The Daily Dose/May 23, 2019
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
The federal minimum wage is in the news again, with Democratic presidential candidates almost unanimous in calling for raising it to $15 an hour. It has been $7.25/hour since 1978 (now worth about $1.86/hour) and a federal minimum wage has been in force since 1938 when it was 25 cents an hour (about $4.50 in 2019 dollars). In recent years some cities have mandated $15/hour minimum wages and people on both sides of the issue have plenty of studies citing figures that support their view.
So let’s not bother with them. Here is a rather simple argument that is also rather logical: You work at Store A and I work at Store B. We both work 40 hours a week and make $12/hour and are in the habit of buying things at each other’s store. A federally mandated raise to $15 and hour means our employers will be obliged to pay us an extra $6,240 in wages. Are they going to eat that extra cost? Of course not, they are going to pass that cost on to their customers.
Now, presuming we still have our jobs – hardly a given in this instance, we may very well be laid off – what happens when we go into each other’s store to spend money? Prices have been raised, so whatever increased spending power we might have enjoyed has been washed away. It will be this way in every other store we shop at that was obliged to raise wages, too. We make more and we spend more and our bank accounts are no better off.
But forget the economic impact of the minimum wage, for a second because there is the philosophical argument, too:
An employment agreement is a private contract between employer and employee. The government has no business mandating any aspect of it.
Friends, we can’t depend on our government to take care of us. If you are making less than $15 an hour and want to make more, grab the bull by the horns and get yourself a raise, and if your employer won’t give you one, you have some options.
First, decide how much money you want to make, and don’t say $10 million, either. Be reasonable and be realistic: figure what do you need to make and then factor in a little extra so you go out to eat every now and then and also put some money away for when the car needs to be fixed. Then identify a job that will pay what you need to make. Again, be realistic. Don’t say psychotherapist if you are self-educated or auto mechanic if the concept of a spark plug confuses you. Select jobs that are in line with what you’re good at and what you like to do.
Then, go and put yourself in a position to get one of those jobs. Now, this is the toughest step. Gaining the skills you need could take time and effort and probably no small amount of both, but every good thing in this life takes work. Don’t be afraid, either. Work yields dividends and an investment in yourself will usually, with some patience thrown in, pay off.
We can’t depend on our government for a raise. Each of us has the power to say this is what I am today and this is what I will be tomorrow. It’s up to us to go and get it.
Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow puts an annoying guest on hold for three minutes, and gets the runaround from assorted government agencies at the VSO. Today’s Dairy.
After some thought, I decided to call the new White House VA 800 number…The actual existence of this line is somewhat funny because the VA has no less than five thousand 800 numbers designed to give vets information but I figured this was would be a good place to start…I half-figured she could easily transfer me to some assistant director’s office or something, I’d email him a copy of the VA letter declaring Corky was able to wipe his own ass without a designee, and that would be that.
It’s Sparrow, an average man passing an average life.
The drivel simply does not stop: please click on the button to read The Diary of a Nobody. $5.99 includes all entries, past, present, and future.
Click here to read excerpts and a sample chapter.
On This Date
1934 – Bonnie Parker and Clyde Darrow, better known as Bonnie and Clyde, bandits who gained notoriety by robbing banks, gas stations, and small stores in rural America, are shot to death by a posse of Louisiana and Texas police who ambushed them on a rural highway in northwest Louisiana. Though it is estimated officers shot 130 rounds, the official autopsy showed 26 entry wounds on Bonnie and 17 on Clyde. Though popularly depicted otherwise, Bonnie claimed to have never smoked a cigar.
In 1998 – David Wells of the New York Yankees sees his American League (AL) record of 38 consecutive batters retired come to and, giving up a single to Darren Lewis of the Boston Red Sox with one out in the top of the first inning. In his previous start, Wells had pitched a perfect game (27 in a row) and had retired the last ten batters he had faced in the start before that. Wells’ AL record would last until Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox established a new AL/major league record with 45 consecutive batters retired.
In 1960- Cathy’s Clown by the Everly Brothers is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for first of five consecutive weeks. The song also went to #1 in Great Britain and in June topped Billboard’s soul chart for a week, their third and final #1 song on both charts. A version by Reba McEntire went to #1 on Billboard’s country chart in 1989, making Cathy’s Clown one of the few songs to go to #1 on all three major Billboard charts.
Quotebook
Had his patience and insight equaled his ruthlessness and courage he might have saved Rome a half-century of chaos…
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization, Vol III: Caesar to Christ
Regards Sulla, a former Roman consul
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Aretha Franklin is the other act besides Stevie Wonder who has had a record 20 #1 songs on Billboard’s soul chart.
Today’s Stumper
Who now holds the major league record for most consecutive batters retired? – Answer next time!
