I don't think that raising the minimum wage would actually raise anyone's living standards though....you need to address the disparity between the minimum wage and the living wage and the income inequality to even have a hope of doing that.....simply raising the minimum will simply move the line, not the relative standard.
I agree fully, but I personally would take a pay cut for those earning less than me (which 90% of the population do) if it meant that most of the population had a greater disposable income.
The cost of goods does not suddenly increase if the costs to the company don't go up - only if they pass the cost of the min wage increase directly back onto the customers, in a reasonable society that cost increase would come out of those earning enough to shoulder the burden.
I'm a firm believer in that those with the broadest shoulders should carry the heaviest burden.
I find it really shows the nature of people to think that somebody who works 40 hours a week doesn't deserve anything to show for his/her time - I can
almost understand the annoyance at the benefit scroungers (While I disagree with it) as on a basic level they are taking advantage of the tax payer.
But to view fellow workers at the bottom of the pile with such low regard is shamefull. (not that this comment applies to you Castiel, you seem quite reasonable on this)
I didn't say you did....I was simply making the point as many seem to think money = happiness.
While I agree, money does not = happiness - being poor quite certainly can cause the opposite.
I'm not advocating mass material wealth for all, just reducing increasing the standard of living for the bottom 20/30% of the population.
No. I hate people who complain about the quality of life in this country, go to a 3rd world country and tell the people there about how bad life is here in this country
.
Urgh... that argument.
Yes, because people in nation X have lower standards of living we should ignore the problems everywhere else.
What a productive mentality.
/golfclap
.