# What would happen if we reduced the minimum wage in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 26, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244 "2011-08-26T23:42:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/121 "2011-09-18T20:01:06Z")
> [@Jake](#): > > I think raising the minimum wage is just a way to keep income up with planned inflation. So there! There are some countries that take it one step further and tie all wages to inflation. For the life of my I can’t remember which at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/122 "2011-09-18T20:02:19Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > When both have shit in their eyes what’s the difference? The size of the shit. Duh. I thought false equivalency was **Bricker’s** schtick. Does he know you are moving in on his territory? ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/123 "2011-09-18T20:09:37Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > The size of the shit. Duh. Is there a minimum permissible shit level that you’re okay with? A shit threshold that the Demcratic party falls under by the Republicans exceed? Kind of sounds like the USDA with their acceptable level of shit in meat. > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I thought false equivalency was **Bricker’s** schtick. Does he know you are moving in on his territory? I believe miss use of the word hypocrisy is now is main focus. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/124 "2011-09-18T20:17:09Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > Actually, I think it would be cheaper to have the US government buy a bunch of guns, give them to criminal gangs, then let the gangs kill Mexicans before they even get to the US. > > Or hire Mexicans to build the fence on their side, that way we wouldn’t have to pay the federal minimum wage or offer benefits. We could have a bounty. then Repubs would have as much fun as their evil little hearts could stand. It would be more fun than executing the innocent or watching people without insurance die. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/125 "2011-09-18T20:28:24Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > Is there a minimum permissible shit level that you’re okay with? A shit threshold that the Demcratic party falls under by the Republicans exceed? You pretty much nailed it. Since eliminating all shit is unrealistic, I am going to stick with the party with the least of it. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/126 "2011-09-18T20:33:30Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > You pretty much nailed it. Since eliminating all shit is unrealistic, I am going to stick with the party with the least of it. Green? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/127 "2011-09-18T20:37:25Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > Green? Any thing Not-Republican meets that criteria. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/128 "2011-09-18T23:30:13Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Of course the border can not be shut. Of course, it can. Where are you getting the idea that it _can’t_ be done? > [@gonzomax](#): > > We are building a useless fence to quiet down rightys who latch onto poor solutions and declare them answers, when they are not. The border is about 2000 miles long. Then you have to shut down the water. There are boats in Mexico too. So? > [@gonzomax](#): > > There is a lot less border infiltration now because the jobs are down. Good. Now we need to make it even less. and removing any benefits they receive, like in-state tuition, will help in that regard. As will a secure border, obviously. > [@gonzomax](#): > > They can be unemployed in Mexico as well as here. But at least they can be with family. Family in Mexico? Great. I agree. If their family is here and they want to be together, they can all go to Mexico. problem solved. Being with their families is a desire/problem created by the individuals in question. Let them figure it out in a _legal_ way that best suits them. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244/129 "2011-09-18T23:32:25Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > And with the Eric Cantor mandate for offsetting spending cuts, we will just close a few hundred schools so you can feel like you did something about illegal immigration. Actually, if the illegals weren’t here there wouldn’t be such a strain on our schools. And what in the world makes you think that if we spent money on securing the border it would result in school closures? Why wouldn’t it, for instance, come from the DOD? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-reduced-the-minimum-wage-in-the-us/594244.md?page=6)