Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: onyx

The “pay gap” or “income equality” is only morally wrong in cases of equal production. For instance:

Suppose I own a coal mine. I hire two guys to dig coal for me. One guy is weak and lazy and only digs up a ton a day. The second guy is strong and hard-working and digs up 2 tons a day. What would be fair—paying them the same amount (thus eliminating “income inequality”) or paying them according to their output?

Suppose I hire a third guy who is of a scientific bent and who invents a digging machine that can extract 100 tons of coal a day. He had worked for years developing the machine, which cost him a great deal of money to manufacture. By employing his machine in my coal mine, I can generate profits equal to that of 100 times that of my slow worker, or 50 times that of my fast worker. Is it “fair” if I pay the inventor the same amount that I pay digger one or digger two? Or is the “pay gap” that would occur if I pay the inventor an amount proportionate to his production unfair?

Liberals try to answer hypotheticals like this by begging the question and presuming that everyone is equal. That is, we all contribute equally, so we all should be paid equally. It’s called socialism. It has never worked and never will. With equal pay, digger two will slow down until he reaches the output level of digger one. And the inventor would never risk his time and capital to make a device for which he would never be compensated.


51 posted on 07/30/2013 5:15:42 AM PDT by TruthShallSetYouFree (July 4, 1776: Declaration of Independence. Nov 6, 2012: Declaration of Dependence. R.I.P. America.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: TruthShallSetYouFree

Excellent example:

“Suppose I own a coal mine. I hire two guys to dig coal for me. One guy is weak and lazy and only digs up a ton a day. The second guy is strong and hard-working and digs up 2 tons a day. What would be fair—paying them the same amount (thus eliminating “income inequality”) or paying them according to their output?

Suppose I hire a third guy who is of a scientific bent and who invents a digging machine that can extract 100 tons of coal a day. He had worked for years developing the machine, which cost him a great deal of money to manufacture. By employing his machine in my coal mine, I can generate profits equal to that of 100 times that of my slow worker, or 50 times that of my fast worker. Is it “fair” if I pay the inventor the same amount that I pay digger one or digger two? Or is the “pay gap” that would occur if I pay the inventor an amount proportionate to his production unfair?”

Now, add another parameter to the above.

The desire to succeed + the necessary skills to succeed are obtained and maintained by the individual worker.

Take two individuals, who will use the new coal digging machine:

Group 1. The first is an entitle EO union thug, who feels he/she/it is entitled to the same pay as anyone. He/she/it will perform at the bottom of a performance scale and never do anything to increase their skills and productivity.

Group 2. The second individual doesn’t believe in entitlement, he/she studies hard and works with improved knowledge and consistently out performs the entitled ones, in group 1. He/she consistently out produces the group 1’s.

In Obama’s world, he/she is not entitled to any more pay in spite significantly of their individual higher produtivity.


79 posted on 07/30/2013 10:08:30 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (Having a discussion with liberals is like shearing pigs. Lots of squealing & little fleece!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies ]

To: RedMDer; FReepers; Patriots; FRiends







Free Republic is Our Beacon of Truth.
FReepers post articles 24/7 to keep All of Us informed.
Likewise, it takes All of Us to keep FR on the air!
Please Make your Donation today!

89 posted on 07/30/2013 12:52:44 PM PDT by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson