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Why Warren Buffett thinks a $15 minimum wage will 'reduce employment in a major way
Business Insider ^ | 05/22/2015 | JAMES PETHOKOUKIS, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE

Posted on 05/22/2015 8:27:17 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Wise words from Warren Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha predicts how the rush to sharply raise the minimum wage will end. (Spoiler: badly for the people the policy purports to help.) And Buffett also offers a smart alternative to help low-income workers:

In my mind, the country's economic policies should have two main objectives. First, we should wish, in our rich society, for every person who is willing to work to receive income that will provide him or her a decent lifestyle. Second, any plan to do that should not distort our market system, the key element required for growth and prosperity.

That second goal crumbles in the face of any plan to sizably increase the minimum wage. I may wish to have all jobs pay at least $15 an hour. But that minimum would almost certainly reduce employment in a major way, crushing many workers possessing only basic skills. Smaller increases, though obviously welcome, will still leave many hardworking Americans mired in poverty.

The better answer is a major and carefully crafted expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which currently goes to millions of low-income workers. Payments to eligible workers diminish as their earnings increase. But there is no disincentive effect: A gain in wages always produces a gain in overall income. The process is simple: You file a tax return, and the government sends you a check.

In essence, the EITC rewards work and provides an incentive for workers to improve their skills. Equally important, it does not distort market forces, thereby maximizing employment.

The existing EITC needs much improvement. Fraud is a big problem; penalties for it should be stiffened. There should be widespread publicity that workers can receive free and convenient filing help.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: employment; jobs; minimumwage; warrenbuffett
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Hey, he's a multi-zillionaire, what does he know about the little folks? /sarc
1 posted on 05/22/2015 8:27:17 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Then everyone will be on welfare, just like the Won wants.


2 posted on 05/22/2015 8:29:15 AM PDT by Fido969
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To: SeekAndFind
First, we should wish, in our rich society, for every person who is willing to work to receive income that will provide him or her a decent lifestyle.

And if they aren't willing to work then they should still receive income that will provide him or her a decent lifestyle, right?

3 posted on 05/22/2015 8:30:55 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: SeekAndFind

The liberals quote him on his views on raising taxes. Let’s see how they respond to this.


4 posted on 05/22/2015 8:34:00 AM PDT by 5thGenTexan
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To: SeekAndFind
The problem is many libs/Dems believe businesses exist to provide jobs. They don't understand that businesses exist to make money. They make money by providing things people need...period.

I'm always amused by media types who ask people starting up new businesses in my area how many people they plan to employ... many times as their first question. I'd love it if one of the new business people told them "as few as I can get by with."

Because that's the truth...another worker is an extra cost to run a business. The extra worker must be justified in a cost analysis. But most media people being libs they can't comprehend that.

5 posted on 05/22/2015 8:35:10 AM PDT by driftless2
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To: driftless2

somplicity evades such minds entirely


6 posted on 05/22/2015 8:37:27 AM PDT by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: SeekAndFind

The better answer is a major and carefully crafted expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which currently goes to millions of low-income workers. Payments to eligible workers diminish as their earnings increase. But there is no disincentive effect: A gain in wages always produces a gain in overall income. The process is simple: You file a tax return, and the government sends you a check.

...

Good old Warren wants to shift the burden from himself to the taxpayers.

The real solution is to control unchecked immigration.


7 posted on 05/22/2015 8:38:48 AM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: driftless2

he problem is many libs/Dems believe businesses exist to provide jobs. They don’t understand that businesses exist to make money.

...

Yes they do, but the best businesses have a goal other than money. When money is the top priority above all else, there is always trouble.


8 posted on 05/22/2015 8:41:25 AM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: SeekAndFind

His support for Obama did not work either.


9 posted on 05/22/2015 8:42:22 AM PDT by bmwcyle (People who do not study history are destine to believe really ignorant statements.)
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To: Moonman62

Yep, you understand the situation.

However as plan B, if he wants to raise the EITC then a special tax s/b crafted for people like him.

As Billionaires like him are the ones who benefit the most from the current system. They should pay for it.


10 posted on 05/22/2015 8:49:02 AM PDT by crusher2013
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To: driftless2

If businesses existed to make money, they wouldn’t be giving millions to leftist causes.


11 posted on 05/22/2015 8:49:15 AM PDT by freedomfiter2 (Brutal acts of commission and yawning acts of omission both strengthen the hand of the devil.)
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To: SeekAndFind

so, he wants taxpayers to subsidize his employees by 50%?


12 posted on 05/22/2015 8:51:28 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: SeekAndFind

“Hey, he’s a multi-zillionaire...”

He’s also a Marxist!


13 posted on 05/22/2015 8:52:31 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: driftless2

> The problem is many libs/Dems believe businesses exist to provide jobs. They don’t understand that businesses exist to make money. They make money by providing things people need...period.

Because they’ve never owned a business or desired to. They just want to o to work and have someond hand them money for it at the end of the day. Mny would just rather you hand them money and not work while they get high...


14 posted on 05/22/2015 8:53:01 AM PDT by jsanders2001
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To: SeekAndFind
The problem is that there will be unsustainable minimum wages if companies don't give fair wages to long-time high quality workers who have developed some skills to do their jobs.

Around here, I'm appalled how many people get $10 or less an hour for jobs they've had for the long term, jobs where they're doing work that not any low skill worker could do.

Low income workers who are loyal and do good work should make $12 and hour and have the opportunity to work 35 or more hours a week. Then they can become tax paying self sufficient contributors to society.

15 posted on 05/22/2015 9:01:51 AM PDT by grania
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To: SeekAndFind
First, we should wish, in our rich society, for every person who is willing to work to receive income that will provide him or her a decent lifestyle.

In a free rational society, average money wage rates depends on conjunction of the demand for labor and the supply of labor. It does not depend on what someone wishes would happen or fantasizes about.If the number of workers competing for a job that requires little skill or knowledge is high, then the wage rates for that job will be low due to the law of supply and demand.

16 posted on 05/22/2015 9:05:05 AM PDT by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
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To: SeekAndFind

Warren, How bout you just offer to pay the taxes for anyone that doesn’t want to pay theirs.


17 posted on 05/22/2015 9:07:45 AM PDT by showme_the_Glory ((ILLEGAL: prohibited by law. ALIEN: Owing political allegiance to another country or government))
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To: grania

That’s called the “labor theory of value.”


18 posted on 05/22/2015 9:08:10 AM PDT by Trailerpark Badass (There should be a whole lot more going on than throwing bleach, said one woman.)
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To: SeekAndFind
every person who is willing to work to receive income that will provide him or her a decent lifestyle. 

Not willing to work, capable of work. If they're capable but unwilling, they get nothing.

-PJ

19 posted on 05/22/2015 9:21:38 AM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Blah...blah...blah, Warren.
Sit down, shut up, spin some
Jimmy Buffet tunes, and cut
more support checks to the
asshat politicians who keep
pushing for higher minimum wage.


20 posted on 05/22/2015 9:28:06 AM PDT by Sivad (NorCal red turf ;-)4)
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