Let's agree not to cause the wealthy to suffer severe anxiety and depression by raising the Minimum Wage to a real living wage all at one time; the billionaires couldn't survive shock therapy.

Median income in Minnesota and in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau:

Median household income, 2008-2012

Minnesota $59,126

United States $53,046

Now; we are hearing a lot from politicians like Minnesota's billionaire governor Mark Dayton, these millionaire labor leaders and the foundation-flowers like Kathleen Blake from Take Action Minnesota that $9.50 or $10.10 is a “good place to begin increasing the Minimum Wage to what they claim will eventually get everyone to a real living wage.

Their claim, is the same claim we here from the employers, that raising the Minimum Wage too quickly will hurt the economy.

So; what do they propose?

They propose saving the economy on the backs of the poorest of the poor.

Let us set aside and ignore the argument that the economy should be saved by the richest of the rich. The rich are very touchy; they don't like to hear this kind of talk. Talking this way sends them into fits of rage and depression. They might pick up and leave Minnesota; or, heaven forbid, they might pack up and leave the United States altogether. So, let's spare the rich the agony that comes with the suggestion that they should be relieved of their wealth through some kind of socialist wealth redistribution scheme.

Remember--- it is the claim of these wealthy employers in the first place that raising the Minimum Wage to a real living wage all at one time would destroy the economy... and, let us not forget their concern for the poor small businessman for whom they don't seem to have much concern for when their monopoly price-fixing scams drive these poor small business people out of business or the high rents they charge these small business people are more than their profits can sustain. I am sorry, I am getting off track here into side issues.

Let me return to the main topic I was intending to respond to: the idea that the Minimum Wage should only be increased gradually and in increments.

It isn't like working people have any right to lay claim to the surge in profits these employers have mysteriously been lavished with.

It isn't like labor is creating this enormous wealth.

It isn't like the problem with the economy stems from these employers hoarding this wealth. These super-rich people couldn't all have “hoarding disorders.”

We live in a country where millionaire labor leaders like to live in harmony and without any strife or struggle between them and the billionaire employers.

You know, we should all be friends; go to the same country clubs, golf courses and resorts--- go along to get along.

Alright.

Here is the deal.

We should decide how long it will take until poverty-waged workers (I know, I know; the proper term is low-wage workers; poverty is such a nasty and upsetting word--- the rich create the poor then can't stand to look at them or hear about their problems [they especially don't want to hear about any problems relating to “cost-of-living”]).

Back to this gradualism and incrementalism that is the “normally accepted” pace of reforms.

It isn't like the Minimum Wage should have been raised to a real living wage since the Minimum Wage Laws were first established back in 1938 or so; right? The pace of reform needs to be slow and very gradual so there is no noticeable impact on profits--- whenever this would be by the time the number crunchers decide?

So; here we go.

Here is my suggestion.

We agree on a date specific at which time the Minimum Wage will become a real living--- non-poverty--- wage.

This could be five years from now--- it could be one-hundred years from now; depending on how gradual and incremental we want the “reform” to be.

In the mean time; lets all come to an agreement that what we will do is all make the exact same sacrifice to save this rotten capitalist economy.

Whether we start with Minnesota's present Minimum Wage of $6.15 an hour or Barack Obama's suggestion of $10.10 an hour--- anyone else have a figure to pull from the hat?

We all agree to accept whatever wage is agreed to and anything and everything above this wage--- including salaries, bonuses and profits--- will be deposited in some kind of federal credit union where these funds will be deposited to be used to finance job creation programs; we are all for creating jobs, right?

Then we just pay everyone the Minimum Wage we all agree on. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, eh?

We don't want to leave the unemployed without income--- and we for sure don't want to pay these lazy bastards for not working.

Or, another solution would simply be to put all wages, salaries, bonuses and profits in a pot and divide it all up every year and we should end up with everyone making somewhere around the “median income.”

Come on, Governor Dayton, Richard Trumka and Bill Gates--- are you willing to make the sacrifice you are willing to saddle poverty-waged workers with?

Median income in Minnesota and in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau:

Median household income, 2008-2012

Minnesota $59,126

United States $53,046

$53,046.00 sounds like a pretty good income to me.