In response to "California Senate Candidates spar over Dem's proposal for a $50 minimum wage.
by Andrew Mark Miller Fox News, from the New York Post. 
nypost.com/2024/02/14/news/california-senate-candidates-spar-over-dems-proposal-for-50-minimum-wage-do-the-math
Feb 14,2024

The Minimum Wage: the Dodo Bird in the room. The Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour or $58 a day. Time was, back in the 1950s that my father earned that much in a week. And he had a good job.

   §   Seven twenty-five an hour is a trash wage. You'd earn far more than that picking up trash at the beach. It is not a living wage. Nor is intended to be. It is a "give-a-kid-a-break wage." It gives a kid a summer job, perhaps mowing lawns, or working in the local zoo for a few hours a day. It gives a kid some working experience, something to put on their first resume. It provides a reference for a better job next year, but mostly it gives a kid a chance to save come coins for the rest of the year and still have a few to spend with his friends on a Saturday night.

   §   Fifty dollars per hour is not too expensive in the world today. And, no I have never earned that much money in my life, but then, how much money does a LION living the the most commodious enclosure in the zoo really need? I get free veterinary care, and ten pounds of raw meat every day. Ah, but it has been brought to my attention that the animals on the other side of the fence really do need more than that. For the fat cats who must pay people to work for them and found $20.oo per hour too onerous, let me point out that comes to only $40,000 per year, and that my good friend is not a living wage for full-time employment. 

   §   A Fifty dollar an hour wage would come out to $2000 per week, $104,000 per year or just over $8600 per month, less then that after taxes and other deductions. With apartments renting from four to six thousand dollars per month, that seems to put you in the correct ballpark. Now, that is far too much money for a pancake flipper, or a car wash attendant, but for the janitor at your local middle school it seems about right. I used to be such a janitor, and now that I look back upon things, that was one of the best jobs I ever had. Thus I find myself to agree with Democrat Congresswoman Barbara Lee (California) that we must take a serious look. On the otter hand (Otters always have two hands), Former baseball star Steve Garvey, the only Republican on the stage, told the moderators that the minimum wage “is where it is and should be.” 

   §   The underlying issue is that there really can be no reasonable minimum wage. What is reasonable for a high school student with his first summer job is not reasonable for someone trying to support a new family. The line on the bottom of the paragraph is to set a low minimum, or to set an array of minimum wages setting out what seems to be proper. Once I was looking for a job as a "maintenance man" and called a number in the paper. It turned out to be a McDonald's. He was offering $3.00 per hour, and I was looking for $300.00 per week. I'm like, "You are not looking for a maintenance man, you are looking for a mess-cook." My days of swabbing the deck on a warship are long past me, even way back then.

   §    So it seems that if politicians must sully their hands with the subject of a minimum wage that types of employment must be broken down into various sub-groups each with their own minimum wage. Perhaps four different sub-groups. Group 1 might be students living at home and still going to school--give them ten dollars per hour. Group 2 might be adults or young adults on a first or part-time job--give the fifteen dollars per hour. Group 3 might be high-school graduates looking for a better job--give them around twenty-five dollars per hour. Group 4 might be college graduates seeking a more permanent job or career--give them fifty dollars per hour, clearly a low-ball wage for such a job, but it gives a starting point for negotiations when looking for a new job. If an employer will not pay that much, then perhaps you should be looking in a different group.

   §   Now I am getting hungry. Where is that zoo keeper with my dinner, or must I negotiate starting with his fingers.

 

the LION's Blog.....

Response to Steve Forbes 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwGWz6aRDw8

 

 

@eliasthienpont6330

7 minutes ago (edited)

🦁🦁🦁THE LION🦁🦁🦁, Richardton, ND

 

Interesting, but... The price of gold is not set by fiat, it is set by the market. It goes up if I am willing to pay more for gold, and it goes down if nobody will buy it at this price.

   §   But are all of the countries in the world going to go on the gold standard, And are you once again going to prohibit the private ownership of gold? If other countries will not limit the private ownership of gold then the price of gold will fluctuate and we will find that the tail is not only wagging the dog, buy it is wagging the doghouse as well.

   §   And if we do go on the gold standard am I able to take my gold certificates to the bank and exchange them for gold? You probably will not let me take gold or even gold certificates out of the country, but what is to stop me from going to South Africa and buying $2000 worth of gold there. I am sure they will let me take the gold out of the country, so suppose that I take this gold to Nigeria and exchange it there for $2800. I can send $800 back to my savings account in the USA, and then go back to South Africa to repeat the process. And I take no gold out of the USA, and bring no gold or foreign currency back into the USA. 

   §   The dollar is fiat currency: It is not real money at all. Gold is money. Silver is money and even coconut shells are money if I can exchange them. If you peg gold to the dollar all you have done is to turn the gold into fiat currency and the economy goes on as before.

   §   My degree is in nursing and thus I know little about economics. Still if I see a hemorrhage, I do know enough to put a bandage on it. As for me and my wealth, I keep my  600 pounds of gold in a dusty vault under my castle where it is guarded by a pair of manticore, and I have a phoenix up in the watch tower waiting for those pesky revenuers to cross my moat, because we still have an oubliette in our dungeon just waiting for them.

(C) 2024 BroadwayLion: Repreint with Attribution Permitted

Is Putin Really Sick

    the LION's blog   

 

In Reply to The Truth About His Illness: Is Vladimir Putin Really Sick?

as published on YouTube Feb 12, 2024

https://youtu.be/1VIqKYUCNOU?si=2mg-KckPCFtLqVDD

Anka Daily News

@eliasthienpont6330

0 seconds ago

 

🦁🦁🦁  THE LION  🦁🦁🦁, Richardton, ND

The Grand and glorious, and most imperial LION knows all, but the LION, like Pootin has grown old. I feel great weakness, and sleep many hours of the day. Apparently nobody seems to dare to wake me and guide or help me with the exercises that I know I need. I rather wish that they would wake me but that is how it is. So I sleep.. Today I slept through Noon Prayer, and lunch. After I finally got up and made some toast for lunch other monks told me about the spaghetti that was served for lunch (one of my favorites), but I, unlike Pootin cannot go down to the kitchen demanding that I be served some spaghetti. Around here, if you snooze, you loose.

   §   Now, I like Pootin can be 'awake' and even walk 200 feet or so, and even stand upright for about ten minutes before having to sit down. I unlike Pootin do not have a swarm of flunkies flittering about to anticipate and serve my needs. So people who see me seem to be fixated on a opinion that my health is not  so bad and they expect me to do more. Like attend Noon Prayer on time. They almost seem to be telling me to snap out of it. Well the truth of it is that I cannot snap.  Even raising my arm is sometimes difficult, but I can still do it. So I walk my 200' and then come back to my cell (room or office to you lay people). When I try to stand up, I make a few small stuttering baby steps before I get my sea legs (land-legs?) under me and can move normally. Maybe for Pootin it is likewise, but nobody will let me out of the county, let alone go to the Kremlin to check on Pootin's health.

   §   People like the Abbot, to the Prior and Sub Prior, the business managers and other monks who seem to think that they know it all simply do not understand and seem to me at least will not make any effort to understand. I pray that it comes to pass that they may never come to understand these Issues. As for Pootin, I like many others care not at all for his health, but pray that he most quickly return to the dust out of which he was formed.

 

The LION aka Elias Thienpont, is a monk of assumption abbey in Richardton, North Dakota

lion@broadwaylion.com 

Baby Bam Bam: Four More Years

Well, that is it. The people have spoken, and apparently they have gotten what they wanted. Obama is reelected, the Senate remains in Democrat hands, and the House remains to the Republicans, even increasing their lead there. What this LION has noticed watching Fox News last night was the difference in the supporters in the halls of the two candidates. Obama's crowd was energized, as well it should be, but more than that all of the faces were young, male and female, white, black and other, while among Romney's supporters I could only see old white men. And they were not very energized.

So the question is, What to do now? LION suggests holding two unalterable principals, and work with the Democrats on the rest.

First: Absolutely, positively no new debt. Not a single penny. No matter what! Second: the first item in the new budget (a budget that must come from the House) is one trillion dollars a year for debt amortization. After this, let Obama and the Democrats have what ever they want, and to raise whatever taxes are necessary, on whomever is necessary in order to cover whatever other spending they wish to make.

The factor here is damage control, and the heck with the economy, what will be will be. What will be will be Obama's win or lose. We will give him all of the spending that he wants, and we must demand that it paid for day by day.

ROAR

LION on Windfall Profits

LION is a financial... ah... non-entity. Him can count wildebeests but beyond that what does him know? Nothing. But that has never stopped the LION from commenting on any subject.

LION looks at the stock market, and him sees two different kinds of investors.

The first kind of investor is the one who buys stock in a company because he wants to own a piece of the company and wants to profit on his investment through the receipt of dividends. He is an owner of the company and he shares in its profits and can loose his bun if the company goes belly up. At least when a wildebeest goes belly up the LIONS and the vultures can gnaw on the carcass. Not so if you corporation goes down.

The second kind of investor has no stake in any company. He buys and sells stocks and hopes to profit on market trends.

Now the LION will look at capital gains tax, the so called windfall profits tax.

The LION postulates that the first kind of investor should not be subject to a capital gains tax. He pays taxes on his received dividends and that is that. But how can you tell the first kind from the second kind. Time. A stock held for more than four (maybe five) years is not subject to capital gains, or inheritance taxes. By stock, the LION includes individual businesses, family businesses, family farms, and corporations or stocks owned by the individual.

The LION postulates that the second kind of investor should pay capital gains and or income taxes on monies earned through stock speculations and churnings. And more to the point, while the profits are taxed, the losses are not deductible. Look you buy a coffee on the way to work, you do not deduct the cost as a business expense. If you... a hem... mark a tree with it... it is not a financial loss. If you win a million at the casino, you can not deduct your losing bets as a business loss. If you will two hundred million in the lottery, you cannot deduct your losing tickets as a business expense. Windfalls are taxed, loses are your problem.

The LION extrapolates this theory into the realm of corporate income taxes. Now the LION could very well do away with the corporate income tax since all it really is is a business expense to be passed on to you, my dear friend, the end users of corporate products. LION know that this will not fly and so him will not propose it. Still, the LION will propose a 1% tax on all corporate income.

That is of course, on the gross income, not the net income. The LION does not care what your expenses or loses are. You touched the money. You put it in your account: you pay the 1% tax. No lawyers, no accountants, no deductions, no loopholes: just a simple, straight forward 1% tax on every dollar collected. After all... who decides what expenses and loses are? The company. That is like putting a chicken in charge of the foxes den. It will not work no matter how you look at it.

ROAR

LION on Embassies

LION thinks the time for embassies and ambassadors has past. After all, international relations are no longer conducted by messengers riding on sailing ships. And the need to have a plenipotentiary officer is foreign capitals is gone. We do not need an embassy in every rat hole around the world.

Look at the LION. The LION is at peace with the wildebeests. They are in an enclosure on the east side of the zoo and the LIONS are in a beautiful, placid, palatial enclosure on the west side of the zoo. The wildebeests do not have an ambassador in our enclosure, and we do not have an ambassador in their enclosure (more is the pity.) The zookeeper does not think that we need ambassadors, and neither do the wildebeests.

Today if the United States wants to speak to Egypt, we can pick up the telephone and speak to them. How hard is that? If Libya wants to talk to us we can give them a busy signal. That is diplomacy.
We can have friendly relationships with countries around the world without having a mansion in their capital. If they want embassies in our country, they are more than welcome to set them up, but we do not need to send an officer to their capital.

What else can an embassy do? Provide services to US citizens abroad? Yup, this service is needed. But you do not need an embassy. A consulate office operated by locals will suffice. Someone needs a new passport, they can be helped by the clerks there, and new temporary documents can be transmitted electronically.

What else can an embassy do? Provide a home for CIA spies. They would be better off establishing their own safe-houses in some obscure alley.

In countries who are solid US allies would likely enough have US naval or air force bases that might house an ambassador somewhere in the middle of the base. In major European capitals we would indeed have ambassadors and embassies, and diplomats could attend functions of state representing the United States. But we only need these in states that have intimate relations with the United States.

It may be that the last American footprints on foreign lands will be those of American Express, or even McDonalds. Let them attack McDonalds if they do not like us. We can pick up a phone and call them, or if we need to lay a note on them, we can attach it to the nose of a cruise missile.

ROAR

LION on Education

Education is the first, middle, and last hallmark of humanity. Education is the number one issue in the United States. And it is where we are failing most grievously. But while a quality education is a national issue, it most assuredly not a Federal problem. Education is foremost a local issue and needs to be addressed at the local level. That, after all is where people live.

The Federal government has muddied the waters with 'No Child Left Behind.' But the LION is not worried about the children. That is NOT where the problem is. And as far as College is concerned, Federal programs *are* the problem. It is unconscionable to let a kid graduate from college with 20, 30, 40, 60,000 dollars or more in debt. When a person least able to manage a large debt, he or she must start out with a debt as big as a small mortgage. They should be putting money into a home, or into raising a family, and they are saddled with a Federal debt that cannot even be erased through the mechanism of bankruptcy.

The LION would eliminate all Federally insured student loans. If a student wants a lone, he or she should go to their bank and get a regular loan. If the parents can afford it ( and trust the kid to make payments) they could co-sign such a loan. But I do not recommend it nor would I take out such a loan. The LION went to collage part-time, and was working full time. I do not expect all students to do this, but there is no reason why they cannot go to a community college, pay their own way and continue to live with their parents for a few more years. Education is vital, a huge debt is not.

Now, let your LION start from the beginning: Grade School. Grade School is most clearly a function of the local school district, perhaps with state assistance. LION suggests that this Grade School, consisting of grades P through 8. Yes, local pre-school for those for whom it is necessary or desirable. It is maybe better to spend these years in the home, with the parents, but this is not always possible. Sometimes day-care is necessary, sometime a more formal pre-school is necessary. Yes it should be paid for in part by those who use this service, but many need it, and also need help in paying for it. It should be made available by the local school district.

Grade School continues through grade 8. Perhaps grades K-6 should be run as most people are used to seeing it, but each locality will determine how this will work for them. Especially in grades 7 and 8, students need to learn of what their continuing education will look like for them. Testing and evaluation of students will guide them, educators, and parents on what the student's continuing education will look like.

And here is where the LION makes his major change from what is being done now. We look at grades 9 through 16, but we divide this population in half vertically. That is a bifurcation at grade 9. Some will continue through High School and College as people do now, and the other half of the population will be diverted into trade school.

Looking at the High School track, grades 9 through 12 look the same as they do now, perhaps with greater state aid than is needed in Grade School, but it will also be serving a smaller population of students that they do now. Students who cannot or will not apply themselves to academic  studies have been culled out. Teachers will no longer have to also be police officers. Classes will run more efficiently and teachers will be able to spend more time with students who are motivated, and do not need to continually spend time in remedial activities at the cost of service to others.

Moving from High School to College, many will do as they do now, and will pay their way through the university of their choice. They can get loans from their bankers if the bankers think that this particular student is a good risk for such a loan. There can be scholarships as their are now, and parents and students can pay their own way as they still do now. But there will be no Federally insured loans, and the people pushing these loans where they may not be truly advisable.

But the LION has spoken of "Grades 9 through 16" and the LION wants states to take the lead in running community and state colleges where students can get a quality education with minimal expense to the students and their families. And with students living at home, they can get rid of most of the dorms and the problems and costs that they and food services create. It is not necessary to spend a fortune to have a proper education.

Now, the LION must address that population which did not pass through conventional High School and College. THIS IS the population that the LION most wants to address, and the population needs the most help, mostly, the LION thinks, mediated by on the Federal level. LION calls it a "Trade School" but it is much more than that. From existing trade schools the student enters the labor force on the Apprentice level. When a man or a woman leaves the LION'S program, they well be entering the labor force on the Journeyman level. They will have a minimum of FIVE YEARS "in trade" by the time they graduate, and during most of these years they will be on the payroll and earning a "student" income.

This is what the LION proposes. In the 9th grade year, the student will be in the classroom, they will be exposed to labor laws, work rules, and other skills that a person needs to survive in the workforce. They will examine many trades that may be available and will work with licensed teachers to build for themselves a program of studies and work that will lead to the results that will yield a lifetime vocation. Vocation in all sorts of building trades, construction trades, printing, transportation, the choices are only limited by the student's imagination. The student's faculty adviser will make it happen.

Students may be placed with local trades people, they may be placed with a major employer, or consortium of employers, or he may be placed with a union sponsored program. These programs will meed federal specifications. On the 10th grade level, the student will work not more than 4 hours a day, and will receive half of minimum wage (after all he is still living with his parents) and the rest of the wage goes to the employer to cover his costs and the costs of his employees who will be helping to train the student. On the 11th grade level the student will work 6 hours a day and will receive 3/4 of minimum wage. On the 12th grade level they will also work 6 hours a day and will earn a full minimum wage. The student will continue through the program working 36 hours a week , and will meet with his faculty adviser each week during the 13th and 14th grade levels, and on the 15th and 16th grade levels they will receive work 40 hours or more a week, will earn full union wage, and meet with his adviser quarterly.

The United States needs a pool of highly skilled workers, and most jobs are not in factories. These are good jobs that can never be moved overseas. This is, according to the LION, a win-win proposition, and ought to go along way provide a quality education for all.

The LION knows he did not address the underlying causes of a poor education. He only addressed education. The underlying cause of a poor education is poor family life and poor self esteem. But the LION cannot fix these broken families. He hopes that these newly educated people will be able to raise families that are not fundamentally broken.