Re:Biggest companies pay the least tax, shows new research
by angry_octet on Monday April 06, 2020 @12:26PM
(#22795054)
You have excluded the category 'living wage job + social safety net', a system that seems to work in many countries.
Would Walmart go backrupt or employ noticeably fewer people if wages and taxes were higher? I don't think so, as similar companies exist in many economies with better wages. Is it inflationary? Only if the wages grow disproportionally with the economy (like costs have in health care). Basically richer people are effectively charged more for their shopping, and shareholders see less profit.
People employed at below cost of living wages (reliant on welfare for basics) by definition can't save much, and in the US are excluded from education and quality health care. I couldn't be happy with a system that perpetuates that just to get groceries 1% cheaper.
Even if this is true, benefits + low-wage job is better both for the worker and society than a lesser total entirely from public benefits and no job, so, the WalMart jobs are a net win.
> presumably have worse education
Hence why they can't get better jobs, but punishing WalMart doesn't fix that.
> and health outcomes than the average American.
Probably, that comes from being poor and is exacerbated by a wealth-dependent healthcare system. Again, punishing WalMart for employing them doesn't improve this.