10/06 Brits will have a $9.30 minimum wage compared to the $5.15 in the US

[papau]

I came across some interesting numbers that for some reason are not making it into the media and indeed are not making it into the political discussion of the minimum wage. From the World Fact Book internet site https://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html we learn:

GDP - per capita (PPP): $30,300 (2005 est.) United Kingdom versus $41,800 United States
Minimum wage: effective 10/06 $9.30 in the UK versus 5.15 in the USA.

So the Brit's minimum wage will be almost double the minimum wage in the US, while it is supported by the Brit's smaller economy's lower per person GDP.

Perhaps the Brits are not as greedy as the rich GOPers in the US?

The minimum wage as a poverty issue - unless we plan on letting folks starve and not be educated or dressed or given health care, we save no money by having a very low minimum wage.

Since Reagan the number of folks that live in poverty in America has doubled to 37 million people, and "amazingly" the number of full-time workers living in poverty has followed and indeed has more than doubled.

What is the economic point of view that our media is protecting by not stating that the very low minimum wage is causing a massive increase in poverty?

Indeed what part of the voters that are small business owners is the media afraid of - Gallup says that 86% of small business owners don't think that the minimum wage affects their businesses at all. Or is the media reflecting the wisdom of the very rich - the folks they, like the GOP, always cater to.

Do we really want the Wal-Mart business plan as the template for the US where everyone plans on high employee turnover because they are paying low wages? I though loyalty to the company, and company loyalty to their workers was the US ideal. And do we like living with culturally disruptive consequences of the ever increasing gap between the top 10% and the minimum wage workers - or the same disruption that is now occurring as the gap between the top 1/10th of 1 percent and the top 1%, and the gap between the top 10% and the top 1% keeps getting larger,

Economically the GOP position is a joke. Wages paid in the US total $5.7 trillion dollars a year and a minimum wage increase to $7.25 per hour would increase this by less than one-fifth of one percent. That is some big inflationary stimulus, all right. And our media is afraid to report this fact.

What a great Bush economy. We have productivity up by 18% in the Bush years as median household income has declined by 4%. Corporate profits grow 70% faster than the rate of inflation as worker's wages were decreasing for 4 years and only now have moved back to being a little bit ahead of where they started under Bush.

[napi21]

1. I'm for increasing the min wage too, but isn't it more expensive to live

in London? My vet went on vacation there three years ago, and said she'd never go back. It cost $7.00 for lunch for ONE at McDonalds!

[papau]

2. the minimum wage applies country wide - high price areas mean brown bag

lunches, shared truck ride to work site, and getting back hone after a long ride that gets you away from the high cost.

And it is that way in every country - although a given city will have different transportation choices for the poor, and living 8 to a room may be needed in one city area versus only 6 to a room in another. The raise in the minimum wage in the United Kingdom raise a massive number. a very large portion, of the poor out of poverty.


In any case you are correct - for the average person London is 10.6% more costly than New York - http://www.mercerhr.com/pressrelease/details.jhtml/dynamic/idContent/1142150 "London is the second most expensive city in Europe and ranks in 5th position (score 110.6). "While prices have actually increased slightly over the last year, the strengthening of the dollar against the pound means London has dropped two places since last year," said Ms. Krotova.

New York remains the most expensive city in North America (100) and climbs three places to 10th position.

[napi21]

3. I understand. I wasn't complaining about a MW raise.

I've never been to the UK, so all I ever hear is from the few people I know who have been there. Everyone says it's very expensive.

[papau]

4. the cost in areas outside of London is not bad - indeed Scotland and

Ireland in most areas are inexpensive.

But London is a bit high cost.

[Bamboo]

5. One for you,nineteen for me.

In Britain the National Health Service takes 11% out of a paycheck,there is a value added tax of 17.5% and other taxes like a $250 per year television license and a $15 per day charge to congest London with a vehicle.

In Florida we had a minimum wage increase of $1 to $6.15 by ballot amendment.The day after it was passed by voters I told a restaurant server who would benefit and learned they did not even vote.If people do not vote for the government they want then who can blame the politicians.

I wonder about Americans who travel so far to eat McDonald's.I also wonder about British who travel the world to drink in English pubs.Higher wages do not necessarily mean improved standard of living in these cases.

[napi21]

6. Is that 17.5% in place of our income tax or are there other taxes too?

The 11% for health services sounds like an OK deal to me, because most of us pay a lot more than that for health care already and still have to deal with deductibles and co-pays, but I'm curious about what else is deducted in addition to the 17.5%?

[Bamboo]

7. In Britain tax freedom takes 365 days.

The value added tax is added to items in stores unless exempt.I learned sunscreen is taxable which is odd since it prevents skin cancer which burdens the NHS.Other EU nations like Hungary pay a whopping 25% VAT.Technically the 11% NHS tax is paid by the employer which could be viewed as compensation.Then there is an income tax up to 40%,the Beatles wrote that song when it was much higher.It is difficult to determine if one is getting value for taxes but Britain has settled that question which is why they drink so much.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/nic.htm

[napi21]

8. Is the income tax graduated link ours? And if the NHS tax is paid

by the employer, hat does that mean for the unemployed? They do have National Health Care right?

[papau]

11. Tax freedom day is an average and therefore meaningless number to

average folk - those folk below the 50% median - indeed those below 90%.

The rich should be taxed enough so that the tax freedom day "average" is a "365" day result.

We must educate folks on the difference between median numbers that affrct their lives -

and "average" numbers that are bull shit put out by the rich to con the non-rich.

[Kokonoe]

9. It is the trickle down from other country theory.

[Warpy]

10. They have that :PLUS National Health PLUS

at least three weeks a year MANDATORY MINIMUM VACATION.

People in this county are getting fucked over. There is no polite way to put it.

[papau]

12. Amen brother -Media Selling "average number bullshit" rather than median

number truth that affects most lives - by definition.