Theres a graphic going around showing the minimum wage in Denmark, Australia, Germany and France. The amounts, according to the graphic, are $21, $15.81, $11 and $12.35 per hour respectively. Then the U.S. federal minimum wage is listed ($7.25) and the exhortation that the U.S. should catch up with the rest of the world. Last time I checked, there are more than four other countries in the rest of the world. While the total number is in question, 196 seems to be the best answer and most countries appear to have a minimum wage. However, of those 196 countries, 184 have no minimum wage or pay less than the U.S. Of course the graphic fails to mention things like in the U.S. states can set a higher minimum wage than the federal mandate and in fact 23 states already have. The VAT (Value Added Tax) is conveniently overlooked too. All four countries listed have a VAT (the Aussies call theirs a GST--for Goods and Services Tax). No American pays a VAT, but every European does. Sure Denmarks minimum wage may be $21, but everyone there with a job at every income level pays 8% income tax (Americans under a certain income level pay $0) and EVERYONE in Denmark pays a whopping 25% VAT on ALL goods AND ALL services --no exceptions-- (there is no federal sales tax in the U.S. and only some services are taxed and even that varies by state. To recap: out of 196 countries in the the rest of the world 184 nations have no minimum wage or require less than the U.S. -- more if you compare them to the half of the states that requires wages higher than the fed; the U.S. has no VAT, some working Americans pay no federal tax at all while many European countries require everyone at every income to pay income tax. So now that you know a little more than you did before, do you really think the U.S. Needs to catch up to the rest of the world? Maybe there should be a graphic showing the flag of Switzerland, which has no minimum wage, Cuba at $.05 per hour, The Philippines at $.76 an hour and the land of the fabulously wealthy, Saudi Arabia at $3.85.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 04:51:42 +0000
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