More DUmmy solutions to unemployment: Cut the Work Week

[Ralph Wiggum]

blindpig (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-22-11 09:21 AM
Original message
Cut the Work Week

Cut the Work Week

The economic news of the last few weeks has not been encouraging. In Europe, the various national debt crises remain unresolved, with a continued monopoly of banker-friendly austerity programs, and their predictable consequences of rising unemployment and stagnation. Debtor countries are being forced into the same financial orthodoxies that prolonged the depression of the 1920s and 30s, so we shouldn't be surprised at the failures they will bring. More recession may also be the future of the countries enforcing these once-discredited policies, as weak demand across the region represses consumer demand, investor confidence, and government spending.

In the United States the details are different, but the main story is the same. The country is experiencing continuing mass unemployment (25 million Americans remain unemployed or underemployed), further collapse in the housing market and an extremist political movement determined to slash all government spending directed at the people who are most likely to spend: the poor, the unemployed, and the middle classes. The outlook among wealthy countries is for more economic "weakness," a conclusion supported by the plummeting stock markets of recent weeks.

Protecting bankers' and creditors' interests above all else is foolish economic policy. It enriches one group of people at the expense of nearly everyone else. But these days, it's hard to get a hearing for the view that the wealthy countries remain wealthy, that we can solve our economic problems without making most people worse off, and that we can also do it while addressing the much larger challenge we face: climate change and growing ecological devastation.

So what's the alternative to slashing government programs, budget cutting, and more concentrated wealth at the top? The centerpiece of a new approach is to re-structure the labor market by reducing hours of work. That may seem counter-intuitive in a period when the mainstream message is that we are poorer than ever and have to work harder. But the historical record suggests it's a smart move that will create what economists call a triple dividend: three positive outcomes from one policy innovation.

more....

ML Today

Notice that the DUmmy has a link which quotes from the website "Marxism-Leninism Today".

Travis_0004 (351 posts)      Wed Jun-22-11 11:23 AM
Response to Original message
2. How will this be paid for?
 Lets say we switch to 32 hour weeks. That means everybody gets a 20% paycut. How does somebody who is struggling to make ends meet get by with 20% less pay.

Or option B: we pay them the same amount, but we now have to hire 20% more people, so the employers payroll goes up 20%. The only way to continue making a profit is to raise prices, so the person who is making the same amount of money can now afford less because everything is more expensive.

 

blindpig (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-22-11 11:29 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. How about it comes out of the investor's profits?
 
Profits are the result of parasitism.

If they don't like it expropriate without compensation.

el_bryanto  (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-22-11 11:41 AM
Response to Reply #3
7. What a great idea. You're brilliant. But what about companies
 who don't have shareholders? Or are you saying small business owners are "Investors" and thus deserve to be spit upon? Or, let's not mince words, would you prefer that we just give up on capitalism?

It's kind of sad because your initial idea has a lot of merit.

Bryant 

Terry in Austin  (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-22-11 11:30 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. With money!
 A shorter work week is a good idea anyway. It's an aspect of social progress.

All this poor-mouth is artificial, an effect of the rich angling to hog up even more of the wealth.

leftyohiolib (33 posts)      Wed Jun-22-11 11:33 AM
Response to Original message
5. germany cut the work week and supplemented with u.i.
 kept people working. kept their economy going.

Better Believe It  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-22-11 11:35 AM
Response to Original message
6. We need a shorter workweek and earlier retirement with no cut in pay.

My goodness these people are ****ing stupid.

[NHSparky]

Better Believe It  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-22-11 11:35 AM
Response to Original message
6. We need a shorter workweek and earlier retirement with no cut in pay.

And look how well that worked for Greece!

[DumbAss Tanker]

Better Believe It  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-22-11 11:35 AM
Response to Original message
6. We need a shorter workweek and earlier retirement with no cut in pay.

Also magic beans, free broadcast power, and sex androids.

 

[Rebel]

My goodness these people are ****ing stupid.

Yes sir, they are. I'm assuming the idiot that says they can just take the investors' profits thinks the investors won't change their habits, you know, like not invest the needed money for a company TO expand and provide more jobs. 

DUmmies are idiots.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Yes sir, they are. I'm assuming the idiot that says they can just take the investors' profits thinks the investors won't change their habits, you know, like not invest the needed money for a company TO expand and provide more jobs. 

DUmmies are idiots.

I found a thread last week where some DUmmy claimed that just hiring more workers will increase business. 

Just like the Big Zero, DUmmies have no clue how businesses operate.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

blindpig (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-22-11 11:29 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. How about it comes out of the investor's profits?
 
Profits are the result of parasitism.

If they don't like it expropriate without compensation.

Your computer and internet are a result of profits on your labor. You don't need those to produce labor you only need food, shelter, clothing and any tools required for the job. Everything beyond that is profit.

[Rebel]

I found a thread last week where some DUmmy claimed that just hiring more workers will increase business. 

Just like the Big Zero, DUmmies have no clue how businesses operate.

Which is scary. It didn't take me getting my Business degree to make me understand simple economics and simple business finance. It was just plain ole' common sense. ...but alas, at DU common sense isn't.

[Ballygrl]

Yeah, that's really worked well in Europe.

[ScubaGuy]

el_bryanto Donating Member (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Jun-22-11 11:41 AM
Response to Reply #3
7. What a great idea. You're brilliant. But what about companies
   
who don't have shareholders? Or are you saying small business owners are "Investors" and thus deserve to be spit upon? Or, let's not mince words, would you prefer that we just give up on capitalism?

It's kind of sad because your initial idea has a lot of merit.

Bryant

blindpig (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Jun-22-11 11:51 AM
Response to Reply #7
8. No mince here....
   
That is surely the beginning of the end game. For the sake of rationality, humanity and survival Capitalism has got to go.

Define small business, what's the size cutoff? Does the owner do productive work? This ain't about the mom&pops, owner operators, ya know.

 

They repeat the same crap at least a dozen times a week.  The business owners and investors are parasites and simply profit off the working man. Not a single one of them has tried to create their magical co-op to produce windmills, solar cells or hemp rugs.  Totally free of investors, no owners and they all get to split 100% of the profit.

 

[FiddyBeowulf]

blindpig (1000+ posts)      Wed Jun-22-11 11:29 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. How about it comes out of the investor's profits?
 
Profits are the result of parasitism.

If they don't like it expropriate without compensation.

If anyone wanted one word to describe the DUmmies overall philosophy it would have to be parasitism. I just wish we could use a hot needle to get rid of them like you would a tick.

[Carl]

They call us all greedy but not once in all their useless screeds have they ever mentioned what great contribution or service to society they are going to give in return for all the goodies they crave.

[Karin]

If they don't like it expropriate without compensation.

WTF is this?

Goddammit, bring back Tailgunner Joe and the HUAC.  I'm sick of this.

DUmmies, you realize when we highlight this shit here, anybody reading goes screaming into the hills away from democrats. 


   I ****ing hate Communists. 

[I_B_Perky]

I believe France tried this... 20 or 30 years ago... and guess what Dummies? It didn't work then either!!!

Dummies... wanting to try the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I just checked the original DUmmy thread, and it has grown.  Mostly DUmmy blindpig being attacked.  Too much to bring over right now, but it is worth a look.

[Karin]

Most definitely row over! 

[Karin]

The latest post happens to be the DUmbest post of the day:

kentuck  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-22-11 04:48 PM
Response to Original message
51. The 40-hour work week is out of date.
 It should be cut to 30 or 35 hours per week and employees should pressure their employers for pay increases to make up the difference. Good luck on the second part.
 

[jtyangel]

Actually, the better solution would not be a reduced work week, but a more productive one. I'm looking to spend better then half of my work week at home doing the same work I'd do in the office. The balance that creates for me with my family versus work while allowing me to continue to earn my living is just divine. I just think the dummies want to get out of work in any form. Pay the same amount? Really for less productivity?  They touched on consequences there and I'll add another--everyone works 20% less, won't it also take you 20% more time to do your errands...after all, there are less bank clerks, cashiers, doctor's office staff, nurses, etc working. Maybe it will take 20% longer for the cop to jump out of the bushes since their staff is 20% lighter in hours put in on the job. I mean the consequences just will compound...really what they want is a world where THEY work 20% less and most everyone else still works 40 hours a week. How on earth anyone who wants to work 20% less for the same damn pay is not a parasite is beyond me. Really? 20% less, but I'll still take that piece of the pie and that makes them altruistic?  A dumber bunch of miscreants there never was.

[LC EFA]

How is cutting the work week , or increasing wages going to benefit a bunch of slackasses that don't have jobs in the first place ?

Other than making all the goods and services they desire even further out of their financial reach.

[ScubaGuy]

And a shout out to the Cave!

IndyPragmatist (227 posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Jun-22-11 03:51 PM
Response to Reply #37
41. You have issues my friend.
   
I'm not kidding. What the hell is wrong with somebody having something better than you? I don't need a large home. I don't want a large home. Some people do.

Grow up and realize that obsessing over other people is something that most people grow out of by middle school. There are major flaws with our system, but jesus christ, crying over what others have is not the solution. Yes, we should make sure that people don't exploit the system to make massive amounts of wealth, but we shouldn't bring others down out of jealousy. And please, don't give me this crap that you aren't jealous. It is extremely obvious that you are.

"Why do you think you deserve so little?"
Who says 1380 is so little? It's more square footage than I have. It's more than most of my friends have. But here is the difference between us and you, we aren't crying because Bill Gates has more.

TBF Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Jun-22-11 05:05 PM
Response to Reply #41
56. Right - that is the difference.
   
I believe that there should be more equality rather than one man owning more wealth than 1/2 of the country put together. That's wrong in my book, and I'm sorry if you can't see why that's wrong.

TBF Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Jun-22-11 05:07 PM
Response to Reply #41
57. And as for the personal insult -
   
you can go back to the cave and have a laugh, that's fine with me. Enjoy your stay.

[I_B_Perky]

I always get amused when someone posts something that the OP doesn't agree with and they always say "Enjoy your stay". Dummieland, home of free speech, where competing ideas are shared. 

[Rebel]

Dhalgren (1000+ posts)  Wed Jun-22-11 02:22 PM
Response to Reply #28
29. You can work for your bread, like everyone else.
   
All this shit about letting the rich have whatever they dream of and poor folks just have to suck it up? Capitalism can't end fast enough for me. I don't even care if afterword life is ten times harder than now (it won't be, it can only get better for the majority) - just so long there are no rich, that's enough for me...

K&R

How f'n old is this moron? Hey Dhalgren, you moron, name me ONE DAMN COUNTRY where there are NO rich people. Just one. This is why Communism NEVER works. It's not about empowering people and lifting people up, or getting the government out of the way so people can utilize the tools provided to lift themselves up, it's about bringing EVERYONE down, that is, everyone who isn't part of the controlling party. Your problem is you're too f'n lazy to do anything about your pathetic life. "I'M" not a billionaire, but I live quite comfortably as upper middle class and don't begrudge people who are. They're the ones providing the jobs. You know, like those evil Waltons, who are the LARGEST employer in the Damn world.  

This nation has changed the world. There's a reason people are dying and begging to get here. Maybe we should have an exchange program. We'll exchange one of you anti-American ****s for another person who wants to immigrate here.

[I_B_Perky]

This nation has changed the world. There's a reason people are dying and begging to get here. Maybe we should have an exchange program. We'll exchange one of you anti-American ****s for another person who wants to immigrate here.

Yep I bet we could trade two ordinary North Koreans for 1 dummy that wants to go live in a worker's paradise and the two North Koreans would give up a limb just to be able to be here.

[miskie]

Yawn. This same idea comes up at least once a month, where some primitive thinks the best way to solve unemployment is to mandate that people are forced to share jobs.

The irony is that the first people who will come out against this are the unions.

[BEG]

Dhalgren (1000+ posts)             Wed Jun-22-11 05:21 PM
Response to Reply #47
60. I am not a "humanist", I am a human.
   
And if one person is poor, no one should be rich...

 

[FlippyDoo]

I've been giving this unemployment issue much thought and think that I may have come up with a solution that trumps anything that the DUmp minds may suggest. For the first time ever I am going to reveal my plan. Get ready because this is mind blowing.

Do away with our current currency completely. Just put it away. Let it fade into oblivion. The new currency would be Skittles. How would this help you ask? It's simple really. The reason that most people usually work is to earn the money to pay bills. If Skittles became our money no one would have to work. If no one has to work it essentially does away with the problem of unemployment.

Why, you may be asking, would using Skittles as currency relieve us of the burden of having to earn a living? Easy to answer. If you remember it was strongly implied that if we would just lay all of our common sense aside and elect 0 as president we would all have a Skittle-shitting unicorn. Since everyone has a Skittle-shitting unicorn, if Skittles became our official currency everyone would be rich and would not need to work.

Granted, I have yet to receive my Skittle-shitting unicorn, but I'm sure it's just because it's lost in the mail or something. I mean, really, just think of all the good things that were promised to happen if 0 was elected and how they have all come to pass. First there was...uhm...well, there was that...okay...that other thing...uh................sorry...just move along and forget I said anything.