The Minimum Wage Increase Passed the House

I couldn't help myself. I had to have at this topic one more time.
(supporting Article)
Everyone seems to banter the Minimum wage around like it has no cause and effect. They seem to think that raising it will solve all the woes of the low earner. Somehow this extra money is going to make all their problems go away. I'm going to try real hard to not repeat what I wrote below in "Minimum Wage Comes Up Again", but I have to point out a few more issues.

By raising the minimum wage it does a lot more then just put more money in the workers pocket. Let's look at what other financial areas it also effects.
Workers Comp
Social Security
Medicare
State Unemployment
Federal Unemployment
Transit Taxes
Municipal Taxes
I delved into this when I wrote "How to Understand Price Structure in Business". A simple wage increase as they like to put it has many more factors and complexities then what we are hearing in the news.
Workers Comp -- Since this is based off of the earnings of the employee, raising those earnings raises the expense. Depending on the job you do a risk factor is calculated and a cost per $100 earned is payed by the company. The risk factor has its bases in the number of injuries and their cost industry wide. The company you work for is also rated based on previous injuries and what programs they have in place to minimize exposure to risk.
Social Security and Medicare -- I know the government is trying to find ways to fund these slowly bankrupting programs, but is this the way to go about it? Both of these taxes are employer matched. That means that the increase will be a double benefit to these programs. I realize that we are only talking about thirty cents an hour, but there are a lot of people out there. If I could make an extra $2.50 a day off of every person that makes minimum wage in America I could make Bill Gates look poor.
State & Federal Unemployment -- Another hidden tax that the employees don't see yet a substantial burden on business. Once again it is based on employee income and since they can force that upward so they force the extra expense on the employer.
Transit & Municipal Taxes -- Well it looks like they will be getting a raise soon. That's right they are also tied to the wages paid by business. Another hidden tax the employee is completely oblivious to that the employer knows all to well. You would be hard pressed to find a community satisfied with how these two entities spend their money and now they are looking at a raise to further add insult to injury.
Once again, this is not a simple issue. Instead of focusing on the minimum wage, why not focus on why people are stuck there? What keeps them from moving up the wage scale? Are they too stupid? ...too Lazy? ... too smelly? ...too irritating? What is it? Perhaps our welfare system makes it far to easy to simply stay on the dole? Why work when you can get it all for free?
I'm tired of carrying this load on my back. I bet a few of you reading this have noticed that your load feels a little heavier. You best drop a line to your senator and put the brakes on this whole thing or all of us are going to feel it even more.
Hey, can I get a .01% tax on all those who are too stupid to rise above the minimum wage? It would only be about two cents a week. They wouldn't even notice it.

The Minimum Wage Comes Up Again

This issue drives me crazy. (I am working from an article found here.)
Now they want to raise it from $5.15 to $7.25, that is over a 40% increase. I don't know about you but most of the people I know have actually taken a pay cut over the last five years. Yeah, I know some of you have been getting a bit of it back due to the good economy but few have actually recovered back to the level before the cut. Yet I digress. Let's get back to the topic at hand. I have actually covered this issue fully in a previous post titled "The Minimum Wage Isn't the Problem". I also covered this issue from the point of taxing businesses in a post titled "Tax or Not to Tax, That is the Question".

In "The Minimum Wage Isn't the Problem" I discussed the many issues that make up employment and setting the wage scale. Let me add to this by noting that artificial wage scales do more harm then good. If the cost to enter is prohibitive then few people will enter. Similarly if the cost to bring an employee up to a viable production level is too high then fewer employees will be hired. Automation and employment reduction becomes more important because the cost incentives for live bodies actually go down in comparison. A company may suddenly be willing to make that leap.
A further burden is also placed on those employees who have advanced in skill and deserve compensation for their work. I am now talking about the skilled workers who have struggled and climbed out of the lower wage scale and deserve an increase in pay. Where will a company find the money to reward these people when there purses are being robbed by an artificial wage for those of little to no value to the company?
In looking at our discussion in "Tax or Not to Tax" we noted that prices will increase when you and your competition have to deal with the same cost increases. You may remember that labor is usually the fall guy if price is not adjusted when new expenses are suddenly put on a company. So here we have a proposal that attacks labor in two ways and ultimately means an increase in the cost of the goods or services sold. It also means an increase in unemployment because fewer opportunities will be made available. Let's not forget the increased incentive for companies to automate and further increase the line at unemployment.
If all that destruction to the labor pool isn't enough let's also remember that the reason all this started in the first place was that the cost of living was too high for those who are at minimum wage. Since the result of this wonderful plan is increased cost of goods and services, no ground was gained and much was lost. Can anyone not see the doomed spiral? Will someone suggest raising the minimum wage again to fix this?
Let's start fixing how the minimum wage is used or applied as suggested in "The Minimum Wage Isn't the Problem", and quit creating more problems.

Proportionate Response

What is a proportionate response? I hear all these important people talk about this in regards to Israel. Chirac of France seems to think this is a big problem. The leaders of Russia and Spain also have chimed in quite extensively on the subject.
After giving this careful thought, I have come to the conclusion that only the losers worry about such things. They have already made a subconscious decision that they are losers and now they want to negotiate how much of a loss they have to take. These are the people who don't understand success. Maybe they have never tasted it. Or maybe they are unwilling to work at achieving a difficult goal. Every great athlete knows the price of success. Every great nation also knows the price. Men and women have strived valiantly to make our nation what it is today. Some have given of their time. Some have given of their wealth. And some have given their very lives.
Israel has met an equal challenge. She has been hated and bruised forever. What method should be used to measure her suffering? From what vessel should she pour out her wrath? Let the losers of the world worry about such things. In the end those that survive write the history books. Those who have died for a failed cause are forgotten.

What Responsibility?

I keep hearing it in the news. You have probably heard truck loads of people talk about the poor Lebanese who are suffering under the threat of death from the forces of Israel. We have the PC police talking stupid about civilian casualties and infrastructure. We get to see pictures of destruction everyday on tv and on the front page of our papers.
Hey, at least the UN finally demonstrated a brain by actually condemning the causer of the problem. I was shocked. Good thing I was seated when I heard the news. Of course they followed up with a condemnation of Israel for excessive force, but they at least recognized the problem.
I have heard other commentators put it this way: If the terrorists would lay down their arms we would have world peace, but if Israel would lay down their arms we would have a holocaust. There is a lot of truth in those words.
The real matter (IMO) comes down to personal responsibility for your actions. We in America are not the only ones suffering from a lack of responsibility. We have people who are jumping up and down about how we are treating and reacting to a democratically elected government. This I will point out is true and by definition is the choice of the people. That choice comes with consequences. When you embrace a group who by their actions are terrorists, you also embrace the consequences that come from their actions. You made a choice and now that choice has resulted in bombs and destruction. You could have chosen someone who aspired to peace and the results would have been far more pleasant.
These same people who can’t seem to grasp this are also the ones who are complaining about the destruction of infrastructure. Waging a war demands that you cut your enemy off from supplies and communication, Israel is doing just that. This is a classic strategy of war. We can read in ancient manuscripts how cities were laid siege too. They would cut off the city by surrounding it and allowing no one to come or go. They would have no means to call for help and no method of supplying what has been depleted through battle or civilian use. Can we expect any battle to be waged without using these basic methods proven over the centuries?
The big question has turned to “Should a cease fire be imposed?” If the people and government of Lebanon would like this to stop they will have to change their ways. They will have to abandon Hezbollah and return to Israel what is theirs. They will have to embrace those who seek peace. They will have to change from a people filled with hate. This is a pretty tall order. For more then 50 years the hate has festered and been nourished. They teach children to hate from the youngest ages. How do you turn something so deeply seeded? The seeds have been planted and nourished, who will take responsibility for the fruits of their labor? Who will finally stop the planting and start the healing?

What is really behind Reperations?

Reparations keep jumping back into the political forefront. Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) has managed to put this before congress year after year. Once again here it is and still the many questions go unanswered. He will tell you he only wants to put together a commission to study the whole question, but what is the “whole” question.
What has Conyers said about the issue?

"Just a question," says Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), cool, dispassionate, like he's teaching high school science. "We ask questions about everything. What's in space? What's underneath the water? How did the Earth begin? Interesting questions. But this one has been studiously avoided."

"All we're trying to do is compile a body of intelligence and data on the subject," says Conyers. "The most organized body of material on the subject in American history."

"I always like to talk to members about it," he says of his bill, "but I'm not pushing it because our day will come."

"I see this as a subject in incubation that is probably going to continue to grow until we finally have to approach it and deal with it like all the other controversial issues we deal with."

1. 
   

I too have developed a list of questions. Perhaps Rep. Conyers would like to add some of these and their answers to his body of knowledge.

Since the slave trade historically was started by the Portuguese in the 1400’s, what portion of fault should be assigned to them?

Since the Dutch actually provided the first black slaves to the New World, what portion of fault should be assigned to them?

What about the vast Arab involvement? They hunted, captured and traded in human slaves all over the globe. Some would say they were the kings of the slave trade. Their assigned fault?

How are we going to determine who actually are the descendants of those who were enslaved? Nobody kept DNA or other substantial records that would allow for multi-generational tracings.

Since this injustice was perpetrated over six generations ago, under what legal president can this case move forward? Since nobody currently alive falls under direct effect of slavery, what legal grounds do those in favor have?

Many blacks settled in the north and experienced none of the results of slavery, both benefits and consequences, how should their lineage be removed from the pool?

If ones family supported the underground and took risk to free slaves, how should their responsibility be positioned?

If ones family fought for the North or for the South should punishment through reparations be absolved or enhanced?

What about the many black fighting units from the south who fought for south of their own choosing, should their descendants be treated as other blacks?

What about the Cherokee, who also enslaved many blacks, will they be contributing to this?

We also must consider the many who immigrated to this country after the Civil War and took no side nor had no interest in the stakes of slavery, how will we hold them harmless?

How will we adjust the scales for all the race advantaged programs that have already been set aside for blacks over the many years?

What about those who are black, who have tasted success and vast wealth, should they have a component in the issue? Have they not demonstrated that this so called injustice can be rose above given determination and application?

What about the many millionaires through entertainment and sports that found ways to rise above? (Oprah, Cosby, Shaq, Kolby, Murphy, Jordan, McNair,…..) Do they owe their brotheran anything?

What about the many blacks whose success rides on keeping the black people down? (J.Jackson, A.Sharpton, Gangsta Rap Artists……)

Mr. Conyers, the scope of the question is far bigger then our ability to obtain answers. Standing their in congress with your tin cup waiting for a hand out just isn’t going to work. I’m sure you could locate quite a number of rich black people who could help you put together your little study group. In fact, I bet that even they see the futility of the issue and have denied funding your cause. So let’s stop dredging the past and get on with the business of securing and restoring the greatness of the United States of America.

How do you know they are wrong?

We seem to be constantly reminded of that suposed wall of seperation that didn't exist until after the Everson decision. We have laughable groups such as the ACLU who constantly beat this like a drum. We have court decisions that have changed the entire fabric of America over the last 50 years. And all this could have been avoided if we would have taught American history in schools at a young age.
What am I talking about? All it takes is a passing review of every preamble of every constitution of every state of the United States and you will have solved this mystery. A friend of mine was nice enough to pass this along to me so I thought I would share it with you. You may want to print off several copies and have them immediately available for the ever present lefty who failed American history.

Alabama 1901, Preamble. We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution.
Alaska 1956, Preamble. We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.
Arizona 1911, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...
Arkansas 1874, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...
California 1879, Preamble. We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom.
Colorado 1876, Preamble. We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe.
Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy.
Delaware 1897, Preamble. Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences.
Florida 1885, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution...
Georgia 1777, Preamble. We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution...
Hawaii 1959, Preamble. We , the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance ... Establish this Constitution.
Idaho 1889, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings.
Illinois 1870, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
Indiana 1851, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.
Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings establish this Constitution.
Kansas 1859, Preamble. We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.
Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...
Louisiana 1921, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.
Maine 1820, Preamble. We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity ... And imploring His aid and direction.
Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...
Massachusetts 1780, Preamble. We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe .. In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction ..
Michigan 1908, Preamble le. We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.
Minnesota 1857, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:
Mississippi 1890, Preamble. We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Al mighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.
Missouri 1845, Preamble. We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness .. Establish this Constitution ..
Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the lessings of liberty establish this Constitution ...
Nebraska 1875, Preamble. We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom .. Establish this Constitution.
Nevada 1864, Preamble. We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution
New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V. Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.
New Jersey 1844, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.
New Mexico 1911, Preamble. We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty
New York 1846, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.
North Carolina 1868, Preamble. We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those
North Dakota 1889, Preamble. We , the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain...
Ohio 1852, Preamble. We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common
Oklahoma 1907, Preamble. Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty ... establish this ..
Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I. Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences..
Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance
Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing South Carolina, 1778, Preamble. We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
South Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties .
Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...
Texas 1845, Preamble. We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.
Utah 1896, Preamble. Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.
Vermont 1777, Preamble. Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man ..
Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other .
Washington 1889, Preamble. We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution
West Virginia 1872, Preamble. Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ...
Wisconsin 1848, Preamble. We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility
Wyoming 1890, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties .. establish this Constitution.

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong!

Please note that at no time is anyone told that they MUST worship God.



"Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by
tyrants." - William Penn

GOD BLESS AMERICA

I know it is after the 4th, But......

I found this great article that I had to link to and share with all those who love this country as I do.


Independence Day
The American Way
Written by JB Williams
©2006-07-04

George Bush might celebrate Independence Day like most Americans, with a back yard barbeque and fireworks, but he is working diligently to erase the borders that once secured America as a free independent nation. The United Nations and the European Union see America as only the Daddy Warbucks of some one world global commune they hope to run for the greater good of humanity, namely themselves.

The US Senate is squarely behind the global commune concept and the US House tilts towards independent sovereignty and security, but finds itself largely impotent in its efforts to thwart the federal socialist global agenda working its way across America via leftist news reporting and Hollyweird history hoaxes.

The US Supreme Court operates as some unelected supreme council made up of nine dictators, using international case law to administer American justice, imaginary interpretations of unwritten constitutional rights and remedies and politically motivated hogwash aimed at systematically replacing the constitutional independent power of the governed with an absolute oligarchy of the bench.

Illegal invaders march in our streets demanding their civil rights in a country they have broken into and have no business being in at all. People like Cindy Sheehan, John Murtha, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and Harry Reid demand we not only respect the rights of illegals to break and enter, but vote as well. They take aim at our own military daily while feeding anti-American talking points to enemies like Bin Laden. A growing number of Americans are falling prey to an endless stream of anti-American propaganda peddled by their so-called press, at the command of the Democratic Party desperate to regain power before the party tent folds entirely, as it did once before in the early 1800’s.

Read the Rest Here

Once again I want to offer thanks to JB Williams for providing another excellent work.

Could the Supremes Right the Sinking Ship

I wrote a while back What Really Caused the Slide of Our Nation. I often read and absorb information on our founding fathers. I have been caught going through law books looking at cases. In the past twenty years or so we as a nation seem to be paying a little more attention to what comes out of our court system. Many of us sit up and pay attention when the Supreme Court puts out decisions.
The SCOTUS has a land mark decision before it. A decision that could strike at the heart of the Everson -vs- Board of Education decision. This could pull the very cornerstone out from under the many decisions noted in What Really Caused. How will the justices handle the Mount Soledad case?
Here is an article that does a fine job of putting 230 years of legal decisions under the microscope, including quotes from our founders. It lays out the way to straighten the jagged path of poor legal decisions and return some on the greatness back to our nation. Let us pray that the original intent of our founders is truly uplifted and returned to the Law of the land. Then may God once again Bless This Nation.