A nationwide $15 dollar minimum wage is harmful and dumb. We should advocate wage subsidies and UBI.

[JCanete]

30. I doubt it would hurt economic growth if companies didn't have other US alternatives, and I'd like

to see what other elements correlated to the problem of economic growth in Seattle after the wage improvement. The bottom line is, the more money you have in the hands of the people at the bottom, translates into more money locals have to spend locally. The big box stores, the big retailers, have far far more employees than the little guy. That's a huge infusion of cash at the bottom, coming out of the pockets of the big companies. That means the little companies, that yes, might have a hard time in theory, paying those wages but are far more dependent on local business, are likely to have an improved customer base, not a diminished one. The way we do things now, it doesn't take rocket science to understand that low wages paid by huge national and international big box stores, translates to more money leaving the community than staying. Otherwise their business model wouldn't make sense. This would absolutely mitigate that and make local businesses more sustainable, because the communities wouldn't be being entirely drained, and if box stores didn't think it worth it to drop down a shop in these places because there isn't enough profit to be made for the cost at the prices they now need to charge, well ultimately, that is GOOD for the local businesses.

On the other hand, if they still do drop those shops, well, now the workers will actually be able to afford to buy stuff, and they'll be able to save money, and maybe have more opportunity to start their own businesses and compete.

I do agree with you though. UBI is something we should be moving towards.