patrick.net

Minimum wagę has alway created unemployment. Business owners don't hire people and make due with less. There are people that would gladly work for $5/hr and not live on the streets. Let the market set the rates. You could end homelessness somewhat quickly. If I were a business owner I'm not hiring a deadbeat for $15/hr. I'd take the risk at $5/hr and that could maybe get them in a low rent studio apartment somewhere.

This is basic economics. Learn a skill and you'll get paid more as time goes by. My good buddy is a chef. Yes he was able to afford to do the schooling, but he was paid shit out the gate. He's shown his worth and makes solid money now. He won't be rich, but he likes what he's doing and can have fun when not working. He'd probably be living with his mom if he didn't establish his chef career. Now he's independent. Not homeless.

The barrier of entry into the basic work force is minimum wage. Also age. My oldest would work for $5/hr anywhere. He's taller at 13 than most men. Can figure anything out for the most part in basic first time jobs. Outside of acting, kids really have little opportunity to work. Whether they're skills that are good or not, it's working. Always work smarter not harder, but you have to get through the beginning years. Earlier the better is my take.

WookieMan says

The barrier of entry into the basic work force is minimum wage. Also age. My oldest would work for $5/hr anywhere. He's taller at 13 than most men. Can figure anything out for the most part in basic first time jobs. Outside of acting, kids really have little opportunity to work. Whether they're skills that are good or not, it's working. Always work smarter not harder, but you have to get through the beginning years. Earlier the better is my take.

I agree that entry level jobs are essential. I did them, but it gives you an understanding of what is required to make things work.

AD says

Likely the poor will qualify for more local and state subsidies.

Given Katrina, East Palestine, and Maui, depending on government to save you is a pretty fucked fantasy...

richwicks says

I agree that entry level jobs are essential. I did them, but it gives you an understanding of what is required to make things work.

Kids for sure should work, just not slave labor like the early 1900's in factories. They need to move the legal age for regular work to 12. Cap the hours for sure. My dad slaved me out for his own projects. That didn't help remotely. I'd work 60 hour/wk in the summers... FML. Finally called him out at 20 after a gall bladder surgery and said I was going to kick his ass. I was on a rage. He backed off. Still always had a fucking opinion though.

I do think at 12 kids should be able to get W-2 jobs. Max it out at 20 hours a week max. They'll learn more about life than sitting in a shitty classroom. Might learn a skill or be a decent human realizing how many shit heads are out there. Win win.

WookieMan says

I do think at 12 kids should be able to get W-2 jobs. Max it out at 20 hours a week max. They'll learn more about life than sitting in a shitty classroom. Might learn a skill or be a decent human realizing how many shit heads are out there. Win win.

I think kids should certainly have the ability to get employment at that age. I mean, honestly, lots of kids DO work at that age but they are working at Mom and Pop stores that their parents own.

I do think at 12 kids should be able to get W-2 jobs. Max it out at 20 hours a week max. They'll learn more about life than sitting in a shitty classroom. Might learn a skill or be a decent human realizing how many shit heads are out there. Win win.

Never gonna happen. IMO, we need trade schools big time. I ran into a guy at a business social. He owns a couple of icode franchises. It’s kind of like a Mathnasium franchise. I thought that was kind of cool.

GNL says

Never gonna happen. IMO, we need trade schools big time.

I have no issue with trade schools. The age thing is what bothers me. They can act in movies and commercials, but not flip some burgers? Two of the people I know and are about to be neighbors with both worked at the burger joint in town at young ages. They're both successful now. My wife worked babysitting at 12 and worked the corner market around the same age. Again, successful.

Wasn't paid, but I was mowing 8 acres at 7 years old. I laid a 200 yard brick driveway by 10. Helped my dad build 4 houses by 12.

I guess I'm saying complete age restrictions on work is bull shit. We're a service industry economy. Kids won't be working in fucking steel mills. My 13 year old looks like a man and is shaving. If he has the drive and wants to flip burgers he should be allowed to. Just went to the place with burger flipping I'm talking about above and he'd look like the manager.

When you squash ones drive they become less motivated. This is undeniable. I lost my drive because my dad used me as slave labor waaaaay too young. I think most states need to move it down to 12 at least and let parents make the decision and the employer can approve or not.

There's also the compounding savings factor. Sure, a 12 year old is going to work a shit job. They make $3-5k/yr. Toss that in a compound interest calculator for those 6-10 years where mom and dad generally pay for stuff. Roughly $50k by sophomore year in college. That's $650k by social security age at 5% interest. That doesn't include your adult earnings at all past 20+.

Fact is my kids are going to need $10M by the time they're done working in 50 years. Why not let a motivated 13 year old work if they want? Just limit hours. 12-14 is the age now where drugs enter the picture. If they're working they're not doing that. We've become too soft.

Sorry for the novel. This subject gets me going.

Nowadays you might get social services called on you if your kid is working a lemonade stand FFS. This country is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over regulated. We will be conquered through inflation, taxation and regulation. And illegal importation.