OK, let me just say this right away, any increase in the minimum wage is a good thing.
Granted, obviously, that the cost to run the business has now increased which cuts into profits and could force smaller businesses to cut back on hiring and/or go out of business.
I hear this argument every time the minimum wage increases. I can not believe nobody sees right thru this argument.
1. If the business is going out of business over spending 80 cents or less more per hour per minimum wage employee then this business will fail with or without the increase. Come on...that would mean that nobody could ever get a raise. So, the skilled worker making more than minimum could not get a typical annual raise? Money is money. costs are cost.
2. Any company that relies on minimum wage employees over skilled employees will fail anyway. Minimum wage is not a living wage. The minimum wage employee will naturally never develop any sense of ownership on the job, but instead be looking for higher paying opportunities.
There could be more to say, but really...gonna stop here.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
What did you say fmr. Gov. Rommney?
I recently heard Mitt Romney state that Senator Obama purposes $100's of billions in new government spending. I quickly thought, gee... I hope so...our republician president purposed at least a half of a trillion dollars in new spending over the last 8 years... and you know most of that money went to non-citizens who now want U.S. out of the country immediately , if not sooner.
So... if we divert this war money to social spending on US citizens I say that would be a good thing. There have been budgets that included $100's of billions of unexpected costs absorbed, so we could invest that in United States infrastructure. There could be educational grants that encourage education completion to under-graduate degree. There are so many goods and services that could do everyone and everything some good, if the money was there to do it. Of course new jobs would develope during this influx of investment. Just improving the roads, bridges and tunnels across this country would stimulate 1,000's of jobs. Making public colleges free with subisidies would generate thousands of new instructors positions. Right now the war money is creating jobs but only fraction of what 100% application of funds into the United States economy would create. Right now we are creating technologies that have little to no public use. How often am I going to need a light wieght body armor and bomb resistant vehicles in the United States of America? If we can make a missile direct itself to a pin point target with GPS naviagation don't you think we can make make a car that can drive itself?
We are already spending the money. We , as United States citizens, need to demand that our tax money is to be spent on US first.
Three years later....
Mitt, Mitt, Mitt, a fence? really? ah no, but no thanks. and then I remember Gov. Perry stating that he could secure the boarder, without a fence, he would need "boots on the ground" to do it. Then in what I found completely ironic is he said he need 1000 and upto 3000 "boots" Now i am assuming that it is 2 boots to 1 guy with a gun and really nice gear to protect me or the consitution from them. What I found ironic thou was ... would that not be growing government by upto 3000 employees? I understood that is how he grew employment in Texas.
So... if we divert this war money to social spending on US citizens I say that would be a good thing. There have been budgets that included $100's of billions of unexpected costs absorbed, so we could invest that in United States infrastructure. There could be educational grants that encourage education completion to under-graduate degree. There are so many goods and services that could do everyone and everything some good, if the money was there to do it. Of course new jobs would develope during this influx of investment. Just improving the roads, bridges and tunnels across this country would stimulate 1,000's of jobs. Making public colleges free with subisidies would generate thousands of new instructors positions. Right now the war money is creating jobs but only fraction of what 100% application of funds into the United States economy would create. Right now we are creating technologies that have little to no public use. How often am I going to need a light wieght body armor and bomb resistant vehicles in the United States of America? If we can make a missile direct itself to a pin point target with GPS naviagation don't you think we can make make a car that can drive itself?
We are already spending the money. We , as United States citizens, need to demand that our tax money is to be spent on US first.
Three years later....
Mitt, Mitt, Mitt, a fence? really? ah no, but no thanks. and then I remember Gov. Perry stating that he could secure the boarder, without a fence, he would need "boots on the ground" to do it. Then in what I found completely ironic is he said he need 1000 and upto 3000 "boots" Now i am assuming that it is 2 boots to 1 guy with a gun and really nice gear to protect me or the consitution from them. What I found ironic thou was ... would that not be growing government by upto 3000 employees? I understood that is how he grew employment in Texas.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Falling Prices of Oil
Well, what do you know the price of gas has come down some. I mean can you believe it. It has lost 20% since the high (but still at 100% above 8 years ago). Going down in the face of Hurricanes, Mid East Terror, Presidential Election, and my personal favorite, 3rd world countries competing for the oil. It will take at least 120 days for the market to correct completely from this artificial run-up. Oops, did I say artificial run-up? I am sorry what I should have said was fraudulent manipulatation of oil prices and conditioning to higher fuel prices.
Did anyone have to wait in long lines to get gas? With the rise in gas prices to the levels that where reached you would have thought there would
Update 11/25/08
National gas price average plummets to $1.88
news article katu.com November 25, 2008
$47.32 price of a barrel of crude 12/04/08.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Oil Company Profits
At least $1500 x 60 seconds x 60 minutes x 24 hours x 90 days
or for those who don't do story problems.
((((1500)60)60)24)90)
That was one, the big one, company's profit take!
Congratulations! A company that can have back-to-back world records for profits by a corporation. I mean, they broke their own record... what an achievement.
So to expand out a bit ... $1350X60X60X24X180
It's been a OK year, so far.
Put together with the federal tax breaks and the reversal of the Alaskan incident damage award. Wow, a very good year.
Update 03/25/09
"Under pressure to narrow projected deficits, President Barack Obama's 2010 budget proposal calls for raising more than $31 billion over the next decade by eliminating the oil and gas industry's eligibility for various tax breaks."
ah WSJ "Obama Administration Revives Tax Battle With Oil Industry"
well, it was going to happen. And of course the oil industry is crying people will lose jobs... whatever. One thing I do know. Once you get accustomed to a certain income level you work to stay at it ...but see the oil companies just where able to take advantage the last year of the Bush term. and huge.
"A report by the Congressional Research Service last year said the top five major integrated companies -- Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell PLC, BP PLC, Chevron and ConocoPhillips -- generated more than $100 billion in profits on nearly $1.5 trillion of revenue in 2007."
writing this it appears like George W. Bush either worked to enable certain industries to just rake in the cash. Back to Back to Back Record Oil Profits and the massive bailout for supposedly wealthy firms per his pal Paulson. OR he really was a cowboy and could not recognize major problems in a line-up.
Update:
Opps! Did it again. what are the odds of 3 times in a row? ...run up the largest profits ever by a corporation 3x in a row.. They just got better again ... I mean when the profits came out 6 months ago. Those where "wow", then 3 months ago it was like "Whoa" and then again it is like. Is there any money left in the world? cause you got a profane amount of it.
Good Job! You did what every American company is set up to do. Now put the money to good use, so we don't have to offer you corporate welfare anymore.
Oops, did I say corporate welfare? Oh, I am sorry I am just kinda jealous of your success. I look at it like the oil industries just won the lottery. They got money now. $54 Billion in profits in their sector for the last 90 days. I can imagine seeing all the smiling faces of oil companies holding this big check for $54,000,000,000. I can imagine a group of people, who receive public assistance, pooling their resources to buy lottery tickets. Not a good idea, but it happens and this time they win.
Now they would be off the public payrolls. The government is not going to ask for the assistance back. Just go on with life and wish them good luck.
Well, Mr. Oilman, time to use your own money. Voluntarily give back your government benefits. Don't worry we will be here to hand you another welfare check in the future, should you need it. Just like my fictional lottery winners, you know at least one of them will be back on public assistance.
or for those who don't do story problems.
((((1500)60)60)24)90)
That was one, the big one, company's profit take!
Congratulations! A company that can have back-to-back world records for profits by a corporation. I mean, they broke their own record... what an achievement.
So to expand out a bit ... $1350X60X60X24X180
It's been a OK year, so far.
Put together with the federal tax breaks and the reversal of the Alaskan incident damage award. Wow, a very good year.
Update 03/25/09
"Under pressure to narrow projected deficits, President Barack Obama's 2010 budget proposal calls for raising more than $31 billion over the next decade by eliminating the oil and gas industry's eligibility for various tax breaks."
ah WSJ "Obama Administration Revives Tax Battle With Oil Industry"
well, it was going to happen. And of course the oil industry is crying people will lose jobs... whatever. One thing I do know. Once you get accustomed to a certain income level you work to stay at it ...but see the oil companies just where able to take advantage the last year of the Bush term. and huge.
"A report by the Congressional Research Service last year said the top five major integrated companies -- Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell PLC, BP PLC, Chevron and ConocoPhillips -- generated more than $100 billion in profits on nearly $1.5 trillion of revenue in 2007."
writing this it appears like George W. Bush either worked to enable certain industries to just rake in the cash. Back to Back to Back Record Oil Profits and the massive bailout for supposedly wealthy firms per his pal Paulson. OR he really was a cowboy and could not recognize major problems in a line-up.
Update:
Opps! Did it again. what are the odds of 3 times in a row? ...run up the largest profits ever by a corporation 3x in a row.. They just got better again ... I mean when the profits came out 6 months ago. Those where "wow", then 3 months ago it was like "Whoa" and then again it is like. Is there any money left in the world? cause you got a profane amount of it.
Good Job! You did what every American company is set up to do. Now put the money to good use, so we don't have to offer you corporate welfare anymore.
Oops, did I say corporate welfare? Oh, I am sorry I am just kinda jealous of your success. I look at it like the oil industries just won the lottery. They got money now. $54 Billion in profits in their sector for the last 90 days. I can imagine seeing all the smiling faces of oil companies holding this big check for $54,000,000,000. I can imagine a group of people, who receive public assistance, pooling their resources to buy lottery tickets. Not a good idea, but it happens and this time they win.
Now they would be off the public payrolls. The government is not going to ask for the assistance back. Just go on with life and wish them good luck.
Well, Mr. Oilman, time to use your own money. Voluntarily give back your government benefits. Don't worry we will be here to hand you another welfare check in the future, should you need it. Just like my fictional lottery winners, you know at least one of them will be back on public assistance.
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