Why not $60? Or $100? Or $1,000,000? Make everyone a millionaire, and all our economic troubles will be over, right? Rebecca Parson, and there are many others who think like this “patriotic, Catholic, and queer” candidate, lacks a basic understanding of economics. If you force businesses to pay more in wages, they’ll cut expenses in other ways, often by reducing the number of people employed. So minimum wage hikes often lead to increased unemployment. And when producers know that everyone has that kind of money, they raise prices in order to try to make back some of what they’re paying in increased wages. Minimum wage hikes thus often lead to inflation. They thus more likely increase misery than alleviate it.
“$30 An Hour Minimum Wage? This Democratic Candidate Says Yes,” by Dillon Burroughs, Daily Wire, April 25, 2022:
A Democratic congressional candidate in Washington State is arguing for a $30 per hour minimum wage, claiming that the $15 minimum wage movement is an outdated number.
Rebecca Parson, a candidate for Washington’s 6th District that includes Tacoma, shared the comment recently in a post on Twitter.
“$15 minimum wage is an antiquated demand. It should be $30 per hour,” she tweeted.
“1 adult supporting 1 kid needs $30 an hour across the country. Rural, urban, suburban: $30 is the floor. As you say your nightly prayers to Saint Elon while you fall asleep tonight, reflect on why you punch down on poor people instead of up at your heavenly billionaire,” she added in another post.
In her campaign video, Parson said, “I and other organizers have occupied empty buildings, demanding housing for our homeless neighbors. I risked arrest because we can’t just wait for the corporate establishment to help.”
Parson also claimed in her video that she will emulate “Congresswoman Cori Bush,” a “Squad” member and progressive Democrat who slept outside in Washington, D.C., to advocate for housing. Parson claims she can identify with the need, as she’s “been homeless, too,” despite holding a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins.
Infidel says
Years ago, Rush Limbaugh used to make this argument as well. Give everyone a million, and everyone should have enough of what they need.
The problem w/ Libs, let alone Leftists, is that they seem incapable of thinking even one step beyond what would happen once their ideas passed
Pray Hard says
Me too.
GreekEmpress says
I’d like to know how many jobs this woman has created compared to Elon Musk. ?
gravenimage says
Damn good question, GreekEmpress.
Pierre Delecto says
Why work at minimum wage at all?
Surely the government can provide us a breeding pair of unicorns.
And seed money to get the operation off the ground, of course.
Just as long as the top earners pay their fair share there should be no problem.
Wellington says
Economic moron.
gravenimage says
Washington state Congressional candidate wants $30 an hour minimum wage
Why not $60? Or $100? Or $1,000,000? Make everyone a millionaire, and all our economic troubles will be over, right?
………….
Why not, indeed? It’s not as though wages are based on anything real like the marketplace, skill levels, or demand…right?
Dano S. says
This is a ploy to get the uneducated masses to vote for her. They don’t know any better, so $30/hr sounds great to them. Of course, this would put many businesses out of business, or those $30/hr minimum wage jobs would disappear because they would be performed by automation where practical. She has no real world experience to be promising such a thing.
James Lincoln says
So, let’s see:
$30 an hour x 40 is $1,200 per week or $62,400 per year.
And that’s not including employee benefits.
Your local coffee shop cannot afford these kinds of wages for unskilled help – and also keep the cup of coffee at the price that it is today.
gravenimage says
Yep. Also false is the idea that everyone who starts at minimum wage stays there–most do not. They start at minimum wage as teenagers, new immigrants, or occasionally as people switching careers and starting from the bottom in their new field.
Most people move up from minimum wage within a year or two at most, either from gathering experience and from building a resume of trusted employment, or from gaining additional education. So the claim that you cannot raise a family of four on minimum wage is usually a canard to begin with.
James Lincoln says
gravenimage,
To your point, back in 1972 – the summer before I went to college – I was working in a woolen mill.
My job was to reverse engineer carpet from other companies so that our company could make a less expensive knockoff. My work had to be approved by my supervisor and then thousands and thousands of dollars worth of carpet would be produced based upon my reverse engineering.
I was paid $1.80 an hour.
OLD GUY says
I wonder what her plans are for the retired people living off of Social Security who get $1400 a month to live off of. Rebeca Parson is an IDIOT. If she represents the Education system of our country we are in big trouble. OR is she simply making false statements to get votes? Anyone who makes these kind of statements to get votes doesn’t belong in Congress or any public office. My guess she supports forgiving Student Loan Debt also. Will she support giving me my MONEY back for working and paying my own college expenses? It appears that if you WORK for what you have someone like her wants to give your work effort to those who want a FREE RIDE at the American TAX PAYERS expense.
Clifford Fodor says
Nothing is said about Communist Red China. They have taken away our factories and most of our jobs. With any increaser in minimum wage, they will be taking more of our jobs. If there is any increase in minimum wages, it should be Communist Red China.