"If we paid farm laborers a living wage..."

[SHRED]

"...then lettuce would be $12 per head."

Have you heard this argument?

I heard a similar claim last night on this show:
http://insideman.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/11/morgan-spurlock-struggles-to-meet-orange-tub-quota/

Morgan said that US citizens would do this job for maybe $30 per hour but then orange juice would be $20 a carton (or something like that).

The point is that every time I hear this claim I NEVER, and I mean NEVER hear about the profit margins the agi-corporations are pulling in.

Does it ever occur to anyone who repeats this oft repeated claim that maybe, just maybe, that profits paying multi-millionaire'd CEO's in agribusiness could be paired back instead of raising food prices?

Just asking.

[Riftaxe]

1. Instead we keep wages stagnant

and exploit people just to get the food to the table, it is the progressive thing to do.

Perhaps that is the goal of mandating by inches that all people only work part time with no benefits, that is so embraced by both parties. You do have to admit there is a bit of genius in that, the more people are required to rely upon you, the more malleable they become to your desires.

[Union Scribe]

2. They're trying to scare people, plain and simple.

They say the same shit about U.S. made goods versus imports, and while some items cost a bit more because the workers making them are paid a living wage, they're certainly competitive. (I just bought U.S. Union-made tee shirts for $15 a pop.)

So it might be slightly more (no way their $20 a carton nonsense) but if more people are employed and paid properly, then we can more than afford to pay the slight increase and all of us will be better off. It's like you said, they're just protecting their lucre.

When we get immigration reform and these jackasses can't use humans like farm animals anymore we'll see the lie demolished.

[leftyohiolib]

3. i heard john fugelsang and nichol sandler saying that very thing regarding deportation of illegal

immigrants- they were saying how the cost of salads would skyrocket and therefore they shouldnt be deported,

but youre correct why would that neccessarily raise prices why not instead of 8mill profit make 7 and pay people better. plus there are other factors that keep prices where they are people will only pay so much for what they want

[SHRED]

5. I too have heard left leaning talkingheads say this

Is it really that difficult for them to slow down and think of the business model these abused workers slave under before spewing their nonsense?

And you are correct...the market will only bear what the consumer is willing to pay. $12 for a head of lettuce or $20 for a carton of OJ are not going to be paid.

[Shankapotomus]

4. So I guess that's an admission

Last edited Sun Feb 9, 2014, 12:16 AM - Edit history (1)

Capitalism and a higher standard of living are not synonymous?

I can't believe these idiots get to debate us.

[reformist2]

6. Let's call their bluff and find out! (No pun intended.)

[TBF]

7. Common tactic -

I see this in every single industry. "Well if we need to actually pay our delivery drivers & give them insurance than our pizzas will cost $500/each". And they say this as they build their latest mansion.

BS and for some reason people fall for it ...