Neo

There is no doubt that labor is viewed as coldly as material costs when corporate decisions are made. There's no doubt humans aren't material. Or until capital flees. Supply and demand applies to capital, too. Walmart closing recognizes both of our views. Labor cost is increasing, goods have market prices, and profits will shrink if labor becomes even more expensive. Walmart took a portion of its shareholders capital and left the building. It could've simply cut dividends. Those who recently received a raise are now looking for jobs ...

I've said 42,837 words about the minimum wage since telling Drunkard I could say no more.

Correct. The stores are not unprofitable. They're not as profitable as Walmart wants them to be. My second summary. Many here: We WANT a minimum wage to come from the pockets of profitable owners and shareholders who should accept less so that living wages can be paid to good people. Me: That's great, but that isn't where the minimum wage actually does come from. The minimum wage comes from the pockets of customers paying increased prices. My experience ... Consistent with my conclusion. For your consideration, only. You'll decide. If you have different experiences, share away. It doesn't. The product becomes less attractive. The implications depend on elasticity. Gasoline, you're screwed. Burgers, you buy tuna fish. This is interesting. Higher minimum wages affect whole industries more than individual firms. The reaction by firms is different, but it's industries that are affected.

I'd rather not make the recommendation. I'm talking about avoiding a tar and feathering, not about the good I see for humanity. I was making a self preservation joke. The conversation around minimum wages, in board rooms, doesn't include dividend cuts.

I'd support a minimum wage increase sourced in profits, I've never seen one.

Walmart isn't foregoing profits. Its closing unprofitable stores. Shareholders don't forego dividends, either. They pass a cost along or they find something else to do with their money. Stock boy's screwed. I see our misunderstanding. Many of us are "sourcing" the minimum wage in the "net income" line of the P&L. In the words of Michael Corleone ... "Who's naive, Kay?" I source it in the revenue line. We all have different life experiences. I may be right, I may be wrong. My conclusion comes from 30 years advising and planning with business owners. I'm not playing a bona fides trump card game, for the record. I'm a small timer. I'd hit myself in the head with a claw hammer before making a board presentation recommending a dividend cut before a price increase in response to a minimum wage increase. It'd hurt less. I suspect you each have equally interesting experiences. Here's to us all. I post to show you a view. I appreciate yours. And, with regard to what the market will tolerate, when wages are up "across the board", no firm is disadvantaged vis-a-vis another. Prices skyrocket when oil prices rise. The entire market rises. Burgers, all, become more expensive. When they become too expensive, selling burgers becomes bad business. See Seattle restaurants.

Half of a web board is defining terms. You can agree on things, or not, when you're talking about the same thing.

BINGO! And passing higher labor costs in the form of higher prices along to the very segment of society that shops there and can least afford the higher costs all the while employing fewer of them. Ladies and gentlemen, the minimum wage! An employment dampening tool that shifts wealth around in the same demographic that needs additional wealth until it lays off, closes, and hurts the intended beneficiaries. Chet and Muffy love you. It could've been a tax! We can discuss this. If the minimum wage came from profits, then wealth shifts. It doesn't come from profits. It comes from price increases.

Summary on my plate. We need more jobs paying more money. Corporations have their profit interests at heart. Agree?

What I don't see is paying more does anything to increase good jobs. We don't have enough. Two issues. Not enough good jobs and paying more for lesser jobs. The extra loot in Bill's pocket comes from Barry's pocket. There's not a nickel more disposable income in an economy when you raise a wage artificially and take money from someone else to pay it. It's a shell game. If minimum wage dollars CAME from somewhere, I'm in! If a burger costs a dime more, where does the dime come from? Who's OUT the minimum wage? I'm not weeping for Walmart. I'm pointing out what Walmart does when you raise its expenses. It closes stores.

Hoss -- absolutely nothing to do with wages?! You don't think eliminating or lowering wages affects the bottom line? I'd not use the word greed, but let's use it here. The nasty, greedy, horrible elimination of a wage by replacement goes directly to the bottom line. You can dislike corporate motives. Fair. Wages are huge in the calculus.

McDonalds is developing touch screens and kiosks and preparing to run stores with fewer people. Seattle is closing restaurants. Walmart is closing locations. That's happening, not theory. Employers aren't going to hire full time, as you point out. They're not going to pay $15 for part time, either. I don't own a business. I'm an employee. This is my experience. If there are other experiences, I'm all ears. To add: McDonalds has been experimenting for years. It's a general labor cost experiment that exists regardless of the most current minimum wage discussion. $15 only exacerbates. It did not create.

Conservative constitutionalist on board with you and your assessment. Ditto to PA.

Yes. I applaud his reforms because he embraced the concept, more courageous in his party than mine.

Common ground ... It's harder in the "family zone", I think. IDA is one thing. Food stamps are another. Bill Clinton, Welfare reformer. He made sense to me.

Here's more ... I focus on the abuses not to scrap or discard, but to tighten and make better. I am as aware of Magic Happy Land and its non-existence as you are. Don't read me recognizing wrongs as a reason to scrap. It's fair to read me "recognizing wrongs" as a reason to shrink.

I can't do more minimum wage work than I've already done. I'm wrong or I'm right and failed to make clear.

To the strategists ... down two goals with six to play and a 5 on 3 ... Do you consider pulling your goaltender?

Bogo!

Another corner mic pick up after the penalty.

Four on two while killing a penalty. Good thing they got the shot on net. A miss there with the puck staying in play could've been a disaster.

Talk about Maple Leaf heads spinning - "Montreal joins Buffalo as possible Stamkos destination".

Thank you. More often than not, I watch a feed with the opponents' feed. It's usually the full screen, HD, option. I don't hear Dunleavy as often.

Thank you. I'm glad you can see a game at a reasonable hour.

I arrived home late and have been fast forwarding to catch up. Samson is so fun to watch away from the puck. Is "Eichel Tower" something anyone's heard before today? Can we give Mr Pipes and his son credit for originating? Which ankle did Lehmer sprain? His post to post push on the first period McKinnon save was beautiful. He pushed with his left.