Democrat Prez nomination 2016.

[Soko 128]

South side of Chicago is a war zone because all jobs/manufacturing left due to high union/labor costs/taxes. That left a vacuum for poverty/crime/gangs. Add to that the disintegration of family/values and no one wants to teach down there. So now you have students with little family involvement in a dangerous area with low quality schools...becomes a vicious cycle. Solution is to reduce labor/tax costs by eliminating unions and companies will flock back.

 

You want to make **** in this country again? You have to compete with overseas and Mexico unfortunately. It's too expensive to add union labor to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave; two weeks of paid vacation; and 7 days of paid sick days. Either become "right to work" state or say goodbye to manufacturing.

 

No need for $5.5B youth jobs program. Youth jobs are plentiful. Look at Wal-Mart having to raise wages just to find workers. If you are well spoken, responsible, hardworking etc. you'll have no problem getting an entry level job. And if family/school hasn't taught you that then no jobs program is gonna help.

 

Infrastructure is a good investment. Applying tax rates to ALL corporations and individuals with no loopholes will pay for that. Also, eliminate govt grants and tax deals. Nothing pisses me off more than billionaire owners getting public financing for stadiums. Someone needs to sue state/local govts when this happens for discrimination because I guarantee a mom-and-pop 7-11 wouldn't get the same grant.

 

 

This is an answer lot easier said than done. I work in manufacturing in Asia and those jobs are never going back to America or Europe for that matter, ever. The cost base is so much lower with raw materials cheaper and easier to access and the skill levels ever increasing that is makes zero sense to shift manufacturing back to the US, particularly when the Asian markets are becoming a bigger target sector.

 

Automation of many processes is continually reducing the number of jobs that even exist and manufacturers end goals are to reduce their overall workforce, not increase it and pay them more money. Globalisation and technology has changed the game some much in the past 20 years that it has moved to a different universe. Politicians can speak about making America great again, we will bring back jobs blah blah blah but it is all complete hogwash.

 

America needs to decide if it actually wants to work for new jobs or not. Education is essential but is consistently ignored. Investing in infrastructure is one of my main topics I implore people to do yet it takes the Chinese to come in and build the first high speed railroad. That is embarrassing on all fronts.

[Jim2Dokes 3]

This is an answer lot easier said than done. I work in manufacturing in Asia and those jobs are never going back to America or Europe for that matter, ever. The cost base is so much lower with raw materials cheaper and easier to access and the skill levels ever increasing that is makes zero sense to shift manufacturing back to the US, particularly when the Asian markets are becoming a bigger target sector.

 

Automation of many processes is continually reducing the number of jobs that even exist and manufacturers end goals are to reduce their overall workforce, not increase it and pay them more money. Globalisation and technology has changed the game some much in the past 20 years that it has moved to a different universe. Politicians can speak about making America great again, we will bring back jobs blah blah blah but it is all complete hogwash.

 

America needs to decide if it actually wants to work for new jobs or not. Education is essential but is consistently ignored. Investing in infrastructure is one of my main topics I implore people to do yet it takes the Chinese to come in and build the first high speed railroad. That is embarrassing on all fronts.

 

Exactly, wall mart offering jobs, you have to be kidding me that is a dying company. The promise is investing in govt programs such as infrastructure and energy. I just go to the beer industry on this matter. You know how many jobs that the micro beer industry has creAted or the wine industry? It is incredible. And mostly it is in democratic states thAt allow this innovation to happen. I can at any dAy travel to 100 wineries and 100 breweries within 20 miles. And repubs are for small business! Please. Or maybe I just take a trip to Nike, adidas , Intel, under armor, Google,and do I really need to go on (if you want some examples on the big corps here) These companies are all in democratic states.

 

Over here you can marry if your gay, smoke weed and carry a gun. You can pretty much gamble in any bar as well. Only thing you can't do is pump your own gas ( we have someone that does that for us) or buy liquor at a big grocery store ( we have a lot of small businesses for that). But everything else seems like a lot of freedom to me.

 

Soko this was general rant, not to go against your insightful post. Just feeding off it.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Jim2Dokes

[NYGoldenDomer 2,046]

Maybe you could enlighten me on how she is solely responsible and Bush isn't for 4000+ Dead and 35000 wounded for a war we should have never been in responsible. Or how about what the current repubs want to do by doing it all over again creating new terriosts. Make no mistake, despite this retiric in this board ISIS is sole creation from the Bush admin. Just another shithole that Obama inherited like the recession.

 

I wasn't aware that George Bush is running for President again. Neither did I mention anything about OEF nor OIF. All I mentioned was Benghazi. Not taking the bait, sorry pal.

[DTCBND03 0]

This is an answer lot easier said than done. I work in manufacturing in Asia and those jobs are never going back to America or Europe for that matter, ever. The cost base is so much lower with raw materials cheaper and easier to access and the skill levels ever increasing that is makes zero sense to shift manufacturing back to the US, particularly when the Asian markets are becoming a bigger target sector.

 

Automation of many processes is continually reducing the number of jobs that even exist and manufacturers end goals are to reduce their overall workforce, not increase it and pay them more money. Globalisation and technology has changed the game some much in the past 20 years that it has moved to a different universe. Politicians can speak about making America great again, we will bring back jobs blah blah blah but it is all complete hogwash.

 

America needs to decide if it actually wants to work for new jobs or not. Education is essential but is consistently ignored. Investing in infrastructure is one of my main topics I implore people to do yet it takes the Chinese to come in and build the first high speed railroad. That is embarrassing on all fronts.

 

You are spot on. High speed rail would be cool but it's soooo costly. China can do it cause they're communist and basically move people around at will and spend without voting on anything. Elon Musk is doing cool things with the hyperloop and just built a test track for all the companies competing. He's the best CEO/mind of our generation.

 

Interesting how Webb might run as an independent. It's prob political posturing until he gets promised a white house job and then "decides he doesn't want to run to spend more time with family" haha

[davislove 0]

I don't agree with raising the minimum wage to $15... From what I've read, this doesn't make a lot of economic sense. Minimum wage jobs will be automated and many people at these jobs will be laid off. Similar to the BP boycotts after the spill, it won't hurt the larger corporation, rather it will impact the individual franchises.

 

I'm torn on this one. I'll go into a McDonalds and quite honestly with the service you get, they don't deserve minimum wage. But increasing the wage would allow those places to attract better workers and increase sales. You can't worry about the threats of automation. Everything they could automate they already did. They would still need humans to clean, stock and do task that machines just can't do. They would also have to hire expensive maintenance personnel to repair those machines when they go down.

 

I also don't agree with his proposed ban on assault weapons... First of all, "assault weapons" is a purely political term that doesn't even ban all semi-automatic weapons, making it an inconsistent term. Secondly, mass shootings are a mental health issue, not a guns issue. The focus is on the wrong place. And I think it sets a frightening precedent when the government feels justified in disarming its populace.

 

I think blaming mass shootings on mental health is a way to dodge the issue. No one is completely balanced and stable. If any of us on this board went on a shooting spree, there is something going on in our lives that could be blamed for our actions. Not sure I ever heard it called a mental health issue when a Muslim goes on a killing spree.

 

Guns should be registered like cars and enforced. It would also help the police when they know they are answering a domestic violence call at a home with 20 guns registered.

[DTCBND03 0]

I'm torn on this one. I'll go into a McDonalds and quite honestly with the service you get, they don't deserve minimum wage. But increasing the wage would allow those places to attract better workers and increase sales. You can't worry about the threats of automation. Everything they could automate they already did. They would still need humans to clean, stock and do task that machines just can't do. They would also have to hire expensive maintenance personnel to repair those machines when they go down.

 

Increasing the minimum wage would force them to pay their workers more (not allow). IF they wanted to pay their workers more they already can. And IF that would increase sales enough to offset the increased labor costs they would. Believe me companies run this calculation all the time. All $15 minimum wage ($31,200/year) would do is put those current McDonald's people outta work because more skilled labor (and likely less of it) would take their jobs at the higher $15/hour and the price of McDonald's would go up ultimately hurting the mostly poor customer base that eats there. There's a reason McDonald's $2 menu is so popular.

 

Instead wage growth is here on its own. Wal-Mart, McDonalds, Targe, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc. have all announced wage increases this year (just not to the $15 level yet).

 

I think the biggest myth of the minimum wage is that it will spring people into higher earning classes when in reality it is what people claim it to be..."A Living Wage"....meaning people will just sit in their current job and earn more money while not exactly striving to improve (or leaving) to get to that next income rung.

[OklahomaIrish 0]

I fear most republicans are fiscal suicide as well (just not as bad as dems). With the exception of Kasich who will balance the budget and Paul who will actually cut spending on defense. Everyone else will cut taxes while increasing defense spending which will spur the economy but ultimately create a greater deficit. The republicans need to lead by cutting defense spending and then moving onto entitlements.

 

As for the holocaust around us...abortions happen at Notre Dame and in Catholic communities on a daily basis. I'd say the majority of women are on the pill or some other form of contraceptive...and if you have daughters...they're included. They're not magically becoming pregnant after marriage due to abstinence. It's still disgusting what PP is doing cause I draw the line between contraception and aborting a pregnancy. But in Catholic religious terms they're both one in the same.

 

I have 4 daughters and those that are married use the Church's teaching of natural family planning for contraception. It is 99.97% effective. All other forms of contraception actually cause many abortions. An abortion is the termination of a human life.

[davislove 0]

Increasing the minimum wage would force them to pay their workers more (not allow). IF they wanted to pay their workers more they already can. And IF that would increase sales enough to offset the increased labor costs they would. Believe me companies run this calculation all the time. All $15 minimum wage ($31,200/year) would do is put those current McDonald's people outta work because more skilled labor (and likely less of it) would take their jobs at the higher $15/hour and the price of McDonald's would go up ultimately hurting the mostly poor customer base that eats there. There's a reason McDonald's $2 menu is so popular.

 

Instead wage growth is here on its own. Wal-Mart, McDonalds, Targe, TJ Maxx, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc. have all announced wage increases this year (just not to the $15 level yet).

 

I think the biggest myth of the minimum wage is that it will spring people into higher earning classes when in reality it is what people claim it to be..."A Living Wage"....meaning people will just sit in their current job and earn more money while not exactly striving to improve (or leaving) to get to that next income rung.

 

Paying their employees more may cut into their profits but it won't break them. Another big myth is companies are paying their workers as much as they possibly can without going under. They don't have $2 menu's because they care about the poor, They are competing with other chains and trying to steal their business.

Little Caesars cheap pizza's have brought the price of pizza down. It's

probably cheaper now then it was 20 years ago.

 

Rising tides raises all ships. Those companies will manage and still provide affordable eats. I remember when minimum wage was 3.35. and with every increase they cried that they couldn't pay it. You remember when gas shot up to 4 bucks and pizza places started charging for delivery? Did they stop charging when gas prices fell?

 

I should say I'm for a good minimum wage increase but I don't think it has to be as much as $15. I wouldn't mind looking into a tier system where your minimum wage is based on profits.

 

Yeah, Mickey D's may have less help in the kitchen (how can they have any less) with a raise increase but with the extra money in the economy, someone will be hiring for sure.

[Soko 128]

$15 is too much for people who may not have even graduated high school. The reality as mentioned previously is those are the first people who will be out of a job if this becomes the norm.

[nickman54 0]

Minimum wage doesn't need to be raised IMO. A minimum wage is an entry level job that isn't meant to become a career. Constantly propping those up that can't further themselves for whatever reason is not the way we sent people to the moon. You can't easily legislate prosperity across the board. In other words, the world needs ditch diggers.

[LasVegasIrish 0]

Minimum wage doesn't need to be raised IMO. A minimum wage is an entry level job that isn't meant to become a career. Constantly propping those up that can't further themselves for whatever reason is not the way we sent people to the moon. You can't easily legislate prosperity across the board. In other words, the world needs ditch diggers.

 

Minimum wage should depend on the cost of living in the area in my opinion. For example, minimum wage should be more in California than it is in Nevada. I will say though, I am a believer that increasing minimum wage would increase work ethic in general in those jobs.

[nickman54 0]

Minimum wage should depend on the cost of living in the area in my opinion. For example, minimum wage should be more in California than it is in Nevada. I will say though, I am a believer that increasing minimum wage would increase work ethic in general in those jobs.

 

In some extent I agree until your last statement. Giving someone extra for no particular reason doesn't improve results. I've been in management and have seen this in real life. It may help esteem in the short term but eventually it wears off.

[Soko 128]

Minimum wage doesn't need to be raised IMO. A minimum wage is an entry level job that isn't meant to become a career. Constantly propping those up that can't further themselves for whatever reason is not the way we sent people to the moon. You can't easily legislate prosperity across the board. In other words, the world needs ditch diggers.

 

 

The minimum wage needs to rise, just not to $15 an hour. $7.25 is not enough money to live on.

[nickman54 0]

The minimum wage needs to rise, just not to $15 an hour. $7.25 is not enough money to live on.

 

When was it? When was it ever a living wage? It used to be a wage for high school kids working at fast food joints..

[Soko 128]

When was it? When was it ever a living wage? It used to be a wage for high school kids working at fast food joints..

 

When their parents worked at manufacturing plants that now don't exist.

 

Either way $7.25 is a paltry amount of money for any job and has regressed over time with inflation. It needs to be pegged back to it's more natural level of about $10 per hour.

[LasVegasIrish 0]

In some extent I agree until your last statement. Giving someone extra for no particular reason doesn't improve results. I've been in management and have seen this in real life. It may help esteem in the short term but eventually it wears off.

 

I've seen this also firsthand...and I agree with you to some extent as well. I still believe most people given more starting out will "generally" have more incentive to work harder. I don't think the few should hurt the many. At the same time, there should be programs in place to benefit those whowork hard and do a good job. Companies that never increase wages or benefits for employees rub me the wrong way. I guess my overall point is...there should be more work incentive than I'm only here and working to keep my job.

[nickman54 0]

Good discussion guys. I don't believe all of us are really as far apart as the media would have you believe. It's ashamed donee domain doesn't have a legislative arm in the .gov.

[Irish4life 0]

Good discussion guys. I don't believe all of us are really as far apart as the media would have you believe. It's ashamed donee domain doesn't have a legislative arm in the .gov.

 

Agreed. I believe most people on both sides of the aisle actually have the same arguments. They both know what the problems are. The difference is our difference of opinion on the solutions of the problems. Take Bernie Sanders for example.. I agree with about everything he says as far as the problems in the country. (and i would be considered a right-winger by the media). Im just completely opposite of him as far as his solution goes. He wants government to fix the problem, I strongly do not. We all bitch enough about politicians as it is.. We dont need to give them more control.

[edcubby 2]

When was it? When was it ever a living wage? It used to be a wage for high school kids working at fast food joints..

 

Hey Nick...you are absolutely correct!!!!

 

I've been arguing that for a while...minimum wage should NEVER be "living wage". You aren't suppose to make a living flipping burgers and asking "you want fries with that?"

 

Minimum wage should be low and the work should suck so it drives you to do something else.

[coltssb 1,044]

Hey Nick...you are absolutely correct!!!!

 

I've been arguing that for a while...minimum wage should NEVER be "living wage". You aren't suppose to make a living flipping burgers and asking "you want fries with that?"

 

Minimum wage should be low and the work should suck so it drives you to do something else.

 

I usually side with democrats on a lot of issues but the minimum wage is one I don't. You are right on this one. Minimum wage is to get by until you find your career at something. Minimum wage at Mc D's should not be your career. Unless, you decide to be a regional manager or something. But then your pay already increases anyway. You should not be 4-5 dollars short of what a teacher (with a degree) makes. Especially, when you don't even have a high-school diploma yourself. Increase it a buck or make sure they get quality health insurance for full-time employees.