[Vision2020] Minimum wage

[Joe Campbell]

Thanks, Chev! The first premise is false.

I find it interesting that some conservatives -- not all, of course -- like to spice up their arguments by trying to connect some particular issue with some general subject that everyone is either for or against, like "the free market" or "Communism." (This was my point in responding to the Crabtree post but apparently it was not grasped by everyone.) So here is my argument:

P1) Only a Nazi would be against raising the minimum wage.
P2) Being a Nazi is a bad thing.
C) You should be in favor of raising the minimum wage.

--
Joe Campbell

(I hope it is clear that the above argument is a joke!)

---- J Chevy <j_chvy at yahoo.com> wrote: 

=============
Oh, Joe, and I thought you were a logistician..
   
  First, the idea of raising the minimum wage to $100.00 was a “grand” one..  But, I showed how stupid this idea was as was the idea of no wages at all.  Also, using parody, I showed how eerily close our great nation is creeping towards communism by implementing stupid ideas such as raising the minimum wage. In the same vein, I illustrated how the drive for wealth brings out incomparable creativity and productivity. 
   
  Lastly, an argument that is valid requires no fallacy assignment…because it isn’t a fallacy. But, I know you already know this… and, common sense is something that is learned by trial and error, rubbing elbows with the common man, and years of, well, living.. 
   
  The post was short and to the point--well, sorta
   
  Now, for you, Joe--and I know you critically read my sarcastic post and arrived at the same thing. 
   
  P: Raising the minimum wage is something nations do on their route to communism
  P: Communism is seldom successful for long, if ever
  C: Therefore, raising the minimum wage is not a good idea for our nation…well, unless you’re a communist. 
   
  Shoot, now I need to supply a truth table to disprove the alleged merits of communism. 
     
   
  Chev

Joe Campbell <joekc at adelphia.net> wrote:
  Chevy,

I just want to make sure that I have the structure of your argument correct. As far as I can tell, it is this:

1) Here is a crazy idea: Suppose we raise the minimum wage to $100 per hour.
2) That won't work.
3) Therefore, it is crazy to raise the minumum wage.

Is that your argument? 

As of yet this fallacy has no name. On the other hand, it doesn't need one!

Best, Joe

---- J Chevy wrote: 

=============
“Everywhere is freaks and hairies
Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity 
Tax the rich; feed the poor
Till there are no rich no more...”

Interpret the above as you will.

Now, in the purest democrat fashion…

Hey, I got a grand idea; let’s skip all the non-livable wage propositions and raise the minimum wage in Idaho to $100.00 per worker per hour worked. Skilled, unskilled, college educated, black, white, green, position in society, blue collar, white collar, high or low intelligence, no matter. Better yet, assign everyone identical salaries. We are all equal, right? Why shouldn’t we deserve the same pay? Does any among us think that they’re better than the other? Maybe our government should just handle all the finances in the United States--issue us all an identical check every Monday. Shoot, why do we even need money? Or property? Or the right to have a say in the political arena for that matter? (Socialized medicine, at this point, is a no-brainer.) Shant we all fulfill out own niche to society and one big utopia will result? Aw, community, egalitarianism, I love it! Mind you, we need bums, losers, drug addicts, illegal aliens, derelicts, miscreants, hippies,
gypsies, and environmentalists just as we need doctors, engineers, teachers, attorneys, chemists, military personnel, law enforcement, and authors. We are all equal, we simply play our own and unique role in the societal hub. True? We are all dependant on each other for survival. The drive to earn a bigger wage and live more affluently is no motivation to better oneself—or the country for that matter. Perhaps the ailing Castro, Putin, Ill, Hu, or the ghost of Lenin or Marx could help with the logistics and implementation of this socioeconomic bit of brilliance. It’s a noble idea. It will be tough in the beginning. We will have to start on a small-scale basis. The first experimental community could be called, say, the Socialist Republic of Moscow. Next, when we have successfully worked out the bugs, we could fan out to neighboring areas, then to the entire state. How’s the People’s Republic of Idaho sound? Catchy, huh? Apropos, I’m suddenly having a deja vu. 

Not funny, you say? Remember the natural progression, according to Marx, that Nations typically take? The US is knee deep in Socialism already. The last step is communism…and, as we all know, it’s track record is flawless. 

Performance, specialization, and supply/demand should dictate salary.. When all is said and done, no one will work for (or pay) the ridiculous. There should be no minimum wage, whatsoever. Just think, and I’m not totally a free market wing nut..

But, let’s say our socialist, Idahoan quixotes have their way and manage to get the minimum wage raised to say, $8.00, the highest in the nation. Can any of you, without any other state contributions, survive on that? Doubtful. So, what then? $9.00? 10.00? 15.00 per hour? 

The answer is to eliminate the minimum wage altogether (and oust the aliens that’ll work for next-to-nothing). Any person left who wants something for themselves or their family will do what it takes to climb the ladder. ‘Cause ‘meritocracy and the American Dream’ ain’t no riddle, man; to me, it makes good good sense. Good sense. 

J


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