Since it is Black Friday again, it is time for the annual protests against the low wages paid by Walmart. This year, there were protests in a few places around the country. Organizers had called for protests at 1500 stores; the got something closer to 15 stores where protests occurred. On top of the tiny size of the protests, there was also news that many of the people attending had actually been paid to show up. One interesting fact: the folks who turned out to protest the low wages at Walmart were paid less per hour to protest than the average Walmart worker.
The real question presented to America is this: are you willing to pay higher prices for groceries, clothing and other goods so that workers at Walmart can make higher wages? After all, the price of the products sold and the cost of the labor at the stores is inextricably linked. Nevertheless, we hear about polls in which folks are asked if they support a higher minimum wage; nothing is ever said about the consequences of that increase. We also hear about polls asking whether wages at Walmart should be raised, again without mentioning the consequences of such a raise.
Don't get me wrong. I am not taking a position one way or the other on the level of wages paid to Walmart employees. I admit that I do not know enough about the subject to have a firm opinion. I do know, however, that all the hype about the supposed protests today and the seemingly neverending polling on the subject is totally distorted. It is meaningless to poll about just the benefits without mentioning the costs. A poll which asks Americans if it would be good to cure cancer would get 99% support (with 1% saying no just to be difficult.) A poll, however, which asks whether it would be a good idea to tax each individual in the country $20,000 so that cancer could be cured would not get such high support. I do not even know if it would get a majority. Similarly, a poll which only asks about some people getting raises is sure to get overwhelming support. Only once the costs of those raises are also included can we get a picture of the real opinion.
It is just another perversion of the argument by the left.
The real question presented to America is this: are you willing to pay higher prices for groceries, clothing and other goods so that workers at Walmart can make higher wages? After all, the price of the products sold and the cost of the labor at the stores is inextricably linked. Nevertheless, we hear about polls in which folks are asked if they support a higher minimum wage; nothing is ever said about the consequences of that increase. We also hear about polls asking whether wages at Walmart should be raised, again without mentioning the consequences of such a raise.
Don't get me wrong. I am not taking a position one way or the other on the level of wages paid to Walmart employees. I admit that I do not know enough about the subject to have a firm opinion. I do know, however, that all the hype about the supposed protests today and the seemingly neverending polling on the subject is totally distorted. It is meaningless to poll about just the benefits without mentioning the costs. A poll which asks Americans if it would be good to cure cancer would get 99% support (with 1% saying no just to be difficult.) A poll, however, which asks whether it would be a good idea to tax each individual in the country $20,000 so that cancer could be cured would not get such high support. I do not even know if it would get a majority. Similarly, a poll which only asks about some people getting raises is sure to get overwhelming support. Only once the costs of those raises are also included can we get a picture of the real opinion.
It is just another perversion of the argument by the left.
1 comment:
An interesting analysis would be-
How many Walmart Employees are on some type of Government assistance?
What is the percentage compared to the rest of the American workforce percentage.
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