Exclusive The poorest person you know pays more taxes than Amazon

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Why the hell do you want corporations to be detemining what is a living wage for you or anyone else?
Let them compete for help by offering a wage that attracts the help they need. Of course, you do not want the labor market flooded with more workers. Increasing the supply of workers.
will indeed lower the wages required to attract the help.

Read a study by UW that raising it in Seattle caused cutbacks in hours worked and caused a net loss to some workers of 125 bucks a month. Not gonna link it because there are all types of studies and they don't even have access to all the data.

Logic tells us that raising it will cause employers to cut hours, automate jobs or raise prices. Or all three and more.

But it feels good to say an unskilled worker should get a certain amount just because they deserve it. lol

 

[MarAzul]

Read a study by UW that raising it in Seattle caused cutbacks in hours worked and caused a net loss to some workers of 125 bucks a month. Not gonna link it because there are all types of studies and they don't even have access to all the data.

Logic tells us that raising it will cause employers to cut hours, automate jobs or raise prices. Or all three and more.

But it feels good to say an unskilled worker should get a certain amount just because they deserve it. lol

The federal government has no business in the game of the price of labor at any level. Having them set a minium wage and be in control of labor coming into the country give the represenatives an artificial hook to pander to the people with at election time. Let the market determine the wage employers must pay to attract labor. This crap has been going on for years and years.
Any given state might weigh in if they deem a need and that might be fair, as they do not also control the labor available via immigration at the same time. Although, I suppose California does
take that role on too.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

The federal government has no business in the game of the price of labor at any level. Having them set a minium wage and be in control of labor coming into the country give the represenatives an artificial hook to pander to the people with at election time. Let the market determine the wage employers must pay to attract labor. This crap has been going on for years and years.
Any given state might weigh in if they deem a need and that might be fair, as they do not also control the labor available via immigration at the same time. Although, I suppose California does
take that role on too.

I wonder how many jobs would be paid a bit more if there was no minimum wage. Or less. Who knows?

Hey Bill, we need to hire a janitor. I can pay 8 or 9 bucks an hour.

No Steve, minimum is 7.25 that's good enough.

Cool!

 

[Natebishop3]

The federal government has no business in the game of the price of labor at any level. Having them set a minium wage and be in control of labor coming into the country give the represenatives an artificial hook to pander to the people with at election time. Let the market determine the wage employers must pay to attract labor. This crap has been going on for years and years.
Any given state might weigh in if they deem a need and that might be fair, as they do not also control the labor available via immigration at the same time. Although, I suppose California does
take that role on too.

I'm not even talking about federal regulations. I'm talking about pure and simple greed.

The cost of living has risen considerably in Portland over the past ten years, but have companies increased wages? Nope. So what happens? Sprawl. The low to moderate income families have to move further and further away from the city, and they have to commute further and further to find work.

Something in this country has changed man. My family was able to live comfortably off my dad's income in the 80s. He was making around 50k a year. Do you think a family of five today can live off 50k a year comfortably? The cost of living has gone up, but companies have abandoned any sense of loyalty. The only way to get paid what you deserve is to leave your company and look for work elsewhere. It's really sad.

Gas costs 300% more.

My parents bought their first house in the late 70s for 20k. They sold it a couple years ago for 300k.

Hell, a fucking meal at Jack in the Box is like $10. That used to be a meal at a sit down restaurant. Not some shitty burger at a fast food joint.

But have wages increased? Nope.

 

[CupWizier]

The federal government has no business in the game of the price of labor at any level. Having them set a minium wage and be in control of labor coming into the country give the represenatives an artificial hook to pander to the people with at election time. Let the market determine the wage employers must pay to attract labor. This crap has been going on for years and years.
Any given state might weigh in if they deem a need and that might be fair, as they do not also control the labor available via immigration at the same time. Although, I suppose California does
take that role on too.

First, you seem to thinkl this only has to do with immigration but it isn't. It's about fair pay for work done. So you endorse just allowing companies to name any wage they want? In times of higher unemployment with a large number of people battling for the few jobs available what do you think the pay would be? It would be as little as they can and it becomes a take it or leave it. That's why a minimum wage was instituted so that at least companies couldn't rip employees off by paying them meager poverty level wages.Wages earned by mid level on down typically get spent in the economy to help boost the economy. Money saved by corporations on the other hand typically go into ownership, higher management positions and shareholders. Could you have lived on $7.25/hr? You definitely are a true modern Republican, and I don't mean that in a good way.

 

[Natebishop3]

 

[barfo]

The federal government has no business in the game of the price of labor at any level. Having them set a minium wage and be in control of labor coming into the country give the represenatives an artificial hook to pander to the people with at election time. Let the market determine the wage employers must pay to attract labor.

Ok. Maybe there are some jobs that should pay less than minimum wage based on supply and demand. So, are you prepared to pay more tax to support a larger social safety net for the people now making even less? Yeah, probably not.

This crap has been going on for years and years.

Yep. Since 1938. And the economy has been pretty robust over that period. So... maybe it's not such a terrible thing.

barfo

 

[barfo]

I wonder how many jobs would be paid a bit more if there was no minimum wage. Or less. Who knows?

Hey Bill, we need to hire a janitor. I can pay 8 or 9 bucks an hour.

No Steve, minimum is 7.25 that's good enough.

Cool!

Very few. I don't think that's the way that most employers think about pay.

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

I'm not even talking about federal regulations. I'm talking about pure and simple greed.

The cost of living has risen considerably in Portland over the past ten years, but have companies increased wages? Nope. So what happens? Sprawl. The low to moderate income families have to move further and further away from the city, and they have to commute further and further to find work.

Something in this country has changed man. My family was able to live comfortably off my dad's income in the 80s. He was making around 50k a year. Do you think a family of five today can live off 50k a year comfortably? The cost of living has gone up, but companies have abandoned any sense of loyalty. The only way to get paid what you deserve is to leave your company and look for work elsewhere. It's really sad.

Gas costs 300% more.

My parents bought their first house in the late 70s for 20k. They sold it a couple years ago for 300k.

Hell, a fucking meal at Jack in the Box is like $10. That used to be a meal at a sit down restaurant. Not some shitty burger at a fast food joint.

But have wages increased? Nope.

They are not going to do shit for you. Niether is your pandering represenative. If you want a job that pays well, you damn well best be in demand and difficult to replace.
By about 2055 or so we will have somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 thousand people the way things are going. Probably have more than twice as many people ready willing and able to replace you. How does that sound?
When you get a grip and find that suxx, think of all those poorer folks trying to move in closer to work, while you are looking to move out a bit just to keep up. There is a collisiion there building a bit each year. You want a Represenative to keep you in good shape? Ha! You want the guy that owns your company to watch out for your ass, while these other guys want to take everthing he makes with a whopping tax? Shit man, you best be thinking of some bigger changes than we have on the table now.

 

[Natebishop3]

They are not going to do shit for you. Niether is your pandering represenative. If you want a job that pays well, you damn well best be in demand and difficult to replace.
By about 2055 or so we will have somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 thousand people the way things are going. Probably have more than twice as many people ready willing and able to replace you. How does that sound?
When you get a grip and find that suxx, think of all those poorer folks trying to move in closer to work, while you are looking to move out a bit just to keep up. There is a collisiion there building a bit each year. You want a Represenative to keep you in good shape? Ha! You want the guy that owns your company to watch out for your ass, while these other guys want to take everthing he makes with a whopping tax? Shit man, you best be thinking of some bigger changes than we have on the table now.

It's bigger than that. When the gap in wealth is this big, guess what happens? Revolutions happen. People get fed up, pick up a gun, and start killin fools. When people get desperate, they start doing desperate things. It has happened before and it will happen again.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shays'_Rebellion

The government allowed jobs to be shipped overseas. The government allowed the deregulation of the banks. The government is in charge of the schools, who are jacking up the cost of tuition and allowing text book companies to charge several hundred dollars for a required text, which puts kids at a huge disadvantage when they graduate.

Like it or not, the government is deeply tied with what's happening to our economy. They are in bed with the corporations. I am not an economist, so I couldn't begin to imagine what we need to fix this problem, but I do know that it's not as simple as getting a representative.

 

[MarAzul]

I do know that it's not as simple as getting a representative.

Well good on yeah! I am pleased we got that far.

 

[Lanny]

Let's just raise the minimum wage and everything will be awesome!!!

While not the only answer, it is a step in the right direction.

When I was a young man, still in high school, the minimum wage in Oregon was $1.25/hr. Taking into account the cost of living increase, that should be over $15/hr. now.

 

[Lanny]

Very few. I don't think that's the way that most employers think about pay.

barfo

I've got a feeling you're wrong about that, barfo.

 

[Lanny]

Hey, I could buy an average home in Hawaii. And if I bought one in West Virginia, it might be a mansion.

 

[Lanny]

I'm not even talking about federal regulations. I'm talking about pure and simple greed.

The cost of living has risen considerably in Portland over the past ten years, but have companies increased wages? Nope. So what happens? Sprawl. The low to moderate income families have to move further and further away from the city, and they have to commute further and further to find work.

Something in this country has changed man. My family was able to live comfortably off my dad's income in the 80s. He was making around 50k a year. Do you think a family of five today can live off 50k a year comfortably? The cost of living has gone up, but companies have abandoned any sense of loyalty. The only way to get paid what you deserve is to leave your company and look for work elsewhere. It's really sad.

Gas costs 300% more.

My parents bought their first house in the late 70s for 20k. They sold it a couple years ago for 300k.

Hell, a fucking meal at Jack in the Box is like $10. That used to be a meal at a sit down restaurant. Not some shitty burger at a fast food joint.

But have wages increased? Nope.

When I was a kid, you could buy a hamburger, fries and a drink for four for less that a dollar at McDonald's. They had a small chain here in Portland called Bonnie Burgers that were even cheaper than that.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

While not the only answer, it is a step in the right direction.

When I was a young man, still in high school, the minimum wage in Oregon was $1.25/hr. Taking into account the cost of living increase, that should be over $15/hr. now.

Different time in history.

 

[MARIS61]

The Rothchild family is wealthier than the next 8 richest people in the world combined.

They control the world. They start the wars, they change the governments, they write the news...

Everything else is the narrative they have created for you to believe.

 

[MARIS61]

The poorest people I know pay no taxes at all, and get free health insurance and food stamps.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

When I was a kid, you could buy a hamburger, fries and a drink for four for less that a dollar at McDonald's. They had a small chain here in Portland called Bonnie Burgers that were even cheaper than that.

And Harry’s Hurry Inn on N. Lombard had 5 burgers for a dollar.....now that was a bargain when the munchies were out of control.

 

[Lanny]

The poorest people I know pay no taxes at all, and get free health insurance and food stamps.

That's funny, I don't know any that poor. One of us hangs out with the wrong people.

 

[Lanny]

And Harry’s Hurry Inn on N. Lombard had 5 burgers for a dollar.....now that was a bargain when the munchies were out of control.

You must be an old timer.

Bonnie's Burgers were 15 cents.

I've gotten a Krystal Burger in Atlanta in 1965 for 10 cents. It was so small that the bun was a typical Parker House roll.

 

[Lanny]

The Rothchild family is wealthier than the next 8 richest people in the world combined.

They control the world. They start the wars, they change the governments, they write the news...

Everything else is the narrative they have created for you to believe.

I've heard that the House of Saud is worth more than twice the Rothchilds. I've also heard that Putin is worth approx. the same as the Rothchilds family.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/052416/top-10-wealthiest-families-world.asp

 

[Lanny]

Different time in history.

Obviously, but you still had to pay the rent and put bread on the table, fill the gas tank, heat the house, go to the movies and see the doctor. The cost of living index is what most people use to compare the two times.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

You must be an old timer.

Bonnie's Burgers were 15 cents.

I've gotten a Krystal Burger in Atlanta in 1965 for 10 cents. It was so small that the bun was a typical Parker House roll.

I’m not quite at your level of geezerhood but I’m not far behind. And I assume the Bonnie’s you’re referring to is the one on NW 21st. Working for my dad during my HS summers I spent a great deal of time in NW Portland. As the “kid” on the work crew, one of my permanent assignments was coffee boy. Bonnie’s and Quality Pie were the go to places for coffee in the pre Starbucks era. And as you noted, Bonnie’s was a cheap place for lunch. While it may not be the same place as it was 50 years ago, it’s heartening to see it still exists in one form or another. Wish I could say the same about Quality Pie......

 

[Lanny]

I’m not quite at your level of geezerhood but I’m not far behind. And I assume the Bonnie’s you’re referring to is the one on NW 21st. Working for my dad during my HS summers I spent a great deal of time in NW Portland. As the “kid” on the work crew, one of my permanent assignments was coffee boy. Bonnie’s and Quality Pie were the go to places for coffee in the pre Starbucks era. And as you noted, Bonnie’s was a cheap place for lunch. While it may not be the same place as it was 50 years ago, it’s heartening to see it still exists in one form or another. Wish I could say the same about Quality Pie......

Funny you should mention QP which was 2 1/2 blocks from my house on Northrup. Great hamburgers and a pretty good milkshake which was 50 cents and 25 cents, respectively. I was just getting involved in a mini reunion for my graduating class at Chapman grade school when some mentioned Quality Pie.

I lived on Northrup for about 8 years which included my time in the Army. When I got out of the Army, I moved into an apartment near Bonnie Burgers, very near NW 19th and maybe a couple blocks North of Bonnie's which would make it Kearney, although that street name doesn't seem right. I lived in that apartment about a year and a half.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

Funny you should mention QP which was 2 1/2 blocks from my house on Northrup. Great hamburgers and a pretty good milkshake which was 50 cents and 25 cents, respectively. I was just getting involved in a mini reunion for my graduating class at Chapman grade school when some mentioned Quality Pie.

I lived on Northrup for about 8 years which included my time in the Army. When I got out of the Army, I moved into an apartment near Bonnie Burgers, very near NW 19th and maybe a couple blocks North of Bonnie's which would make it Kearney, although that street name doesn't seem right. I lived in that apartment about a year and a half.

If you ever get to jonesing (not Bonesing) for great pie, I suggest Lauretta Jean’s on Division. Best pie in the PDX area IMHO........

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Trump’s Retail Website Only Pays Sales Taxes In 2 States. Amazon Pays Taxes In 45.

President Donald Trump has railed against Amazon, falsely claiming the company fails to pay state and local sales taxes on online shipments. But it turns out the Trump Organization retail website collects sales taxes only on goods shipped to two states — while Amazon collects sales taxes in 45 states.

The TrumpStore.com website sells Trump-labeled glassware, baseball caps, luggage tags, spa slippers and key chains, among several other items. It collects sales tax only on orders shipped to buyers in Florida and Louisiana, according to the company’s own website, The Wall Street Journal was the first to point out on Friday.

TrumpStore.com, which touts itself as the “official retail website of the The Trump Organization,” doesn’t even pay sales taxes on its online shipments in New York, according to the information on its site. Its physical store and headquarters are located in the Trump Tower in Manhattan.

Trump, who maintains his ownership of the Trump Organization even while president, has been slamming Amazon on Twitter for dodging sales taxes. He has called it a “no-tax” company and has blasted Amazon for paying “little or no taxes to state & local governments.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entr...taxes-to-2-states_us_5ac95a99e4b09d0a11946b1c

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Obviously, but you still had to pay the rent and put bread on the table, fill the gas tank, heat the house, go to the movies and see the doctor. The cost of living index is what most people use to compare the two times.

Well, we had a world that was recovering from WW2 so there wasn't the same competition that there is now. And corporations weren't quite so dominant and evil. I wasn't alive then but there weren't 5 Starbucks per neighborhood either. Millions of people working in the service industry doesn't create wealth as far as I can see.

Raise the Starbucks wages to 20 bucks and a shitty Starbucks coffee will cost 14 dollars. More likely is that they'll put in machines faster than they likely would.

Waited way too long for two coffees at Whole Foods yesterday, a machine would have been better.

 

[Lanny]

If you ever get to jonesing (not Bonesing) for great pie, I suggest Lauretta Jean’s on Division. Best pie in the PDX area IMHO........

I love good pie. It's the no. 1 most popular dessert in the United States.

Don't get over to East Portland too often but we have to sign some papers at our accountant's office soon which is located near the East side of the Ross Island bridge. We plan to visit the Edelweiss German deli and restaurant in the next couple days so I'm gonna go over to Jean's for a pie.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

I love good pie. It's the no. 1 most popular dessert in the United States.

Don't get over to East Portland too often but we have to sign some papers at our accountant's office soon which is located near the East side of the Ross Island bridge. We plan to visit the Edelweiss German deli and restaurant in the next couple days so I'm gonna go over to Jean's for a pie.

Lauretta Jean’s has a plethora of pie choices, along with a nice variety of other baked goods. I was never a pie crust guy but LJ’s uses butter in the crust instead of Crisco or lard. I could eat that crust all by itself. But then, but then I’d miss out on a slice of an incredible tart cherry pie. Apparently the lady who started LJ’s learned pie making at the knee of her Georgia grandmother (for whom the place is named) and she learned her lessons very well. I look forward to late summer when they put out an old fashioned peach pie. Indescribable.......as you have southern roots, I suspect you’d enjoy the experience.