Fast Food in Denmark Serves Something Atypical: Living Wages

originally posted by: pexx421
Recognize, please.....the poor don't vote.

Then maybe the poor should vote.

Don't like illegal immigration? It profits business, so it will continue.

I am pro-immigration and feel everyone who wants to come here should be able to come here as long as they are not criminals.

Don't like welfare? It profits business, so it will continue. Don't like inflating health care costs? Inflation? Depreciation of the dollar? Labor surplus? All these things profit big business...

How do people on welfare, a low dollar and the unemployed benefit businesses? People with money to spend benefit businesses. A strong dollar benefits businesses. Employed people earning a regular salary benefit businesses.

End your war on the poor, and your hatred for your fellow man. They are not the disease here. They are victims of the same system that you are.

'War on the poor'? Is that some new moronic internet or political meme? I would like to see poor people become not poor people the same way my family did. Hard work.

And I certainly do not hate anyone, stop projecting.

well, it doesn't really matter if they vote or not because your votes don't make much difference. I already explained how people on welfare profit business. Its a massive tax grab from the taxpayers to the corporations. Every dollar given in welfare and Medicaid goes directly from the taxpayers to people like Walmart and hospitals or pharmaceutical companies. immigration and a weak dollar and benefit big business because it pushes labor costs here down. Unemployment benefits business because a large labor pool provides greater competition for jobs, thus pushing wages down (notice on applications for employment now it asks for the minimum that you will work for) businesses will hire the people willing to work for less. And I speak of your "war on the poor" because you criticize them unjustly for living in a system where their return on work is diminished to the point where the jobs available are not enough to support them as they descend further and further into debt.....all of which is what our system is supposed to do....ie, keep americans getting more and more in debt. Many of them do "hard work" too, but that is not all it takes to get ahead. As time goes by, more and more, the defining factor is "chance" and less and less people are doing it. So unless you think humans are evolving rapidly in a form that makes them less likely to want to work, the only answer is "environment", ie; a society where they are deprived of the tools they need to be contributing, productive members.

originally posted by: pexx421
I already explained how people on welfare profit business. Its a massive tax grab from the taxpayers to the corporations. Every dollar given in welfare and Medicaid goes directly from the taxpayers to people like Walmart and hospitals or pharmaceutical companies. immigration and a weak dollar and benefit big business because it pushes labor costs here down.

You should probably study up on economics before posting such nonsense. None of what you said would be more profitable than a strong middle class. Poor people do not buy as much as middle and upper income people. A retarded chimpanzee would be able to figure this out.

Many of them do "hard work" too, but that is not all it takes to get ahead.

Worked for me and my family and quite a few people that I know.

originally posted by: pexx421
a reply to: MarlinGrace Again, missing the point. My life is fine. But I recognize, as you seem unable to do, that the vast majority of people are much worse off than when I was younger. And further, that as long as the system continues in the current patterns, with corporations and business running the US government, that my children and their children, are in for a world of hurt. But like our business sector, It seems you don't care about the situation you are leaving to your children, and to future generations, as long as you get what you want out of it.

I worked to get out of the system what I wanted, something you seem to be unwilling to do. Your brother understands the opportunity why you don't, appears nothing more than an excuse. The thing you seem to ignore is the opportunity is the same for everyone, are you willing to attempt to rise above it? Apparently not it is much easier to complain. It's life competition what are you satisfied with? Your job and 75K a year? If so great, if this is your greatest ambition then what is to complain about? I hardly believe you're worried about the future, when your fantasy is corporate america runs the world. How American government is the worst, when it is the best country on the planet. Again I ask if it is so bad here why not leave and make room for the millions that do think it is the best and want to get here for the opportunity.

Again do you think the hispanics walk all those miles for minimum wage or is it because of the opportunity?

originally posted by: pexx421
well, it doesn't really matter if they vote or not because your votes don't make much difference.

They are so unimportant and no difference in the outcome, this year it is estimated that politicians will spend 4 Billion on unnecessary votes. So if the "TPTB" could control the political landscape and achieve the desired effect why would they waste 4 Billion of their own money going through elections?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus economics really has nothing to do with it because tptb are not working off of sound economic principles. They are trying to do 2things. 1, grab as much money and power right now as possible, and 2, make sure that the working class is decimated and never able to fight back. And the pacs have spent 4billion dollars this election 1, to make sure the vote makes no difference, and 2, because they know they will get all that money back.

a reply to: pexx421

To what end?

a reply to: pexx421

Trust me, I've been on both extremes. I've been literally out on the street, no shoes, shirt, no shelter, no food... I didn't know what to do. I've also spent time in the M.E., and parts in Asia. I've seen what real poverty is. Having no money for food equals poverty to me. You try to make it sound like just because they live in Denmark (or wherever in Scandinavia) that they're not poor.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus Honestly, I think they realize the ship is sinking. We extended the last bubble by mass printing money, QE, and propping up the zombie banks, as well as massively buying up our own stocks and bonds to present the artificial picture of recovery and solvency. But this was not a solution, rather it was like sewing up and wrapping a septic wound, which will not become gangrenous and be much worse when it finally bursts open again, rather than the cauterization we needed. They did this I think, to try to sock away and consolidate as much power as they possibly can before the next burst, in the hope that they will be powerful and wealthy enough to dominate the situation and control the attempted uprisings and revolution of the American population. Just a theory.

In reply to auricom....my point is not that they are not poor because they live in Denmark....though I have seen people act like the unemployed and homeless in America live the life of luxury. My point was that there is a difference in poverty from place to place, and that yes, obviously, most of Europe has much better social support for their poor than we do here.

a reply to: pexx421

So the grand conspiracy you dreamt up was that businesses will make everyone poor so they can take over?

New flash, poor people do not purchase much so that would put all those businesses out of business since no one would have disposable income.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus You really seem to have no clue of whats going on around you. People don't have disposable income. They haven't had for some time. They have credit. Just like the US has no disposable income. It has credit. They are not trying to set up a system that is good for the economy, nor for the people. Otherwise voodoo/trickle down eco would never have been sold to us. It is demonstrable from history what drives growth, and you are right, its a wealthy middle class, and its high taxes on wealth, but we are doing the opposite...and you no doubt write that off as incompetence. Our business world is not really set up to care about how business is going to go for the future, its only set up to care about extracting as much profit as possible right now. You have seen examples, when businesses start faltering, how they begin to cannibalize everything in the company so the CEO and such can extract as much money as possible before it implodes, often raiding the benefits and retirement of the workers and so on? That's us, right now, on a national scale. Its not a grand conspiracy, its a massive wealth grab in desperation, before the real crash comes.

a reply to: buster2010

once again, im sure you've heard it a million times, bagging and groceries and working at McDonalds isn't a career. The problem is overpopulation, no work ethic, and lacking family values to encourage making the correct life choices.

which includes not having kids if you can't support them. The world doesn't exist to cater to imbeciles.

a reply to: f4rwest I don't think overpopulation is the issue. There is no scarcity of food or resources at this point. Further, a larger population should mean a larger consumer base. The problem is that rather than investing the profits of the company fairly, ie paying a fair percentage of a workers productivity back to the worker, the companies have chosen to continue shifting a larger and larger percentage of the profit to themselves. This has made it so that though we have a larger population, we don't have a larger consumer pool because they have less and less money to spend. The problem is greed, plain and simple.

originally posted by: pexx421

You really seem to have no clue of whats going on around you.

As someone who ran their own businesses I can say with 100% certainty that affluent people spend more than poor people and the more affluent people there are the better businesses will thrive. To claim that they want more poor people is beyond absurd.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus
Then why are they spending so much money to destroy labor and wage protections? If they want affluent populations why are they fighting to keep wages decreasing? Why are they outsourcing middle class jobs? At any rate, banks, loan companies and credit cards make the vast majority of their money from desperate poor and working class people. With overdraft fees and usurious interest rates that the wealthy never have to pay because they pay with cash. For example, my mother's home was 240,000. Over the life of the loan the bank would make 1.2 million. Meanwhile my mother sold it to a wealthy woman who paid up front for it and the bank was out 1000000 profit.

originally posted by: pexx421

Then why are they spending so much money to destroy labor and wage protections? If they want affluent populations why are they fighting to keep wages decreasing? Why are they outsourcing middle class jobs?

Because the majority of the American population is consumerist and wants ever cheaper crap to buy.

At any rate, banks, loan companies and credit cards make the vast majority of their money from desperate poor and working class people. With overdraft fees and usurious interest rates that the wealthy never have to pay because they pay with cash.

Riiiight. Because poor people can repay that debt.

And the wealthy just pay everything with $10,000 bills instead of on an Amex Black Card.

For example, my mother's home was 240,000. Over the life of the loan the bank would make 1.2 million. Meanwhile my mother sold it to a wealthy woman who paid up front for it and the bank was out 1000000 profit.

If your mother got that crappy of a loan then she should have shopped around. Money is practically free at this point and I was able to successfully refinance our home three times, the final being down to 3.75%. Your anecdotal loan that mommy got is around 15% over 30 years.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus Sigh. I think, now, that you are just being intentionally obtuse. First off, business did millions in research into how to turn americans into a stupid consumerist society, so obviously its what business wanted, and the businesses are not just reacting to American demands. Second of all, we artificially inflate the value of our cheap goods so things break after a certain time so people need to buy more....planned obsolescence. This is why they have 7 year, 10 year, and 12 year fridges you can buy, but they don't cost any difference to make. When I was younger we could use the same washer, dryer, fridge, etc that our grandparents had used. Next off, if the poor weren't paying the debt, the companies wouldn't be giving them credit. And yes, the wealthy can pay with an amex or black card, but they don't generally run a balance on them....you are just being disingenuous. You knew that I meant that we the working class maintain mortgages and car notes, which inflate the cost of the item way beyond its purchase price, and no, the rich generally buy them outright.

First off, I think we have a different definition of rich. You are speaking of working class rich, or small business owners. I am speaking of people who have the money to influence elections and politics. And yes, our policies are bad for small business, but great for big business.....that's the whole point. Small business is good for American workers, big isn't. If you realize that big business has control of our legislature, and you complain about government, then obviously you must realize that it is big business dictating things becoming what they have. Now, all of this is obviously not good for the American majority, for the public, or for general business.....so why do you think they have been choosing to do the things they have?

originally posted by: pexx421
... business did millions in research into how to turn americans into a stupid consumerist society, so obviously its what business wanted, and the businesses are not just reacting to American demands.

I see. So businesses spent money on Americans to turn them into consumerists but when they now sell them goods it is not acquiescing to their demands. And you call me obtuse.

Second of all, we artificially inflate the value of our cheap goods so things break after a certain time so people need to buy more....planned obsolescence. This is why they have 7 year, 10 year, and 12 year fridges you can buy, but they don't cost any difference to make.

Planned obsolescence has been around for close to 100 years but no one forces you to buy those products.

Next off, if the poor weren't paying the debt, the companies wouldn't be giving them credit.

Huh? Since when do poor people regularly pay down their debt? If you are poor, by definition you cannot afford to pay down your debt and will not get further credit.

And yes, the wealthy can pay with an amex or black card, but they don't generally run a balance on them....you are just being disingenuous. You knew that I meant that we the working class maintain mortgages and car notes, which inflate the cost of the item way beyond its purchase price, and no, the rich generally buy them outright.

Actually, most people finance their homes even if they can buy them outright as the debt service is typically outpaced by property value increases and once sold you made a profit and did not risk your own capital. You really need to learn how these things work instead of just making crap up.

First off, I think we have a different definition of rich. You are speaking of working class rich, or small business owners.

Well those are the people that moron Dear Leader thinks are rich.

I am speaking of people who have the money to influence elections and politics. And yes, our policies are bad for small business, but great for big business.....that's the whole point. Small business is good for American workers, big isn't.

They are both good for the economy. Not everyone has the ability, resources or desire to create and operate their own business and large corporations afford the ability for them to seek employment.

If you realize that big business has control of our legislature, and you complain about government, then obviously you must realize that it is big business dictating things becoming what they have.

It is not just businesses that lobby Congress. Unions, private firms, citizens and foundations all spend money to exert their influence.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus
Ok you just highlight the biggest problem in American politics, MONEY.

a reply to: onequestion

This has been the case with politics for millennia.