$15 an hour under the table will leave more money in the pocket of the worker than a legitimate $15 wage. The legitimate paycheck has 25% of earnings going to the government as described above plus the employee’s portions of SSA and likely some income taxes. I wouldn’t be surprised if the legitimate paycheck for a person making minimum wage was as little as $25-$28K per year while the government got $15-$18K per year for their effort. In essence, minimum wage earners pay an effective tax on their earnings of 33%. Now throw in loss of benefits for someone with public assistance and a job may yield more cash benefit to the government than the worker.

“Silly argument—–why not pay them zero?”

Because nobody would work for ‘zero’, silly.

“Or pay everyone 2 bucks an hour?”

Because nobody would work for “2 bucks an hour”, silly.

“Or pay everyone a million dollars an hour and only pay them for one hour a year no matter how much they actually work?”

Because it would be irrational to do so, silly.

Eck made a good point and it flew completely over top your head. The market should determine the wage. Not the government. Everything the government touches turns to crap.

Silly argument—–why not pay them zero? This would help employers afford to create new jobs which would be good for the economy. Or pay everyone 2 bucks an hour?

Or pay everyone a million dollars an hour and only pay them for one hour a year no matter how much they actually work? This way everyone could be a millionaire and self insure which could eliminate Obamacare.

Get real rhetoric please. Hurry!

Many ethnic grocery stores pay their help under the table. That’s the reason I can go there and buy whole ocean salmon for $3/lb while the big chain stores sell farmed salmon for $8/lb. Oh, and at the ethnic stores they slice it for free. They either refuse that service at the chains or charge me an extra fee. The chains play by the rules. Many independents don’t. I have no idea why people still shop at the chains. I guess it makes them feel more patriotic. Probably the same reason they still buy GM cars. Whatever…they tell me it’s a free country.

Think about it: plantation economic systems chase rock bottom cheapest labor, with slavery being the ideal business setup. Plantation systems do not develop communities or human potential. No middle class.

Until we can somehow re-orient our society away from the quick buck towards long-term sustainibility and development, which is probably never, minimum wage laws will be a very blunt force tool to keep full time workers out of the benefit system. So yes, your sawdust mcgarbage pinkslime burger will cost you 35% more but the poor souls who serve it aren’t on assistance either.

Go to a local swapmeet.

The working poor fighting back supplementing government cheese and globalist service job droppings.

Until doomers stop consuming services and stop tipping the working poor they will not demand politicans come up with a sound manufacturing economy will decent jobs.

Payroll overhead is for suckers…..immigrant kids can’t eat overhead!

Yes we ARE France. I am in ever-increasing amazement at how NO ONE seems to ever be at work anymore. Even in the ‘private sector’…The entire month of August is off limits, french style, and Thansgiving through New years seems to be blacked out also. Fridays are half days, no one can answer a phone before 9 or after 3, on and on and on. Seems any young person with half a work ethic ought to clean up in this environment….