Lets brainstorm about government oppression and what can be done about it

[eleos1954]

Government assistance is not working .... what can be done about it?

What are your ideas?

There is this ....

Living Wage Calculator

Living wage

An analysis of the living wage (as calculated in December 2022 and reflecting a compensation being offered to an individual in 2023), compiling geographically specific expenditure data for food, childcare, health care, housing, transportation, and other necessities, finds that: The living wage in the United States is $25.02 per hour, or $104,077.70 per year in 2022, before taxes for a family of four (two working adults, two children), compared to $24.16, or $100,498.60 in 2021.

What is the minimum wage federal government?

$7.25 per hour

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. This rate applies to covered nonexempt workers. The minimum wage for employees who receive tips is $2.13 per hour

Set by the government .... grossly lacking for what is needed.

Now there are some companies that can not afford the needed $25.02. So it seems to me large companies that can still be profitable and pay the $25.02 (profit of 10%) after all expenses (wages, taxes, operating etc.) should be required to pay the $25.02/hour needed in full.

Those business who can not ... should be subsidized by our tax dollars (for a limited time frame)

What comes into question ... is .... amount of profit ..... what is the amount that could subsidized using tax dollars?

A healthy profit margin for a small business tends to range anywhere between 7% to 10%. Ok .... lets take the higher percentage.

Allow new business to receive a tax payer subsidy for a limited time (maximum time frame of 7 years) ... existing business allow a subsidy to help them meet the $25.03 hour needed for the same time frame.

Reduce the subsidy by 1% per year with the subsidy ending totally at the end of the 7th year. Whatever profit margin they may or may not have at that time they can choose to remain open .... or cease doing business.

Those companies/businesses that make in excess of 10% or over (after all expenses, including taxes and wages of $25.03) should be required to pay the full $25.03/hr needed .... for those businesses who can't ... if a business is not able to meet the $25.03 needed then taxpayers subsidize the businesses beginning at 10% profit threshold (reducing the threshold by 1% each year until the end of the 7th year) ...at that time the business can decide if they want to stay in business or not. By beginning at the 10% subsidy rate would encourage people to go into business ... by reducing the threshold it would encourage them to continue to be profitable. Of course all businesses would be required to submit a business plan to be approved by a committee composed of both government financial overseers and a board from the banking industry before being granted a subsidy. Yeah, I know .... kind of spooky involving banks but .... lenders are the most knowledgeable about the business climate, supposedly. It would take the two to determine if the business plan is a viable one or not. Bankers/banks participating on the boards would not be allowed to lend to businesses that are receiving a subsidy.

Business should be encouraged/promoted because they provide jobs. People should work if they are physically and mentally able to. People need the freedom to make choices in regard to where and how they live (they can only do this if they are making a livable wage) .... government dependency does not adequately provide for this, in fact it become a trap for many people. The only way to provide people a decent wage is through working .... therefore encouraging business would be a better resolve. Government currently attempts to do this through taxes ..... that isn't working because of "loop holes" in the tax system .... and besides that the tax system is WAY too complicated ..... we need a flat tax system. If people are earning a livable wage they can afford to pay taxes. Currently the tax rate of excess of $101,000 is 24% ... so if that was applied that would leave a person with about $76,000 left after federal tax and using the highest state tax rate NY (12.47) about $12,600 that leaves 63,000 and then less social security and medicare (6.20 percent) $6,200 ... leaving the person to live off of at about $57,000 .... is that enough? I believe so .... I am able to do so.

Just some ideas .... what we do know what is in place is not working. To me it would be better to subsidize businesses that would allow for the needed wage for individuals and also helping/encouraging the businesses to be profitable .... this would provide individuals more freedom to make better choices for themselves.

This would end the need for government housing, which is a total disaster (and possibly end other government programs that are inadequate).

There has to be better resolves than what is currently in place ..... it's not working!!

What are your ideas?

 

[Eschatologist]

Minimum wage laws don't accomplish what they are aimed at doing, because of multiple reasons.

Before we go into that, I'd like to point out that the federal minimum wage is largely irrelevant because inflation has forced businesses to pay substantially more than that. Even $15/hour is lower than the minimum wage in many areas in practical terms.

Some states and cities have long had their own higher minimum wages due to having higher local costs of living than the national average as well.

The main reason minimum wage laws don't work is because illegal labor is often easy to acquire. For a lot of jobs, it's easy to find an "undocumented" immigrant to do the same work for cheaper than a citizen.

Another reason they don't work is because they usually just create inflation if the stated rate is above what the practical minimum already is. If the lowest paid workers suddenly go from being paid $10/hour to $20/hour, then a lot of products and services suddenly will see a substantial rise in price. So, the end result is that $20 won't go as far as it did before.

 

[hislegacy]

The living wage in the United States is $25.02 per hour, or $104,077.70 per year in 2022, before taxes for a family of four (two working adults, two children), compared to $24.16, or $100,498.60 in 2021.

FYI. Your math is off. A person working full time averages 2,000 hours a year. $25.02x2,000 would equal 50,004 a year, not 104,770

 

[Postvieww]

Government assistance is not working .... what can be done about it?

What are your ideas?

There is this ....

Living Wage Calculator

Living wage

An analysis of the living wage (as calculated in December 2022 and reflecting a compensation being offered to an individual in 2023), compiling geographically specific expenditure data for food, childcare, health care, housing, transportation, and other necessities, finds that: The living wage in the United States is $25.02 per hour, or $104,077.70 per year in 2022, before taxes for a family of four (two working adults, two children), compared to $24.16, or $100,498.60 in 2021.

What is the minimum wage federal government?

$7.25 per hour

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. This rate applies to covered nonexempt workers. The minimum wage for employees who receive tips is $2.13 per hour

Set by the government .... grossly lacking for what is needed.

Now there are some companies that can not afford the needed $25.02. So it seems to me large companies that can still be profitable and pay the $25.02 (profit of 10%) after all expenses (wages, taxes, operating etc.) should be required to pay the $25.02/hour needed in full.

Those business who can not ... should be subsidized by our tax dollars (for a limited time frame)

What comes into question ... is .... amount of profit ..... what is the amount that could subsidized using tax dollars?

A healthy profit margin for a small business tends to range anywhere between 7% to 10%. Ok .... lets take the higher percentage.

Allow new business to receive a tax payer subsidy for a limited time (maximum time frame of 7 years) ... existing business allow a subsidy to help them meet the $25.03 hour needed for the same time frame.

Reduce the subsidy by 1% per year with the subsidy ending totally at the end of the 7th year. Whatever profit margin they may or may not have at that time they can choose to remain open .... or cease doing business.

Those companies/businesses that make in excess of 10% or over (after all expenses, including taxes and wages of $25.03) should be required to pay the full $25.03/hr needed .... for those businesses who can't ... if a business is not able to meet the $25.03 needed then taxpayers subsidize the businesses beginning at 10% profit threshold (reducing the threshold by 1% each year until the end of the 7th year) ...at that time the business can decide if they want to stay in business or not. By beginning at the 10% subsidy rate would encourage people to go into business ... by reducing the threshold it would encourage them to continue to be profitable. Of course all businesses would be required to submit a business plan to be approved by a committee composed of both government financial overseers and a board from the banking industry before being granted a subsidy. Yeah, I know .... kind of spooky involving banks but .... lenders are the most knowledgeable about the business climate, supposedly. It would take the two to determine if the business plan is a viable one or not. Bankers/banks participating on the boards would not be allowed to lend to businesses that are receiving a subsidy.

Business should be encouraged/promoted because they provide jobs. People should work if they are physically and mentally able to. People need the freedom to make choices in regard to where and how they live (they can only do this if they are making a livable wage) .... government dependency does not adequately provide for this, in fact it become a trap for many people. The only way to provide people a decent wage is through working .... therefore encouraging business would be a better resolve. Government currently attempts to do this through taxes ..... that isn't working because of "loop holes" in the tax system .... and besides that the tax system is WAY too complicated ..... we need a flat tax system. If people are earning a livable wage they can afford to pay taxes. Currently the tax rate of excess of $101,000 is 24% ... so if that was applied that would leave a person with about $76,000 left after federal tax and using the highest state tax rate NY (12.47) about $12,600 that leaves 63,000 and then less social security and medicare (6.20 percent) $6,200 ... leaving the person to live off of at about $57,000 .... is that enough? I believe so .... I am able to do so.

Just some ideas .... what we do know what is in place is not working. To me it would be better to subsidize businesses that would allow for the needed wage for individuals and also helping/encouraging the businesses to be profitable .... this would provide individuals more freedom to make better choices for themselves.

This would end the need for government housing, which is a total disaster (and possibly end other government programs that are inadequate).

There has to be better resolves than what is currently in place ..... it's not working!!

What are your ideas?

More Government involvement is no answer, that is a big part pf the problem. The simplest answer is to stop electing liberals of both parties. We are already spending the nation into financial oblivion. Throwing more printed money at any problem is only making things worse.

 

[Benjamin Müller]

One of the lessons that God has been trying teach man these past 6,000 years is that man's government will never work, and without his Holy Spirit man will only oppress man. The only thing that men can do, is to seek the kingdom of God and His government, and to repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit.


If you want a perfect government while we wait for Christ's return it has to be fashioned exactly after Old Testament Law. There is no other way.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Well the head of the Federal Reserve was on TV this past Sunday and she said that
come June 1, the US Government would run out of money and thereby go in default.

President Biden said he will not negotiate with the republicans if they're going to include
tax cuts in the budget. So, Biden would rather see us go into default than compromise.

Consider what will happen if this comes to past. One, all social security payments
will stop, retirees and those on disability. Federal employees will not get paid.
This includes members of the military. Second, no one on welfare or other
government assistant programs will receive money or DEBIT cards as they will
all be unfunctional. If I were President Xi Jinping, I'd be drooling and looking
to invade Taiwan. Heck, the Russians already are taking Unkraine and the billions
Biden sent there was all in vain.

There is more, but if you don't believe we're not in a crisis, think again!

Currently, it seems as though no one is paying attention to what's about to happen come
June 1, if Congress and the President don't fix it.

FYI, if you want to know how we got here, watch the movie,
"Charlie Wilson's War." Yes, lots of Hollywood drama in it, but historically
going back to 1980, it was accurate and as an immoral member of congress
got hundreds of millions to help the Mujahideen to defeat the Soviets.
The same members of the Mujahideen, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other
Sunni run Islamic nations, helped to create Al Qaeda, who in turn attacked
us on 9/11.

Lots went on back then, but as we gave away the US treasury to foreign countries
and had our noses in the business of other nations and other pet projects each
member of Congress lobbied for, the US budget went out of control.

It seems that Israel is the only country which understands what is going on in the world.

 

[High Fidelity]

FYI. Your math is off. A person working full time averages 2,000 hours a year. $25.02x2,000 would equal 50,004 a year, not 104,770

He mentions it requires two working adults, presumably that's where he gets that figure.

 

[eleos1954]

FYI. Your math is off. A person working full time averages 2,000 hours a year. $25.02x2,000 would equal 50,004 a year, not 104,770

ok .... never was good at math (thanks for pointing that out) .... k .... lets change it to a fixed salary of $100,000/year for full time (40 hours/week) and $25.00/hour for part-time. Part time would be excluded from subsidies ... this would encourage business to offer full time jobs.

It just seems to me that people who are physically/mentally capable to work ... should work and be subsidized rather than taxpayers paying the full amount (of which is not enough).

I certainly don't have all the answers .... but what is currently being done is not working ... it's keeping many people in bondage to the government system with little hope of getting out of it.

 

[eleos1954]

More Government involvement is no answer, that is a big part pf the problem. The simplest answer is to stop electing liberals of both parties. We are already spending the nation into financial oblivion. Throwing more printed money at any problem is only making things worse.

Sure, but government alone can not adequately provide a living wage ..... and agree government spending is out of control ..... but even so .... we need to find a way for as many as possible to get off "welfare" but a way for them to earn a livable wage and that can only be done by the public business sector(s).

We know the problems .... we need to seek solutions that will work ... what is in place now is not working.

 

[hislegacy]

ok .... never was good at math (thanks for pointing that out) .... k .... lets change it to a fixed salary of $100,000/year for full time (40 hours/week) and $25.00/hour for part-time. Part time would be excluded from subsidies ... this would encourage business to offer full time jobs.

It just seems to me that people who are physically/mentally capable to work ... should work and be subsidized rather than taxpayers paying the full amount (of which is not enough).

I certainly don't have all the answers .... but what is currently being done is not working ... it's keeping many people in bondage to the government system with little hope of getting out of it.

Let me give you a quick example why that will not work in real life.

It would bankrupt virtually every fast-food restaurant. Take McDonald's for example.

Some McDonald's franchise owners are naturally going to make more than others, but most franchise owners still pull in an estimated yearly profit of roughly $150,000 (via Fox Business). A profit of $150,000 after $2.7 million in sales isn't even 6 percent, but after food cost, supplies, crew payroll, and about a dozen other costs handed down by corporate, that's what franchisees are left with (via Bloomberg).​

​

Read More: How Much McDonald's Franchise Owners Really Make Per Year - Mashed​

The average salary for a McDonald's manager is 50K - Typical stores have a Manager and two assistants. Just that change would take 100% of the stores profits, not even considering raising minimum wage from 7.50 to 25.00.

So no - it would not encourage businesses to offer full time - it would do the exact opposite. Why spend 100,000 on a single person when you can hire two part timers for 50,000?

 

[Postvieww]

Sure, but government alone can not adequately provide a living wage ..... and agree government spending is out of control ..... but even so .... we need to find a way for as many as possible to get off "welfare" but a way for them to earn a livable wage and that can only be done by the public business sector(s).

We know the problems .... we need to seek solutions that will work ... what is in place now is not working.

You are right but until the same old problem politicians are thrown out nothing will change.

 

[eleos1954]

You are right but until the same old problem politicians are thrown out nothing will change.

Power needs to be given back to the state .... each state has their own challenges .... there is no fix all for the entire nation.

Sadly I don't see ANY (either party) doing this .... actively working to give power back to the states.

 

[9Rock9]

What if we implemented a land value tax? You'd pay a fee based on the unimproved value of land and it would go back to the community.

The idea is that such a system would help people learn to live off the land instead of being dependent on government dependence.

 

[Postvieww]

What if we implemented a land value tax? You'd pay a fee based on the unimproved value of land and it would go back to the community.

The idea is that such a system would help people learn to live off the land instead of being dependent on government dependence.

I don't know where you live but I have been paying a "property tax" most of my adult life. Any additional taxes are not going to help anything. Governments, local, state and federal will find ways to waste our money no matter what.