The NYT reports that in a unanimous vote, the Seattle City Council went where no big-city lawmakers have gone before, raising the local minimum wage to $15 an hour, more than double the federal minimum, and pushing Seattle to the forefront of urban efforts to address income inequality. "Even before the Great Recession a lot of us have started to have doubt and concern about the basic economic promise that underpins economic life in the United States," says Council Member Sally J. Clark. "Today Seattle answers that challenge." High-tech, fast-growing Seattle, population 634,535, is home to Amazon.com, Zillow, and Starbucks. It also has more than 100,000 workers whose incomes are insufficient to support their families, according to city figures and around 14% of Seattle's population lives below the poverty level. Some business owners have questioned the proposal saying that the city's booming economy is creating an illusion of permanence. "We're living in this bubble of Amazon, but that's not going to go on," says businessman Tom Douglas. "There's going to be some terrific price inflation."
(Score: 3, Insightful) by jasassin on Thursday June 05 2014, @11:36AM
Ok. In USA you need to make at least 11.5 thousand dollars a year to qualify for healthcare. That gives you the bronze plan. If you are 18 with no parents you MUST make at least 11.5 a year or you pay a $95US fine, because without the subsidies that come over 11.5 insurance is double your salary. Fuck you Obama. Fuck you.
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 05 2014, @11:45AM
Good luck finding a job in the Obama-nation, where job postings are faked to keep HR busy. You can apply, you can even go to an interview, but check with HR later and you will be told that no, no one was actually hired. HR are very very careful to indemnify themselves against lawsuits for fraud, because fraud is their business.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by dublet on Thursday June 05 2014, @12:05PM
I know, right. How dare he not want cancer to bankrupt someone AND kill them? How dare the government care for it's citizens and ensure they don't get financially crippled when, through no fault of their own, they get an illness of some sort? How dare the president of the USA do this thing?
"If anyone needs me, I'm in the angry dome. [dublet.org]"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 05 2014, @12:10PM
Except for Obamacare is too expensive. As an American, I can only afford Reagancare.
(Score: 2) by Oligonicella on Thursday June 05 2014, @12:10PM
How dare he force the VA down everyone's throats?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 05 2014, @12:14PM
You jealous bro? Should have volunteered to serve Obama. He takes care of his homies.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 05 2014, @01:38PM
lshmsfoaidmt
(Score: 1, Troll) by khallow on Thursday June 05 2014, @02:05PM
And the only cost for all this wonderful care and concern is the future of the US.
(Score: 3, Informative) by hoochiecoochieman on Thursday June 05 2014, @03:22PM
Wow, I didn't know the US were so weak that their future is compromised by creating something that all other developed countries already have.
I guess you know something we don't. Maybe we're all too stupid and only you right-wing Americans are smart. If we could only be as smart as you guys we could have a Third-World-class healthcare system [wikipedia.org] which is also by far the most expensive in the world [wikipedia.org]! Now, who would want to change such a wonderful thing?
(Score: 2) by khallow on Thursday June 05 2014, @09:14PM
Ok, here's something I know which you apparently don't. Obamacare didn't create something which all other developed countries have. There are huge dynamics more or less unique to the US system for driving up health care costs such as employer-based health insurance, massive health insurance subsidies which insulate a huge class of people from the cost of their health care, and built-in bailouts for insurance companies who gamble too much. Sure, it might be nice to implement one of these other health care systems and save some money, but that didn't happen.
Another thing which I know which you apparently don't is that every developed world country has problems with rapidly growing health care costs and unfavorable demographic trends. The US just happens to be the worst of the lot by a bunch. But everyone else will be facing these same issues in time and no doubt, making similar bad choices.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by jasassin on Thursday June 05 2014, @08:54PM
I know, right. How dare he not want cancer to bankrupt someone AND kill them? How dare the government care for it's citizens and ensure they don't get financially crippled when, through no fault of their own, they get an illness of some sort? How dare the president of the USA do this thing?
OK smartass I'll bite. So you believe fining people who make less than 11.5 thousand a year is the answer to a monetary deficiency? If that's what you truly believe, you are just as fucked as Obama. Dumb fuckhead.
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A
(Score: 2) by Sir Garlon on Thursday June 05 2014, @01:15PM
If you're over 18 with no parents and making less than 11.5K a year, then you can apply for a hardship exemption [healthcare.gov], dumbass.
[Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
(Score: 1) by meisterister on Thursday June 05 2014, @11:53PM
Why does someone even need an exemption? Why can't we either move to price caps or a socialized system, like every other developed country?
Trying to solve the mess that we have with a massive kludge really isn't going to help much.
(May or may not have been) Posted from my K6-2, Athlon XP, or Pentium I/II/III.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday June 05 2014, @02:04PM
If you are a single person with an annual income of less than 133% of the federal poverty line (currently $15521.10 a year), then you are eligible for Medicaid, and do not pay the penalty.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 1) by compro01 on Thursday June 05 2014, @02:32PM
Only if you live in a state that accepted the medicaid expansion, which is only about half of them.
(Score: 2) by Sir Garlon on Thursday June 05 2014, @03:06PM
And somehow that is Obama's fault, I'm sure.
[Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
(Score: 2) by jasassin on Thursday June 05 2014, @09:26PM
And somehow that is Obama's fault, I'm sure.
Maybe, maybe not, but it is the way it is... and Obama is commander in chief.
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A
(Score: 2) by monster on Friday June 06 2014, @10:07AM
Commander in chief != Emperor
The POTUS has indeed some margin to do stuff, but drafting most legislation is the sole jurisdiction of Congress and Senate, Obama just has the option to veto it (and even his veto can be overturned).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 05 2014, @03:08PM
So don't live in one of the stupid states. I thought that was the whole point of America, you can move freely between the states and they are supposed to be competing with each other.
(Score: 2) by jasassin on Friday June 06 2014, @12:57AM
I thought that was the whole point of America, you can move freely between the states and they are supposed to be competing with each other.
I don't think you grasp the concept of the United States of America. We leave each other alone unless they try to gank our bank. But we do rifle the barrels and machine the bolts.
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 06 2014, @02:55AM
Yea, exactally. Your a states rights kinda country who dont want the feds messin' with ya stuff. And if your state does something stupid compared to other states, just move to a sensible state. Eventually when the better ideas get the kinks worked out the feds can implement the best solution for the country. You know, competition of ideas.
If your state/city goes bankrupt or everyone dies because they have no healthcare the other states/cities benefit from the sensible people realising what's happening and leaving for greener pastures. Stupid people of course will hold those bibles and guns closer and get angry when all the other cities/states leave them behind.
(Score: 2) by isostatic on Thursday June 05 2014, @03:29PM
Right, so what happens if you don't have healthcare? You get hit by a bus and you're left to rot at the side of the road?
(Score: 2) by jasassin on Thursday June 05 2014, @09:12PM
By law emergency rooms must accept you regardless of insurance.
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A
(Score: 2) by monster on Friday June 06 2014, @10:10AM
Right. They accept you, treat your trauma and then give you a nice debt to pay. But it's ok because you are free to choose if a bus hit you.
(Score: 2) by isostatic on Friday June 06 2014, @12:06PM
So how come the family of a 12-year-old girl that got stabbed [bbc.co.uk] is trying to raise money for medical bills?
(Score: 2) by jasassin on Saturday June 07 2014, @09:25PM
I read your link. They want to raise $250,000US. I'll leave it at that.
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A