... The disappearance of low skill, low paying jobs ...

I don't agree with your (or KB's) logical leap, here.

We have a current pool of low skill, low paying jobs. That pool is disappearing. That does not mean that there will not be other jobs of that type that will open up. Shit, any of those people could go pick the fruit that is rotting in farmer's fields across the US right now, because the migrant workers have been chased away. Now, that type of work isn't for everybody, but some people will do it.

Let's just spin your idea around: We need to preserve shitty jobs, because there are some people who need something to do that doesn't take any skill or mental capacity. Great. Now are you going to champion legislation that prevents 7-11 from automating the cashier job? Or gas station attendants? Or grocery store clerks? Is your legislation going to penalize Amazon's new grocery store here in Seattle that has no employees? The penalties have to exceed the additional profits Amazon is making from not having to pay $15/hr plus bennies to cashiers.

So your legislation worked! Now companies cannot automate their simplest business functions any more.

Now the employees filling these jobs basically have tenure. They don't have to perform at even the most basic level, because their job is federally protected. Now the Amazon grocery store (and all others, as well) become the worst customer experience ever, full of employees who don't give a shit, and don't have to.

Listen, I get it. I get your point.

But this problem is not new. Look at coal miners. Or seamstresses. Or Full Service gas stations.

This problem has existed, without a good solution, for generations.

The reason why Walmart can pay $6.25/hour is because that employee is being supported by federal programs (welfare, food stamps, medicaid, etc) to the tune of $8.75/hr.

If Walmart doesn't pay the living wage of (call it) $15/hour, someone else IS paying for it.

And that "someone else" is me. Left Coast Democrat(ish) white upper middle class urbanite tech worker with a good-paying job.

And I'm OK with supporting those who need help. I like the social safety net, and wish it was more comprehensive. (UBI)

I am not OK with subsidizing Walmart because they have a cynical business model that abuses our social safety net for their corporate profits. That's just a pipe from my pocket to Bill Walton's bank account, with the Federal Government as the middleman.

It sucks that low-wage jobs are going away. I agree. But that pressure on the market, and that availability of low-skilled labor will generate other market opportunities that we can't imagine right now. Any time there is a surplus of something, the system will find a way to make money from that surplus. It always happens. We need to let it happen, and we need to ensure these people have a working social safety net to protect them from the down times, that isn't just a corporate giveaway.

(I think.)