What Do We Want? $15!

When do we want it? …….Now!

Photo via socialist alternative

Today listening to Dave Ramsey I made a note of a brilliant observation, which is, to paraphrase, that every person has an intrinsic, God given value as a human being. This should NOT be confused with their ECONOMIC value, which is the value of their work to an employer.

Over the past couple months our news here in the Seattle area has been replete with demonstrations, town halls, and picketing to have the minimum wage raised to $15 an hour in the City of Sea-Tac and the City of Seattle. The typical argument shows no concept of economics, and no concept of ‘starting wages’ for someone on their first job.

And now that the Seattle City Council has it’s first freely elected socialist council member they dialog has been elevated to an even higher level of B.S.

In Socialist Sawant’s words, It is “the nature of capitalism to crush small business . . . capitalism overwhelmingly sets up small business for failure,” (Seattle Times)

Neglecting of course that capitalism is what makes small business possible.

I am sickened to see the country’s shift. I don’t know if I am posting this message to whine, or vent, or just commiserate with others while we watch our freedom go down the tubes, but anyway, there it is.  I’m having one of those days where I feel pretty hopeless about our future. But let me add one thing.

Capitalism is a by-product of freedom. At it’s core it is human beings who have found a common value, in our case the dollar, with which to interact in trade with other human beings. The market gives consumers what they want and rewards producers who give consumers what they want. A business person cannot get rich without benefitting scores of people around him, from employees to car sales to gardeners and day care workers. That’s just how it is.

One more observation. My son-in-law was recently in an economics class at Washington State University. At the end of the semester the professor commented that the students this year were less prepared and had less of a grasp of economics that those of previous years.

My prediction is that he will see it get even worse. Socialist thinking is widespread, especially in Washington state, and has been conditioning youth to think counter to logic, and to believe rhetoric rather than take the time to observe what is real.

Meanwhile, the $15 per hour wage already approved in Sea-Tac might just be the tipping point for some businesses to either close, or rely more heavily on automation, but the chances are that the city of Seattle will rush into their own higher minimum wage before they can see the fruits of similar efforts in Sea-Tac.

You may be worth millions to dear old mom, but not to Ronald McDonald.

-Lynnae