the new welfare queens

[zahc]

Something I haven't pondered...welfare as subsidy for labor-dependent industries. Of course, those same industries work against the tariffs of minimum wage and mandatory entitlement contributions, which drive UP the cost of labor. So the government squeezes the employers with minimum wage, obamacare, etc, then helps out by increasing food stamps. All actions increase the scope and power of the government, all actions seem to the uneducated populace as "government helping out". American politics at its finest.

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-13/how-mcdonald-s-and-wal-mart-became-welfare-queens.html

This issue has become more known as we learn just how far some companies have gone in putting their employees on public assistance. According to one study, American fast food workers receive more than $7 billion dollars in public assistance. As it turns out, McDonald's has a “McResource” line that helps employees and their families enroll in various state and local assistance programs. It exploded into the public when a recording of the McResource line advocated that full-time employees sign up for food stamps and welfare.

Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private sector employer, is also the biggest consumer of taxpayer supported aid. According to Florida Congressman Alan Grayson, in many states, Wal-Mart employees are the largest group of Medicaid recipients. They are also the single biggest group of food stamp recipients. Wal-mart’s "associates" arepaid so little, according to Grayson, that they receive $1,000 on average in public assistance. These amount to massive taxpayer subsidies for private companies.

Why are profitable, dividend-paying firms receiving taxpayer subsidies? The short answer is, because they can. The longer answer is more complex and nuanced.

Both McDonald's and Wal-Mart are engaging in perfectly legal behavior. The system was set up long ago in ways that failed to imagine companies doing this. Yes, they are taking advantage of the taxpayer, but they are also operating within the law.

Which means it is time to change those outdated rules.

The simplest solution is to raise the minimum wage.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Are we gonna lump uncle whiskers in there too?

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3462465/

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[AJ Dual]

1. I blame the .gov (and the American voting public) for having the welfare programs in the first place.

2. I blame the .gov (and the American voting public) for running the economy into the ground so that people are trying to support a family on what is supposed to be a minimum/low wage job for teenagers, students, and retirees.

3. I blame the fast food workers (and their parents, and their parents...) for having poor life skills and finding themselves in such a position that they're trying to support a family on what is supposed to be a minimum/low wage job for teenagers, students, and retirees.

4. Only AFTER 1. 2. and 3. do I blame the big corporations/banks for taking advantage of the .gov screwups and openings for rent-seeking and corporatist/crony capitalist gains in 2. above, and then being so crass as to point their workers to the programs in 1.

[RoadKingLarry]

3. I blame the fast food workers (and their parents, and their parents...) for having poor life skills and finding themselves in such a position that they're trying to support a family on what is supposed to be a minimum/low wage job for teenagers, students, and retirees.

I think this should come as #1.

[vaskidmark]

Are we gonna lump uncle whiskers in there too?

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3462465/

If the .mil wanted you to have a family they would have issued you one.  That, or paid you at a rate sufficient to afford one.

It helps to have some idea of how much money it is going to take to do something before you start doing it.  .Mil member and spouse is doable, but adding rugrats makes it progressively harder.

Going into the .mil, one gives up or delays a lot of things.  Marriage and a family might be some things to add to the list.

stay safe.

[French G.]

The linked article's short answer is correct, because they can. Their short answer is so far from correct it's not funny. Go ahead, raise the min wage and thus the cost of everything. Then we can put the current $10-15/hour class workers on assistance. The short answer should be to drastically curtail public assistance. I'm not against all of it, but why can't SNAP be more like WIC? No cash redemption to go buy lottery tickets, approved list of foods, etc.

Are we gonna lump uncle whiskers in there too?

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3462465/

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Oh jeez, not this crap again. I have had it with the poor military on food stamps meme. Done with it. Okay, $53 million commissary redemptions in the last 6 months. That's all dependents, all retired, disabled vets, etc. No idea how many people that is, but it's a number way bigger than the 3 million or so in uniform now. Further, in 1996 I bought a house and made bills while my wife worked part time in a gift shop and/or went to grad school with a small stipend. I was an E-4 and was not particularly rich. Thankfully the crazy lady was very good with budgeting. Last week I was cleaning up my detritus and came across one of my leave and earnings statements from 2002. There, 12 years ago I was an E-6 with 7 years in service and then single. I was making the same then as I am now in the civilian world having been back in the workforce for 3 years and having received 3 raises in the past 9 months. No wonder I could afford a race car back then.   I was making 70K when I left in '08. I cannot make 70K as a skilled aircraft mechanic unless I move to a union state with a high cost of living and eat union crap. Yeah, I'd rather work 3 jobs at walmart and mcdonalds.

The military gets paid just fine. Want more money make rate and stop getting Vajabba pregnant.

[Fitz]

If the .mil wanted you to have a family they would have issued you one.  That, or paid you at a rate sufficient to afford one.

It helps to have some idea of how much money it is going to take to do something before you start doing it.  .Mil member and spouse is doable, but adding rugrats makes it progressively harder.

Going into the .mil, one gives up or delays a lot of things.  Marriage and a family might be some things to add to the list.

stay safe.

This

There's not much dumber than trying to have a kid or two as a private.

Military members shouldn't even think about marriage until the rank of sergeant, imo

[French G.]

They don't let you get married at the service academies. Should be contractually the same for the first 3-4 years of service. Some Marine General said as much and got pretty much lynched for saying so.

[Boomhauer]

Remember the push to raise the minimum wage is all about the unions. Not to mention populist support, but the unions are key.

[French G.]

Remember the push to raise the minimum wage is all about the unions. Not to mention populist support, but the unions are key.

It's handy, if someone starts spouting off in support of it I can write them off as idiots. To include some co-workers making 20-25/hour. Sure, work a trade, years of experience but you want McDonald's crew kids to get $15? Yeah, I'm sure your paycheck will go a lot further then. Think the healthcare death spiral is bad? Wait for the labor force participation spiral when there are a lot less low skilled jobs available. Somebody's gonna have to pay for all the new public assistance.

[dogmush]

Oh jeez, not this crap again. I have had it with the poor military on food stamps meme. Done with it. Okay, $53 million commissary redemptions in the last 6 months. That's all dependents, all retired, disabled vets, etc. No idea how many people that is, but it's a number way bigger than the 3 million or so in uniform now. Further, in 1996 I bought a house and made bills while my wife worked part time in a gift shop and/or went to grad school with a small stipend. I was an E-4 and was not particularly rich. Thankfully the crazy lady was very good with budgeting. Last week I was cleaning up my detritus and came across one of my leave and earnings statements from 2002. There, 12 years ago I was an E-6 with 7 years in service and then single. I was making the same then as I am now in the civilian world having been back in the workforce for 3 years and having received 3 raises in the past 9 months. No wonder I could afford a race car back then.   I was making 70K when I left in '08. I cannot make 70K as a skilled aircraft mechanic unless I move to a union state with a high cost of living and eat union crap. Yeah, I'd rather work 3 jobs at walmart and mcdonalds.

The military gets paid just fine. Want more money make rate and stop getting Vajabba pregnant.

This.

I'm not broke in my civilian job but I make significantly more as an activated E-6.  The military get's paid fine. Stay away from the Dependapottomus and quit popping out munchkins.  Honestly, enlisted folks on public assistance have made bad life choices.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Remember the push to raise the minimum wage is all about the unions. Not to mention populist support, but the unions are key.

Bingo!!! If you follow the trail on all these campaigns the union stench gets stronger as you near the source.  And there are msny useful idiots who will cheerlead whst they see as giving away free money

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