This neocon “pass on the cost” lie is so pervasive it sounds convincing until you think about it for two seconds. If that were true, then I would just “pass on the cost” of my labor and charge my employer more for my wages. But that’s not how the economy works. The shareholders and executives will just make a little less.
It’s a little more nuanced than that. Prices are always set to “what the market will bear.” By complaining about the additional labor costs (or patting themselves on the back for their benevolence), they may be able to shift market attitudes to increase the price, thus 'passing it on."
That’s not how it works because the majority of us don’t get to adjust the rate of our labor on the fly. Passing the cost to consumers literally happens all the time and it’s not a secret.
This neocon “pass on the cost” lie is so pervasive it sounds convincing until you think about it for two seconds. If that were true, then I would just “pass on the cost” of my labor and charge my employer more for my wages. But that’s not how the economy works. The shareholders and executives will just make a little less.
It’s a little more nuanced than that. Prices are always set to “what the market will bear.” By complaining about the additional labor costs (or patting themselves on the back for their benevolence), they may be able to shift market attitudes to increase the price, thus 'passing it on."
That’s not how it works because the majority of us don’t get to adjust the rate of our labor on the fly. Passing the cost to consumers literally happens all the time and it’s not a secret.