Joe Biden endorses $15/hr minimum wage, Medicare public option - Polidicks

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/biden-calls-for-15-minimum-wage-public-option-health-plan-in-first-campaign-speech-2019-04-29 Former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed a $15-an-hour federal minimum wage and an option for anyone to buy into Medicare in his first 2020 presidential campaign speech on Monday. Speaking before a union audience in Pittsburgh, Biden said it’s “well past time that the minimum wage nationally be a minimum of $15.” The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009. Biden, who declared his White House bid last week, also endorsed what’s known as a public option to buy into Medicare — different than the so-called Medicare for All proposal favored by another White House hopeful, Sen. Bernie Sanders. Biden said to pay for some of his proposals he’d jettison Trump’s tax cuts, and he called for getting rid of what’s known as step-up basis, which eliminates capital gains tax upon inheritance. He also acknowledged stock-market gains but said it’s not enough for some families. “The stock market is roaring,” Biden said, “but you don’t feel it.”

You're not the old jew I want Biden, go away.

Hooray Centrism! Solving nothing.

To be honest, even if Bernie doesn't win (which I hope he does), he has had a huge effect on the Democratic party, as a lot of candidates have suggested things that are way further left than was common last election. To clarify, I don't think these things really are that left wing, but most Democratic hopefuls are centrists, so.

It would be objectively better then currently tbh

I mean, you could say the same about Trump … … And you'd be right …

True, but there are also like 4 other options to pick from that aren't Biden. So it might be better than what we have now, but not better than the choices we have.

I'd be even so bold to say that its the effect hes had on people that helped get AOC into office. Like, definitely not saying "Bernie ran so AOC can walk!" but you have to admit a spike it more left ideals amongst voters after Bernie's campaign; the kind of ideals AOC is going harder on. Essentially, I think he shifted the liberal overton window a bit.

My gut is going to say, he will abandoning it when he comes into office, and try to justified it's mostly Republicans fault despite having the Democrats in both houses. And only if Democrats could won both them. What the hell is that mean, other than the wording he make sounded he can't say Medicare for all to his party left-wing voters.

He's talking about Public Option. Public Option is basically half-way between Obamacare and Medicare-For-All. It's an improvement but I don't think Democrats need to compromise on it for this election due to how popular Universal Healthcare now is.

The only thing I trust Biden to actually do is to say whatever he thinks will get him elected. His first fundraiser was rife with corporate heads - including ones actively working to stop Medicare for All.

I don't doubt that, problem is people like Biden have driven us to this point. I guess we're just fucked

"public option" yeah no kys bitch

Public option? Pussy.

Don't get me wrong; Raising minimum wage is something I support but jumping from $7.25 to $15 per hour might fuck up the economy...alot. and if I'm wrong about the economy going tits up please let me know why. Also I swear this is just Biden trying to get the Bernie fans on his side after him (or his staff) blaming the sexual harassment complaints on said Bernie fans.

I don't know mate, we've been paying better then that for a while now and it's not like all the small businesses have fucked off.

If businesses can't afford to pay workers fairly, they aren't a viable business and should fail.

when productvivity went up 100% while real wages go down 10% since WW2 you can fuck off with that argument.

ya but it continues the private employer insurance system which is massively taxing our country.

Do you have absolutely no idea what inflation is do you The whole point with raising this shit is to adjust for that https://aneconomicsense.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/real-min-wage-under-alternative-scenarios-1950-20121.png?w=584

So minimum wage should be more than twice the highest it's ever been, and more than three times the amount it was 7 years ago?

At the very least, yes. Codifying a continual increase proportional to inflation and cost of living for the foreseeable future would also be a good baby step.

its a start

Hope you don't need gas stations then. Most gas stations are already in the red and teetering towards total collapse despite minimum wage, low hours, and skeleton crew staff. Sometimes the owner of the gas station works 24/7 because they can't afford to pay staff.

Welp there goes any and all solutions to do with fixing the financial gap, it’s just too disruptive!

yes because otherwise we're massively under valuing the true cost of labor and allowing corporations to get away without paying what they should. nowhere that's raised the minimum wage has seen the economic collapse that conservative economists believe will happen when you touch it.

If all gas stations close because of this then the government will end up having to step in to solve this problem.

I probably should of worded that better. I'm not saying I'm against 15/hr. I meant, there might be unintended consequences that need to be addressed due to how skewed some aspects of the economy is, like gas stations. Gas will either have to be subsizdized (the implications of which means we'd focus more on fossil fuels due to subsides) or we'll likely see a double or tripling in gas prices to make up for the wage hike, which has knock-on effects for the entire economy, and will absolutely hurt the poor severely at the pump.

i'm surprised that gas stations can't manage to find a business model that doesn't rely on minimum wage considering that they sell a product that pretty much everyone in the country needs to function. Vehicular gas is practically a utility for most of the country (geographically speaking). I don't doubt what you're saying either, considering the number of gas stations I've seen shuttered / under new management from year to year in my area. i guess ultimately it will stop being a problem long term as we transition from gas-powered to electric-powered vehicles. But frankly if all it required to make these organizations profitable is to raise gas prices, then they should just do so. I would imagine that (for all intents and purposes) demand for gas is pretty dang inelastic, so they should survive.

The minimum wage has been raised to 15$ in several states already. The economic apocalypse has yet to arrive. Increasing the minimum wage allows loads of people to spend more money on (local) businesses among other things, massively increasing economic activity. This increase in economic activity basically pays for the raise. Anyway, I think the more pragmatic universal healthcare policy option would be to opt for a more Bismarck/German/Belgian system.