just a wage rant.

[dkn1997]

Don't you realize that if the government forced an increase in salary for everyone every year, they would simply be mandating accelerated inflation?

I'd say duh, but apparently common sense doesn't apply anymore.

if your situation is not to your liking, YOU change it. don't wait for the gov't to step in for you. 

[The70RT]

Don't you realize that if the government forced an increase in salary for everyone every year, they would simply be mandating accelerated inflation?

I'd say duh, but apparently common sense doesn't apply anymore.

I don't think things can get much worse. At least we would have the raise. Teachers get less pay than the jobs they are teaching for.......go figure! Common sense? Our gornment doesn't believe in that  In the mean time give every american a bonus so they will spend it....like that is gonna fix anything. Most people that are gonna get that bonus are spending all there paychecksto make ends meet anyway.

[694spdRT]

Some things to ponder. Who in the government is going to decide what people get the wage increase and when? Is the pay raise going to based on a percentage of income or fixed amount? Where is the cutoff point on earnings or is there one? Is it just people who are paid hourly or salaried too? Does it matter what the cost of living is where you are? If an employer offers benefits or retirement plans do they have to pay the same amount or not? What about the type of work you do? Is the government going to establish mimimum wage standards and increases for every type of employment?  Will employers then be forced to start every new employee at the bottom of this pay scale regardless of experience because they know a mandatory pay bump will now be imposed regardless of an employees worth?

I understand people wanting/needing better pay but I just don't see that setup working even in the best of senario's.

[defiance]

I've gotten a raise nearly every year since starting here, and that's without a degree.  At least in this company, it's all about hard work. 

Now, having said that, here's a little story about how important education is, to those of you who are arguing that it's not.

I was hand-picked for my current position because I did excellent work in a project that involved a director who is now my boss.  However, when he tried to hire me in, HR would not permit it because, on paper, I was not qualified.
In the end, he forced it through, but he had to convince his executive VP to get involved.
I'll tell you right now, I was LUCKY.  No matter how good your work is, most people will still never stumble upon someone who will be that much of an advocate.

First thing I did after that was get my degree

Having said all that, I'll admit that, at least for me, the degree did not provide any actual value as far as quality of work.  Furthermore, I think degrees and experience should both be used as a PROXY for determining the work capabilities of an individual IF direct knowlege with that individual's work in unavailable - using detree and experience as the primary measure if you know what the person can do is just stupid.  However, ANY company with an HR department - and many without - is going to be the same way.  If you don't look good on paper, that's it.  And besides, most times you apply for a job, the hiring manager won't know you anyway.

So yeah, education may not be all that helpful in your actual job, but it's still VERY important in getting it.

All the above, of course, is IMO

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Don't you realize that if the government forced an increase in salary for everyone every year, they would simply be mandating accelerated inflation?

I'd say duh, but apparently common sense doesn't apply anymore.

I don't think things can get much worse. At least we would have the raise.

Yes, you'd have the raise, but it wouldn't buy anything more.

Okay, here's how it goes: 1) an apple costs 50 cents.  Then 2) the government gives every single person a raise so that they earn $10 an hour up from $5 an hour.  Then 3) the price of an apple goes to $1.  Why?  Because money is not fixed to anything.  Prices are signals to the market that a given good or service is worth a given amount of labor and expertise.  This is why a hamburger in 1950 cost 10 cents and costs a dollar now.  Think about that, and then ponder this.  $10 million in Zimbabwe is worth $4 American.  If everyone is a billionaire, then being a billionaire means nothing.

If the government could fix everything by giving everyone more money, why wouldn't we have done that 200 years ago?  The printing press at the U.S. mint is not the answer.  It's only the means to more inflation.

[Brock Samson]

I think we all realize that John, the O.P. (Original Poster) was just venting, I can feel what his intent actually was, and, to hear the spirit of his words rather the the letter of the law... (not "to follow the letter of the Law but the spirit of the Law."  is the actual quote)
In anycase: we all need to improve our condition. financially, materially, spiritually - whatever. and yes even educationally,..
I want to add that myself I am not against education by any means, though there are other ways to achieve it without acquiring extra letters after your name. And i would never argue against or disparage anyone for entering into a pursuit of a higher education for whatever reason, I simply have a problem with one word solutions, like some are only too quick to offer up, without examining the "Spirit" of the complaint. I'm reminded of the scene from the movie the Graduate where the well intentioned but insensitive relative says to the Main protagonist played by Dustin Hoffman, I have one word for you,..
                                                                        Plastics".             
A college education is fine, but by it's self will not put food on the table, neither will Govt. Assistance or any other simplistic verbal broad brush solution.
I know a lawyer who makes six figures a year and has for several years but still owes over $600 K between his School debt alimony and child support.
In my Opinion not everyone is suited to a PH.D. or Section Eight housing or Govt. Cheese.
But costs are spiraling up, it's soon cost eight dollars to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and many other examples of exponentally growing inflation. It may be fine if your earning in the top grossing percentage, but how about for single moms?..
Further education or retraining may well be appropriate, but let's ask some more insightful questions to help the poster solve the problem without going in with the Nukes... 

[Mike DC]

I don't like the MW's buying power where it is right now but I don't think raising it will help anything in the big picture.  The US is already gushing low-end jobs all over the place because most worldwide labor prices are a fraction of what they are here.


IMO it just costs way too much to live here no matter where you are on the income chart.  If you make decent money, then the gov't taxes 1/3 of it away and you still end up pretty poor. 

If you make a low-end wage, then you still make better money than most worldwide poor people.  And you also don't lose much money to taxes.  However it's impossible to live much cheaper than the decent-money people do here, so you're still just as poor as ever.