Been having some damn fine discussions on economics via email with another one of these damned liberal conservatives. I hate those guys, just make up your mind and come on over to the darkside. I thought I made some fine and cogent comments on the differences I perceive between lefty and righty economic policies…have a read and see what you think. It does provide some insight into my often convoluted thought processes:
“From time to time I slip back into my flower-child upbringing. I think it’s obscene that CEOs get millions of bucks while the folks at the bottom make six or seven bucks an hour but forcing the company to pay those bottom folks 11 or 12 bucks and hour isn’t going to accomplish anything…the CEOs damn sure won’t take a pay cut…they’ll just cut the workforce or go out of business entirely. Greed is paramount, in almost all things. So you end up with a bad situation and two choices: legislate higher wages, less working hours, etc (the Democrat way) and have businesses essentially stop working hard or fold entirely thereby bringing down the entire economy or allow businesses to do things their way, with just enough regulation to stop the very worst abuses and thereby give them incentive to produce and drive the economy along benefiting everyone…even those who don’t make much dough.
I reckon about the minimum someone could make without company provided health insurance is $7.50/hr and still have a reasonable life. That’s what I started out at, I lived close to the vest but did alright. It ain’t a comfortable life but I didn’t have to go without much. I agree minimum wage is probably too low but if you raise it you jeopardize a lot of smallish businesses and thereby jeopardize a lot of jobs. My Dad probably employed 10 or more people at his store…probably half or so at minimum wage…others higher. I reckon if he had to pay them all double what he paid them he might have only been able to keep on 1/2 or 2/3ds of them. Which is better? Besides, I think the theory of minimum wage should work something like, you get a job fresh out of high school or while you’re still attending school. With few or no expenses what do you need $10 an hour for? By the time you start to move out on your own and need some more dough you’ve built up the experience to earn more money or move to another job that pays better.
Who knows? Maybe things ain’t fair but they’re more sustainable than anywhere else in the world. Besides, all men aren’t “born” equal. Just “created” equal. See the difference?”
I like that last sentence…suddenly we go from economic theory to debating the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. Just what exactly did the Founders intend when they phrased things the way they did? Say what you will but that’s really the basis of American politics…trying to figure out what a bunch of rich white guys really meant when they wrote those magnificent documents over two centuries ago.
OK, if you managed to get this far, another note — I’m looking for suggestions of historical events for my sort of “Where’s Waldo” project I’ve been tinkering with. I figure photographed events are ideal but I might be able to work with painted representations as well…check it out: