A 4-part tweet on teenage unemployment:
— George Reisman (@GGReisman) November 14, 2014
To eliminate teenage unemployment, exempt teenagers from the minimum wage laws. At $3 or $5 an hour, they’ll be snapped up & learn skills.
— George Reisman (@GGReisman) November 14, 2014
Actually making money while learning is a huge improvement over public education, where teens earn nothing and learn nothing.
— George Reisman (@GGReisman) November 14, 2014
With earned money in their pockets, they won’t need to steal. As teens’ skills improve through on-the-job experience, their pay will rise.
— George Reisman (@GGReisman) November 14, 2014
Exemption from the minimum wage, will transform vast numbers of teens from hoodlums into hard-working, productive citizens.
— George Reisman (@GGReisman) November 14, 2014
The only issue left to solve within this proposal is defining what a "teenager" is so that he or she can enjoy the exemption.
ReplyDeleteThe only snag I see with this proposal is that the moralizers will accuse those that support the exemption of promoting "child" labor.
All correct as usual from Reisman with the minor point that's what's good for teenagers is good for all low-skilled workers. Of course, minimum wage laws have nothing to do with raising employment and everything to do with protecting semi-skilled workers so it's safe to say this could never happen in anything remotely resembling the current political milieu.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Timothy, then exempt all private employers from minimum wage once the positive impact on teenagers is seen.
ReplyDeleteyea, I'm just repeating the above but.... Let's outlaw labor in a certain price range, then come to the rescue and undo that for everyone affected by it (starting with teens). That way you can be a hero (for voting for min wage) and a hero again for undoing it (in a timely manner, of course. Teen unemployment is in the news).
ReplyDeleteThis would make it impossible, even with a $15 or $20 minimum wage, for anyone to provide for a family by flipping burgers at Mcdonalds or checking groceries.
ReplyDelete