Child labor laws

[DJD]

Well it's no surprise that I agree with him on some of this. The idea of doing things the way we have up until this point is crazy. Why not toss an idea out there? Heck would it hurt for some of these kids to learn something besides the gubment will take care of you?
I started working at 15. Because I wanted a Motorcycle and I got it after working bagging groceries for a summer. What makes kids today better than me? Nothing!! My daughter has been helping out with cleaning houses and offices with my exwife for years and she just turned 15.
Of course this will be turned into a bogus topic...conservatives against unions, rich against poor and at some point it will mean blacks against whites. Yes I know there are poor white kids and rich black kids but that doesn't matter. Al Sharpton and the other goons will be up in arms and the whole point of trying something different will be lost.
I was thinking...so what is the answer? Keep tossing billions at schools that have become daycare associations. Anyone been around some of these new schools? They look like Malls and have family planning, police on site and security out the ying yang. Build more? My goodness they build or renovate 10 or more in central KY each year!! Can't imagine what they spend in LA, Chicago and New York?? Maybe there is a threat to unions who bilk billions out of the school systems?? So I do expect Unions to jump up and try to crush Newt.....He is attacking the gravy train of the Unions. Ol' Newt is in for a fight on this one.

[Hlleonard]

It shouldn't be a surprise to anybody that the right wing sees this as a step in the right direction... Don't you think these laws were passed because of practices in the past, just think, some of the small business owners could cut their labor cost by paying 12 year olds half what they have to pay the Mexicans now to do the work they aren't willing to pay a man a fair wage to do... Yeah, the upper class needs this to rape the economy even more.

[kygorski]

DJ are you nutz? I have an 18yr old grand daughter who works 8 hrs a week, and thats not that she dosn't want to work. there are very few jobs in her area for college students.My grand son a junior at purdue who is annhonor student works as a dish washer part time during the summer, not his choice, but its all thats available for a summer college student. He's a math major. I worked part time most of the way thru high school, but those jobs are gone,Retired people carring groceys, no gas jockeys anymore. what gnewt is proposing is a child WPA, who gains???N How many local grocery stores do you see in your travels? My son was a paper boy. ever see very many of those lately? Open your eyes, times have changed, or are you to busy to notice?

[DJD]

Hahahaha I agree times are changing but my point is I worked as a child/young adult and most of my friends did because we wanted motorcycles, cars, clothes or whatever.
Newt isnt talking about a sweat shop like in China. We all know that he isn't talking about having 6 year olds mopping floors or taking out garbage for pizza hut either.
From my understanding of his statements he is talking about these kids who have nothing to do but sit around. Could he be talking 14 year olds? I don't know but my guess is he is talking about that age group. Is he talking 10-20 hours a week? Maybe? I think one positive thing he is saying is that kids who have nothing productive to do but wait around for the next opportunity to do something stupid can be around someone who works and can be mentored(sp?)
Would it be so bad to have some kids help after school to clean the gym? School yard? Heck man look at kids who play sports and see what extra stuff they do after school....like practice or community service or car washes or whatever. This isn't about taking little Johnny out to a school and dropping him and his buddies off for 5 hours a day and saying git r done. It's about trying to get kids in the mode of helping themselves and teaching them a different mentality.
I'm betting there are already community centers that let kids help out with/without pay who may be 14 and old enough to legally work a few hours a week. I'm trying to see this as a positive approach to helping kids and families help themselves while others are saying nope never ever ever can it be considered because they way it works now is best. I call BS on the way it works now and I also call BS if anyone thinks (including newt) that a child labor force that puts in hours of an adult in what's in mind.
Btw....in my area teenagers bag and take groceries out to the car if you need it. Seniors say welcome to walmart or let me check your receipt.