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Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

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Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#341

Post by aidenn0 »

UncleOxidant wrote: post #270
rsweeney21 wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is an interesting idea. Is this an unintended consequence of binding health insurance to your employment? According to the NYT: "During World War II, federal wage controls prevented employers from wooing workers with higher pay, so companies started offering health insurance as a way around the law. Of course, this form of nonmonetary compensation is still pay. When the war ended, the practice stuck." I would mu…

Moving to a single payer system would unleash a lot of latent entreprenurial activity and free companies of all sizes from having to provide health insurance. Great documentary here on the business case for moving to single payer: http://fixithealthcare.com/

I think part of the problem in the US is that the current status is so bad, that everyone has a different proposed solution.

Single payer is also seen as too paternalistic by a large minority of the US, so there is that as well.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#342

Post by [deleted] »

hardtke wrote: post #274
subdane wrote: post #31

Am I nuts, or is the heart of this issue really the fact that our healthcare system is built on tying benefits to full time jobs?

I don't think that changing driers to employee status will necessarily give them health benefits. I'm not an expert, but while ERISA generally requires uniform benefit options for all employees in a similar class, the companies could chose to not schedule the drivers as full time employees, use contract labor services, raise the employee contribution to unaffordable level, etc. Many companies with large numbers of em…

[deleted]

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#343

Post by dumbfoundded »

darkengine wrote: post #312
dumbfoundded wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, pretty much all of the best state economies are extremely liberal (1). I think the anti-tax sentiment on HN is from people who make a lot of money and then realize they have to pay taxes. They attribute their success entirely to themselves and then whine about giving anything back to the environment that enabled them. California certainly has giant problems but don't let it distract you from the big picture. (1…

I'd like to see the p-value on states' political lean vs the size of their economy. Looking at the top 10 state economies on your list, 3 are swing states and 3 are red states, leaving only 4 (far from "pretty much all") as blue states. Even looking 10 states further down, into the top 20, adds 5 red states, 3 swing states, and only 2 blue states.

Your framing of the list is more than a bit disingenuous. 4/5 of the top economies are blue. 6/10 are blue, 1/10 is a swing state, and 3/10 are red (1). When you dive a bit deeper, you can also see that all 3 red states border much bigger and richer blue states (Utah -> Colorado, Idaho -> Washington/Oregon, Arizona -> California). Perhaps a better way is to break it down by district (2). If you look at the house of representatives and sum up the GDP by party, democrats account for ~$10T and republicans account for ~$6T.

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_states_and_blue_states

(2) https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/15/charts-democrats-represent-m...

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#344

Post by fotta »

Another group caught in the collateral damage is people in wheelchairs. Paratransit sucks in most places and where wheelchair accessible Uber/Lyft is available they provide a much better service. This is an especially vulnerable population because it's not like a wheelchair user can just find a friend with an accessible vehicle to take them to appointments, etc.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#345

Post by aidenn0 »

sneak wrote: post #202
subdane wrote: post #31

Am I nuts, or is the heart of this issue really the fact that our healthcare system is built on tying benefits to full time jobs?

I think you can employ W-2-style employees without providing them healthcare. It’s a perk, but not legally required to have a W-2 employee. I think the heart of the issue is the entirely artificial split between the concept of employee and contractor. (Much like the arbitrary split between taxi and car service in nyc.) Making everyone a contractor for every job, with the terms of the job specified in the contract, se…

Does that mean that when I remodel my house, I would have to negotiate on time and materials terms, lest the contractor accidentally underbid and end up with less than minimum wage?

I think the law rightfully distinguishes between truly negotiable contracts and take-it-or-leave-it terms offered by a party with more negotiating power.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#347

Post by ccffpphh »

lefrenchy wrote: post #310
dannyw wrote: post #6

I used to drive for Uber, a few hours a week during my downtime when I was bored and had nothing better to do. The earnings weren’t great, but it was very helpful as an extra. I had a fuel efficient car and kept track of all my expenses for deductions and made above minimum wage. I’ve met plenty of lovely and fascinating people and had great, enjoyable conversations. I barely had any issues with riders. This extra in…

This is where the gig economy shines, when people want to use it to make extra money on the side or push to achieve financial goals. However, by your own admission you did it because you were "bored" and wanted to make some money. Unfortunately many gig workers don't have the privilege. I'm assuming here but you probably had another job and benefits. There are many workers who don't, and are turning to Uber or Lyft j…

What were these people doing before Uber and Lyft came around?

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#348

Post by treis »

sneak wrote: post #202
subdane wrote: post #31

Am I nuts, or is the heart of this issue really the fact that our healthcare system is built on tying benefits to full time jobs?

I think you can employ W-2-style employees without providing them healthcare. It’s a perk, but not legally required to have a W-2 employee. I think the heart of the issue is the entirely artificial split between the concept of employee and contractor. (Much like the arbitrary split between taxi and car service in nyc.) Making everyone a contractor for every job, with the terms of the job specified in the contract, se…

> think you can employ W-2-style employees without providing them healthcare. It’s a perk, but not legally required to have a W-2 employee.

It's not mandated but Obama care did introduce tax penalties for those that don't. Exact rules are complicated.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#349

Post by _red »

qntmfred wrote: post #337
subdane wrote: post #31

Am I nuts, or is the heart of this issue really the fact that our healthcare system is built on tying benefits to full time jobs?

not just healthcare. sufficient income to support the basics of survival in our society are tied to full time jobs as well. companies and their employees would both be better supported if we established a Universal Basic Income.

You also would have to worry about housing payments. A very easy and progressive solution to this problem is that the government should construct housing that citizens can stay in.

While they are at it, they could also provide basic food.

That way, with your UBI, housing, and food you could live a dream life. We won't call them 'camps' though, but give them a hip millenial-approved name. Maybe 'launch centers'?

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