Early Mornings

I remember winter mornings as a kid getting ready to go to Holy Family School.  My Dad would always be up before us, already ironing uniforms for myself and siblings.  My youngest sister would perch herself in front of the vent to stay warm.  (Disclaimer: My house never felt warm in the winter, but it was always welcoming)

Now that I am 29, I look back at those days and I wish I could have held on forever.  It's not that I don't appreciate Adulthood, but life just felt so much simpler.  All the 'problems' I had were intriguing and were defining who I was to become later in life.

I view my economic and intellectual life much differently.  I don't wish to revert back to my 'childhood' with regards to intellectual thinkers and economic viewpoints I had as a younger person.  My view on Healthcare was that it was a travesty that the Government did not provide everyone Healthcare.  Unbeknownst to me it was NOT the gov't's role to provide Healthcare to everyone.  I thought there was a difference between Democrats and Republicans.  I thought taxes should be raised to fund everything, not researching how detrimental taxes are to a society.

Two different childhoods, two different reflections.

Minimum Wage Laws and Sob stories

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is out with an article that is intended to stir up the national debate to raise the minimum wage law.  The minimum wage law impedes ones liberty to come to a voluntary agreement between another party at an agreed upon wage.  Minimum wage laws INCREASE unemployment amongst those that need jobs the most.  The wage you are worth to an employer is related to the marginal revenue product that you produce.  Most people that promote a raise in the minimum wage understand economics (especially supply and demand laws), that they know what the minimum wage should be.  I say why not make the minimum wage $20/hour?  The response I have received is that that is too much.  I then reply asking how they know that?  They usually say that the price of goods and services will raise too much.  I say you are correct, and any increase in the minimum wage will mean a raise in the price of goods and services.

From the article:

Charlotte, N.C.-based Family Dollar, which pays her the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, recorded a profit of $80.2 million in its most recent quarter, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  

Yes, lets punish a company that operates on profit-loss signals, and produces a profit.  How about Family Dollar just pay every employee $50 an hour?  How much profit would it still have?  How many stores would have to be shut closed?

Also from the head of the Wage and Hour Division of the Labor department (can't get more gov't title than that):

At minimum wage "you can work full time and make $14,500 a year," Ms. Maxwell said in an interview. "What a lot of people have to do is work two of those jobs. What the president is saying is let's reward hard work."

What about the hard work of the person that starts a business from scratch?  Why punish him or her?  I don't get it.  No one is forcing these people to work at these jobs.  They choose to apply for these jobs and accept these jobs with these wages offered to them.  If the minimum wage increases, the cost of products and services will go up, and unemployment will increase.  And in doing so, no one becomes wealthier.

Teachers Unions: It's about the kids...unless its about benefits

In a somewhat awkward and cold time to decide to strike (Cleveland in March is something inbetween freezing rain and white Squall), the Strongsville Teachers Union decided to go on strike to improve students academic performance, increase test scores, and get better pay.  Well, not all of those reasons are why they went on strike.  It's always amazing to me that Teachers in the Union claim 'This is for the kids'.  I mean, why lie so blatantly?

Silently protesting a board meeting was at least somewhat respectful, if not odd though, back in January.  But then in February they cleared thier throats to utter the ultimate union phrase 'Fair Contract', and "Shame on you, John", in reference to the Superintendent.

There is no major surprises, as the city doesn't have the courage to stand up for the taxpayer, and the unions will not be happy until every demand is met.  Here is a recap of the events in Strongsville.