(ID Congressman Bill) Sali Proposes Repeal of Gravity to Protest Minimum Wage Hike

TV 8 ^ | 1-12-2007

[Delphinium]

Why does it take being kicked out of power for republicans to grow spines?

His spine has been growing for 17 years in the Idaho legislature.

Why do you think the Rinos attacked him so furiously for his run for Congress?

This is one principled guy, the real deal.

[apillar]

My local grocery store has already replace about half their checkout lines with those electronic "self checkout" machines. Recently, for the first time, I noticed a local burger joint had replaced one of their lines with a "self-order machine" where you could put in your order and pay with a credit/debit card without ever speaking to a human.

I imagine when this minimum wage increase goes through this type of automation will become the rule rather than the exception.

[Tatze]

Exactly, the minimum wage kills jobs!

[spikeytx86]

My favorite argument from people (my sister loves to use this one) is the "Well if we did not have a wage floor employers would pay workers pennies per hour!"

After trying to be respectful and hold in the laughter I usually respond by saying:

1. If employers did that then everyone would go on welfare because it paid better forcing business to either increase wages to entice people into the workforce or going under do to no personnel and well business's don't usually care for bankruptcy that much so they will go with the first option

2.Let's say that did happen, and people still worked at the abhorrently low levels of a nickle an hour, then at todays prices no one could by anything ever so business's would have to choose between going under or reducing prices till consumption is stimulated (equilibrium) in which they could do since labor costs are about 2-3% of what they were and increasing the buying power of that $0.05

3. If employers are just itching to pay people nickles an hour how come everyone is not making the minimum wage then? There is no requirement to pay above the minimum so why do people get paid that?

And I continue to go on and on until she says something unrepeatable usually and storms off or changes the subject. And she is no democrat. The propaganda and anti-business sentiment in this country has been propagated for over a century and will not disappear overnight.

[Tatze]

COSINE SECANT TANGENT SINE
3.14159!!

[spikeytx86]

My bad, I did not really imply in the post that I was speaking generally. This guy seems great and I hope he has a lot more company come 08'!

[spikeytx86]

I worked for a call center here in Lubbock that handled orders of dominoes pizza in Arizona and California. By us handling the phones and orders they needed 1-2 less employees. I expect contracts will start pouring into Lubbock from Dominoes and elsewhere once this baby is fully enacted.

[Jeff Head]

So is the need for people to actually make enough money to feed, clothe, and house themselves.

But raising the min wage does not do this. What it will cause, is for the market to respond naturally, laying off people that they cannot afford, and/or raising the cost of their goods and services to account for it that just get passed on to...well, all of us, but are most burdensome on the very people you are talking about.

The answer is the free market and to allow people to hire people and pay them what their work is worth and then for those entry level workers to gravitate up in the work place...which is what does happen. Very few people, outside of high school kids, stay on the min wage for long. Nor should they be encouraged to do so by artificially raising it.

[Squawk 8888]

My local grocery store has already replace about half their checkout lines with those electronic "self checkout" machines.

Retailers in Alberta pioneered the "self checkout" because the oil boom there has made if virtually impossible to retain workers in the service sector. Minimum wage is unchanged but employers are afraid to so much as give their workers a dirty look for fear of losing them, in spite of higher wages and even signing bonuses.

IOW boom times do far more to "protect" workers than labour laws ever could.

[Tatze]

I think somewhere in Oregon, McDonalds was experimenting with a drive through call center. The drive through intercom would actually go to a call center, the order would be placed into a computer, and the order would show up on that restaurant's order screen in the kitchen.

Minimum wage is a job killer!!

[spikeytx86]

People cant expect to get a double cheeseburger for a buck when there labor costs are increased by 40%!

I have rarely met a truly stupid person in my life but you sure would think the nation was full of morons if you look at what we and our reps. vote for!

[Delphinium]

This guy seems great and I hope he has a lot more company come 08'!

That is the idea. Conservatives win.

[reformed_democrat]

if we can get some good fresh young and conservative blood in there we can take back both houses and have a CONSERVATIVE majority

I couldn't agree more.

Several years ago, I heard David Horowitz speak at a Republican workshop. He said he was there "to teach Republicans bad manners." I stood up, applauding and cheering, as did . . . oh, about 10 other people in a crowd of 300. My tablemates visibly tried to distance themselves from me for the rest of the speech.

In the past two decades, since coming over from the dark side, I've noticed that life-long Conservatives are polite to a fault. They have a very hard time speaking ill of democrats -- it goes against their basic good nature. Democrats know this, and have abused it shamelessly.

We're starting to see more and more former dark siders step up to the plate. People who want nothing more than to crush the democrats beneath their heels, burn down the social plantation programs, and sow salt into that land so it can never produce another stupid, dependency supporting idea.

Pardon the rant. I'll go take out the rest of my aggression on the laundry.

[CertainInalienableRights]

Ever been to a Taco Bell?

They don't prepare any of the raw ingredients. Everything comes bagged pre-cut and the meats are pre-cooked and only need to be warmed.

Nothing that happens behind the counter are beyond the capabilities of a properly designed automated system - call it a robot if you like. Right now, its just a question of economics.

At some point, the minimum wage will be high enough to justify the cost of a fully automated fast-food joint, and everyone behind the counter will be out of a job - and permanently because the cost of that type of machine will have to be spread out over years into the future for a store operator. IMHO, its only a matter of time. As soon as that happens, it will cascade through the industry as quickly as the products of the various companies are compatible. Some McDonalds already have robotic drink-filling machines in the drive-through window.

[Old Professer]

You Sines have always been like that, when will this sectarian conflict end?!?

[Delphinium]

Angered by

Still using the same wording, I guess this will continue throughout his term.

[EternalVigilance]

Yeah. Liberals lack a humor gene.

[Old Professer]

It's not as odd a question as you might think; there is a moral ground gained by being the minority party, first, you have less to risk, and second, you don't have to take the blame.

[Old Professer]

Don't you hate it when you get a name in high school that you can't shake?

[reformed_democrat]

At some point, the minimum wage will be high enough to justify the cost of a fully automated fast-food joint, and everyone behind the counter will be out of a job . . .

I like that concept. It will prevent future Jesse Jackson wannabes from spitting in my Coke.