On another thought.. would raising the minimum wage nationwide help with recovery? I believe it would l, but I always get the “It would hurt businesses” reply.
Regarding raising the minimum wage, I also think that it would help overall. I plan to do an article going further into detail about it, but I've been reading up on economic studies about the minimum wage in California. This study by U.C. Berkeley, for example, examined the effects in California and Fresno in particular, where a large portion of the workforce earns the minimum wage.
There are several effects that raising the minimum wage has, including increased spending from low-income workers, but the study also suggests that businesses benefit as well from lower turnover and higher productivity, while prices for consumers only rise modestly. The net impact seems to be positive overall, though.
As an LVN I make more than minimum wage right now, but Jr, who works at a non union grocery store makes minimum wage. They took their Sunday pay as well. I believe that if you work full time you should be able to live comfortably. If he lived by himself it just wouldn’t be possible.
Agreed. I also think essential workers deserve hazard pay. Far too many people hold up essential workers as heroes while treating them as disposable. We can and should do better as a nation.
I thought this piece was very well written. I understand it, unlike others I try to follow. What would your thoughts be on reoccurring survival checks to those who need it? Much like what Ayana Presley and other progressive democrats have suggested?
Thanks! I'm glad this article resonated with you. I absolutely agree with monthly survival checks, and although I mentioned it once in the article, I could have brought more attention to it throughout the article. In the "Shortcomings" section, I wrote, "I would further argue that: ...the direct relief payments should have been paid out monthly rather than once". I will definitely try to bring more attention to this issue in future articles.
Oh I saw that I guess I should have asked about AMOUNTS. The proposal is $2000 a month, what would a reasonable amount look like? Other countries have done this during the pandemic and haven’t suffered because of it financially.
I personally agree with the $2,000 per month amount, retroactive to last March, like the bill Senator Sanders and Vice President Harris signed onto last year would provide. Other progressives in the House also support this. Like many experts are saying, the risk is in not spending enough, rather than spending too much. Providing more universal benefits to as many people as possible, while taxing benefits back from the wealthy via progressive taxation, seems ideal to me.
On another thought.. would raising the minimum wage nationwide help with recovery? I believe it would l, but I always get the “It would hurt businesses” reply.
Regarding raising the minimum wage, I also think that it would help overall. I plan to do an article going further into detail about it, but I've been reading up on economic studies about the minimum wage in California. This study by U.C. Berkeley, for example, examined the effects in California and Fresno in particular, where a large portion of the workforce earns the minimum wage.
https://irle.berkeley.edu/files/2017/Effects-of-a-15-Minimum-Wage-in-California-and-Fresno.pdf
There are several effects that raising the minimum wage has, including increased spending from low-income workers, but the study also suggests that businesses benefit as well from lower turnover and higher productivity, while prices for consumers only rise modestly. The net impact seems to be positive overall, though.
As an LVN I make more than minimum wage right now, but Jr, who works at a non union grocery store makes minimum wage. They took their Sunday pay as well. I believe that if you work full time you should be able to live comfortably. If he lived by himself it just wouldn’t be possible.
Agreed. I also think essential workers deserve hazard pay. Far too many people hold up essential workers as heroes while treating them as disposable. We can and should do better as a nation.
We sure can. Keep up the good work. I enjoy reading your thoughts
I thought this piece was very well written. I understand it, unlike others I try to follow. What would your thoughts be on reoccurring survival checks to those who need it? Much like what Ayana Presley and other progressive democrats have suggested?
Thanks! I'm glad this article resonated with you. I absolutely agree with monthly survival checks, and although I mentioned it once in the article, I could have brought more attention to it throughout the article. In the "Shortcomings" section, I wrote, "I would further argue that: ...the direct relief payments should have been paid out monthly rather than once". I will definitely try to bring more attention to this issue in future articles.
Oh I saw that I guess I should have asked about AMOUNTS. The proposal is $2000 a month, what would a reasonable amount look like? Other countries have done this during the pandemic and haven’t suffered because of it financially.
I personally agree with the $2,000 per month amount, retroactive to last March, like the bill Senator Sanders and Vice President Harris signed onto last year would provide. Other progressives in the House also support this. Like many experts are saying, the risk is in not spending enough, rather than spending too much. Providing more universal benefits to as many people as possible, while taxing benefits back from the wealthy via progressive taxation, seems ideal to me.
I couldn’t agree more!! Well said.