According to Chattanooga Times Free Press, “There is the push to free business from the suffocating grasp of child labor laws. Republican lawmakers in Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri and Ohio have advanced legislation to make it easier for children as young as 14 to work more hours, work without a permit and be subjected to more dangerous working conditions. The reason to loosen child labor laws is to deal with a shortage of low-wage workers in those states. There are other ways to solve this problem — you could raise wages, for one — but in addition to making life easier for the midsize-capitalist class that is the material backbone of Republican politics, freeing businesses to hire underage workers for otherwise adult jobs would undermine organized labor and public education, two bêtes noires of the conservative movement.”
Granted, these new laws are not analogous to children working in mines and factories of the 19th Century, but they are the modern-day equivalent of that. And I speak as a person who did start working at the age of 14. At that age and in my state, I needed a permit from my Junior High School to work, and there were plenty of restrictions on what I could and could not do, how long I could work, and when I could work. All of this was ultimately provided that my school grades did not suffer — which was never an issue. Fortunately, all the money I earned was mine to do with as I pleased. Looking back at these restrictions, I am glad they placed limits because I made pocket money and retained aspects of my childhood. I was also fortunate to have an exceptionally great boss as a kid.
Does anyone believe RepubliKKKlan legislatures intend to afford children an opportunity to make pocket money or create a strong work ethic at an early age? Hell f***ing no! As the article correctly pointed out, the relaxation of child labor laws is to drive down wages and engender opportunities for employers to take advantage of children by having them perform job roles adults — apparently — don’t want or demand too much money to do. Recall the federal government busting meat planets for employing children labor to clean during the third shift. Just imagine what employers will be allowed to get away with when laws are relaxed. And I find it exceedingly rich that these RepubliKKKlan states are so afraid of their children growing up too fast by being exposed to (banned) books and (prohibited) ideas but are more than willing to push children into the adult labor force with an explicit motivation for employers to prey on a child’s work efforts. Too young to understand sex education and sexual orientation but young enough to serve alcoholic beverages — as if they’ll never be tempted to take a sip — or work dangerous fryers. So, they can be exposed to all these adult activities but must be shielded from the gays. This is what a dying country looks like. Welcome to stupid America!