Interestingly, if you compare it to minimum wage in 1950, it should be $7.42, which is pretty close to where we're at. If you start with the original minimum wage from 1938 though, you only get $4.23. Different inflation calculators give you slightly different numbers.

Yep, and based on inflation, it really should be $8.97 just to keep up since then. Let's round that out to $10 and mandate that it is updated yearly (up or down) based on inflation. Sold.

That's a statement I can agree with. I wish we could bring back some of his programs rather than the mutilated versions we have today. Another CCC, WPA, or TVA would do wonders.

That works too, but we have to be willing to deal with the consequences of allowing those markets to collapse. Past experience has shown that they'll just end up getting bailed out by the taxpayers.

Well, as long as there are assholes, somebody is going to be getting screwed.

Nor should the worker be subsidized by the employer or customer.

A better long term solution is to update our social welfare programs. A big problem that I personally experienced in the past is that we have a very all or nothing approach to these programs. Someone making $1999/month can get in, but someone making $2001/month immediately looses thousands of dollars of help. God…

Yes, but once you account for inflation, is anyone really better off? In the short term, people who were at the old minimum wage are better off, and people who were close to the new minimum are worse off. Eventually everything stabilizes and we're right back where we were. People earning minimum wage will always…

And 70 cents each year for two years before that. It hasn't been 3 decades since an increase. It's been raised a total of 7 times in that time period.

To quote the video: Supercalifragilisticexpialibullshit!

In an ideal universe, yes, but this is not usually the case. I was in college when we made the jump from $5.15/hr and the inflation really sucked for those of us who were finally making $8-ish/hr. I didn't hear of one case in our town of everyone else getting automatic raises based on the wage increase.

Can we also force employers to increase everyone's wage by $3/hr? The people who are making $10.25/hr are going to be pissed to be making minimum wage again.

I wonder how long the battery lasts . . .

As someone who is Pro-Choice, I don't understand the PP hate. They provide a LOT of valuable services that have nothing to do with abortion. When we were poor students, my wife was able to get women's health services for dirt cheap or even free vs. $300+ elsewhere with no insurance.

This reminds me of a joke:

That sucks. I'd say the main issue is failing to use hazard lights, not rescuing ducklings. Of course, if you rear-end something, it is nearly always your own fault from speeding, following too closely, not paying attention, etc. She did create a dangerous situation, but I hardly see this as a reason to ruin her…

Damn. This is exactly why I'm self-employed. I downright encourage my employees to stay/go home if they're sick, and I'm not even in the restaurant business. On the one hand, I'm not an asshole, and I understand that if I take good care of my people, they'll return the favor. On the other, from a completely…

I don't disagree, but a lot of posters on Jez cry "Victim Blaming" the second you suggest that women can take steps to protect themselves. It needs to be part of the overall solution, but it definitely isn't the only solution. I think part of the problem is that people get stuck in the mindset of "It won't happen to…

Enough people aren't following the advice that it bears repeating. When I drive by our college campus, everyone I see has headphones in and their face buried in their phone. This is dangerous for many reasons like cars, muggers, rapists, etc. It is proven that if you have your head up, are aware of your…

If you are health conscious, check the nutrition label when comparing generics to brand name. I have found that our local private label brands tend to be significantly higher in sodium, MSG, HFCS, fats, and preservatives. They often taste the same or better, but for this reason, we still buy certain brand name…