 AM PST by andyk (I have sworn...eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.)
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To: jazusamo

True that! He knows exactly what he’s doing.


8 posted on 01/29/2014 9:35:43 AM PST by andyk (I have sworn...eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.)
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To: jazusamo

It’s up to us to save American healthcare

I’m Dr. Ben Carson, renowned pediatric neurosurgeon and Chairman of American Legacy PAC’s Save Our Healthcare Project.

http://www.americanlegacypac.org/landing/saveourhealthcare/


9 posted on 01/29/2014 9:36:01 AM PST by Jane Long (While Marxists continue the fundamental transformation of the USA, progressive RINOs assist!)
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To: Vaduz

Is the Administration trying to shift subsidies onto the private sector?

The constant push for higher minimum wages, as high as $15, would shift the burden of subsidizing low income and low information people to the private sector.

Government will be praised as heroes while (un) intended consequences would make life worse for those poor subjects who will follow like lemmings down the proverbial cliff.

What they will encounter is to lose eligibility for welfare, food stamps, Medicaid and other State and federal programs, leaving them worse off than before. Because of their newly found “wealth”, they would be classified as the “new middle class” courtesies of their compassionate Administration. All the while the federal coffers would increase because of cost savings.

The evil Corporations would be blamed for causing this problem for not paying for extra subsistence.

I don’t believe that that calculation has not already been made by the Agencies?

This is only my personal opinion and I could be wrong.


10 posted on 01/29/2014 9:36:24 AM PST by americanbychoice3
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To: jazusamo

It will increase the ranks of the permanently unemployed, which fits in with the Progressive/Fascist agenda of growing the number of citizens dependent on the government plantation society.


11 posted on 01/29/2014 9:37:44 AM PST by Wuli
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Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

12 posted on 01/29/2014 9:40:48 AM PST by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: americanbychoice3

Is the Administration trying to shift subsidies onto the private sector?.
Indeed when they gain full control over them intended consequences will ensue note Obama’s history on bale outs Detroit health care wall street.........


13 posted on 01/29/2014 9:42:18 AM PST by Vaduz
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To: Glenmore

I’m opposed to income inequality but not in the sense that you mention. I don’t want my income made equal to that of someone who produces nothing of value by an overreaching nanny-state federal government.


14 posted on 01/29/2014 9:45:21 AM PST by Bob
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To: jazusamo

It is gradually dawning on some that there is a now well defined methodology to end American independence from a hemispheric arrangement. The methodology is many pronged, with heavy taxation, regulating industries to get greater unemployment numbers, deflation of the money, fascist inveigling to manipulate businesses and create imbalances in industries so that government rulers have monetary and propaganda supporters who depend upon the regime for their survival. Add the occasional murder of opposition voices and you have a fascist state we now have.


15 posted on 01/29/2014 10:00:45 AM PST by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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To: jazusamo

Let’s do some math. Say you make minimum wage of 7.25 per hour and it goes up to 10.25 per hour. A huge percentage increase of 41.3%. Why doesn’t my income go up accordingly. They get a raise for not increasing production. By raising the minimum wage by that much lowers what my job is worth.


16 posted on 01/29/2014 10:47:56 AM PST by Cyclone59 (Where are we going, and what's with the handbasket?)
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To: americanbychoice3

Organized labor has been a major player in the fight for higher minimum wages at both the federal and state levels....
The powerful Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ is a principal player in Raise Maryland. Its members may also benefit from an increase, no matter their wages. CUF identified a previous 32BJ contract that guaranteed Maryland workers pay that is at least 50 cents higher than statutory minimum wage.

http://freebeacon.com/unions-back-wage-hike/


17 posted on 01/29/2014 12:46:17 PM PST by griswold3 (Post-Christian America is living on borrowed moral heritage)
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