Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Let's pay 16 year olds $31.2k to sweep floors!!!! [View all]HuckleB
(35,773 posts)53. If a 16-year-old is working 40 hours a week, he/she may be supporting the family.
I grew up with a friend who worked 40 plus hours a week, working graveyard shift. He did twice the work of most adults, and most of his money went to keeping his family in their house with food in the fridge.
At 16, I framed houses, dug ditches, hauled block, and did finishing work, and I did more work than the vast majority of adults on the job.
This OP is a ridiculous red herring.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
320 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Because of GOP obstruction and our unwillingness to fix our trade situation, the person sweeping
Jackie Wilson Said
Apr 2016
#1
Even in rural areas, $15 isn't living high on the hog. Food is usually higher, no mass transit syste
Hestia
Apr 2016
#306
So when that janitor is a single mom working nights as a second job to feed her kids what then? nt
revbones
Apr 2016
#3
Well, I should have known that KKKarl Rove has a General Corruption Store.
madinmaryland
Apr 2016
#195
You sound like a republican! I was making as a secretary in 1988 $15 an hour damnit
bkkyosemite
Apr 2016
#5
Yes, that's normally a very successful argument when asking your boss for a raise (nt)
Nye Bevan
Apr 2016
#96
Yep. Even fascist ant-Semite Henry Ford knew paying his workers enough to afford his cars was...
Hassin Bin Sober
Apr 2016
#44
Actually that was just spin. He raised wages to stop 370% turnover at a terrible job
whatthehey
Apr 2016
#89
The whole and entire point is that there are vastly different costs of living across the US
pipoman
Apr 2016
#269
Or maybe they can start saving for college, given how horribly costs have risen.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
Apr 2016
#32
No, I was just pointing out that there's no reason to discriminate among workers based on age.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
Apr 2016
#281
In 2012 when fast food workers determined a living wage, they settled on $15 as a national need.
Kip Humphrey
Apr 2016
#14
$15 living high on the hog? You must have some real issues with poor people. Might I suggest you
Kip Humphrey
Apr 2016
#34
Willfull ignorance is a poor defense. Were you a student of Bernie's plan to surmount the current
Kip Humphrey
Apr 2016
#64
Maybe, just maybe the depressed areas of the nation wouldn't be depressed if people made
shraby
Apr 2016
#86
Another red herring. What is, The $15 will be phased in. I'll take GOP talking points for $500!
FSogol
Apr 2016
#218
I couldn't agree more. There is a HUGE difference between a small business owner & a LG corp.
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#307
What is wrong with you? This is your second OP on this topic. Need more drama?
octoberlib
Apr 2016
#30
Can I try to address this question seriously, in contrast to the snarky "you're a Republican"
Nye Bevan
Apr 2016
#36
You think the guy who owns a fast-food restaurant cares about the economy's overall productivity?
Nye Bevan
Apr 2016
#224
Nobody is going to replace workers with automation unless they are saving money
Major Nikon
Apr 2016
#236
And you are goign against the spirit and letter of the 1938 law that established minimum wage
nadinbrzezinski
Apr 2016
#160
You make a good point that more seniority should not necessarily result in higher pay.
Nye Bevan
Apr 2016
#58
I certainly agree that a bright teen may well be more valuable than a time-served 45-year old,
Nye Bevan
Apr 2016
#66
If a 16-year-old is working 40 hours a week, he/she may be supporting the family.
HuckleB
Apr 2016
#53
If you want that 16 year old to work over 2000 hours a year, then pay him or her a full time wage.
stone space
Apr 2016
#68
U have been here 5 days & add new anti labor posts every time I check this site
Person 2713
Apr 2016
#100
So, the businessman who can't stay in business without paying a living wage
gratuitous
Apr 2016
#121
NO! If floors need sweeping, hire the out-of-work parents of the country
sanatanadharma
Apr 2016
#101
I don't like Sanders at all, but I think a$15.00 an hour minimum wage tied to inflaton
Agnosticsherbet
Apr 2016
#104
It is very rare. In my state, a 16 year old would have to be legally emancipated to do that....
steve2470
Apr 2016
#122
Rent, house pymts, car pymts, car ins. health ins, is just as high for them too!
ViseGrip
Apr 2016
#110
If you have 2000 hours worth of floor sweeping, you need to pay a living wage to get it done.
Hassin Bin Sober
Apr 2016
#127
Yeah, by then inflation will likely have chopped its purchasing power down so far
Warpy
Apr 2016
#158
if a kid has dropped out of HS to sweep, he probably really needs a living wage though
La Lioness Priyanka
Apr 2016
#147
Yes, because I have been one of them! Dear God, help me, it hurt so bad!
raging moderate
Apr 2016
#254
How else can they afford college/trade school? and a house down payment? and babies in their 20s?
raging moderate
Apr 2016
#145
Because, if something bad happens to you, you expect these people to care about you.
raging moderate
Apr 2016
#288
You're going to get a broken back carrying that much water for the Heritage Foundation
Major Nikon
Apr 2016
#171
So let's see if I have this straight, because this is getting funny as hell
Major Nikon
Apr 2016
#216
I'm looking forward to tomorrow's repetitive thread but I have a doctor's appointment
Solly Mack
Apr 2016
#173
People are reading them. They don't agree with you and instead of accepting that, you rather
Solly Mack
Apr 2016
#182
If that 16 year old needs full time employment, it's for a damn good reason.
Glassunion
Apr 2016
#185
Nobody's nitpicking, your choice of a 16 year old made it sound like you were defending the
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
Apr 2016
#284
I'm not nitpicking shit. Go back to Post#185, and superimpose 18 on top of every instance of 16.
Glassunion
Apr 2016
#296
So, residents of certain areas of the country should be paid less than others for the same work?
hatrack
Apr 2016
#197
People who support President Obama's position on the minimum wage are now "trolls"? (nt)
Nye Bevan
Apr 2016
#225
This is what, the third or fourth thread you've started with a 'bait' premise? Paging MIRT. n/t
X_Digger
Apr 2016
#221
The problem I see with raising the MW to $15 just means that the price of things will increase
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#263
How do you determine that prices will go up but that it will only affect the middle class?
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#272
That's not true. It depends on the industry. Some industries have a much higher labor cost.
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#277
I looked at a bunch of sites. I think it was the department of labor. I am trying to find it.
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#299
The 40-60% is in the other article I listed. They got those # from dept. of labor.
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#311
I don't think they give a rats ass about driving the economy. That's just
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#273
Can you kindly cite historical evidence of price hikes as result of pay raises?
tenderfoot
Apr 2016
#300
As I posted upstream, the article I found cited the department of labor & statistics. Nt
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#301
I wasn't trying to prove the price hikes. I proved where I got my numbers.
AgadorSparticus
Apr 2016
#305
If a 16 year old has to work 40 hours a week, yeah, he or she should make that much
Recursion
Apr 2016
#265
Corporate internet trolls need to have their wages cut! Call Congress right fucking now! nt
Zorra
Apr 2016
#297
If a 16 yr old works 40 hrs a wk, 52 wks a year, yes, they should be paid that.
uppityperson
Apr 2016
#319