How Minimum Wage Should Be Increased

One may feel that the American dream is not alive due to the economy. Our country is in $17,267,498,701,548, 34 dollars of national debt as of February 10, 2014 (U.S. National Debt Clock). Due to this there is higher interest rates which keeps the value of the dollar higher, which may make it harder to obtain. The country has slower economic growth and weaker job markets, most interest rate profits will not go towards the public. The national debt also results in higher taxes which helps raise more revenue. One last effect of the national debt is higher inflation which could lead to a lower standard of living. This view is un adequate due to the statistice that the debt has decreased by thirty-five percent over the past years (Truthout).

The minimum wage debate has been a hot topic over the past year, especially with the Presidential Election. This is a divisive topic that people rarely agree upon. There are essentially two sides you can take when it comes to this argument. Either people are for minimum wage or are against raising, or even having, a minimum wage. Proponents of the minimum wage are typically politicians who are lobbying for the vote of the people who feel that a minimum wage is critical to their wellbeing, and those who sympathize with people who earn “minimum wage”. Minimum wage is destroying America’s free market economy and someone needs to take action and find a better solution to this problem. Without anyone acting on this problem now, it can potentially be worse in the long run. Raising the minimum wage in the United States will do more harm than good to society because of the long-term effects.

The topic of raising minimum wage seems to attract a multitude of controversy. On one side, experts agree that raising a family on one minimum wage salary is almost impossible for someone who puts in fairly large work hours. Nonetheless, business owners agree that increasing these salaries will result in significantly less jobs, as well as force them to increase the prices on their consumer products. Federally, minimum wage workers earn $7.25 an hour, totaling up to $15,080 annually, with approximately six hours of working time per day. However, the price varies with state, with places like Massachusetts and Washington paying $11 to workers hourly.

What kind of pay would you demand if you were expected to clean dirty toilets, pick up germy trash, and deal with customers who are nasty, rude and disrespectful to you while you are serving them? Would you do it for three dollars an hour? What about seven or eight dollars an hour? Well, many minimum wage jobs involve such duties as these. However, the minimum wage here in Illinois is only $8.25 per hour (US Dept. of Labor, 2014). In Indiana, the state where I work, it is a dollar less than that (US Dept. of Labor, 2014). The following information will discuss reasons why this wage should be increased and the benefits that accompany an increase for all of us regardless to whether we earn the minimum wage or a higher a wage.

minimum wages are struggling to live on a salary that is below the poverty threshold. In 2012, the U.S census posted that in a family of three; their income is 18,552, (U.S Census). In most case, one member of the family is working on a minimum wage salary which is below 18,552, (U.S. Dept. of Labor). It has been almost a five years since congress has raised the minimum wage (Huff Post). Throughout my argument, I will share my thoughts as wells as facts on why congress should agree to raise the minimum wage. We

For example there is a big gap in the amount people get paid in the state in Nebraska, where the tipped wage is $2.13 and the general wage is $9.00 an hour. It is also unfair because in other states like Montana, Nevada and California have little to no gaps, this means that these states are being payed the same amount in tipped wage and general minimum wage.

One of the most urgent problems facing the State of Florida is the millions of people residing in the state who live below the poverty level. With many more residents facing food insecurity and a housing crisis, it is clear that something must be done to address these social ills. Out of numerous possible solutions to alleviate the poverty and inequality plaguing the state, only one has the potential to do so without increasing the burden already placed on taxpayers. With that in mind, I will be creating a policy brief which advocates for an increase to minimum wage. This brief will show that raising the minimum wage to $10.00 per hour has the potential to reduce the number of individuals on welfare (and thus reduce tax burdens) and to ease

In the United States, a minimum wage is at its lowest at 7.25 and its highest is 10.50. That is a big gap from low to high. It’s not a 25 cent difference, but a 3.25 cent difference. I work a minimum wage at Arby’s and make 8.05 an hour. I have been working there for two months and have no idea how long I will be staying in this position of employment. I may be here for two years or as long as five years. What if they raised the minimum wage? Would it make me stay longer or leave sooner? However, I don’t plan on staying here long term because I want to continue my education and take my chances at making a much higher wage than anything fast food could give me. The chances of me rising through the corporate ranks to make enough to want

It is a good economic policy to increase the minimum wage for low income earners. Increase the minimum will help these individuals get out of poverty, make a good living and afford better health care coverage. In addition increase the minimum wage will help individuals to take care of themselves and stop rely on social program and government assistances. Thus at this point the big concern is to decide how much to increase the minimum wage.

We cannot afford to increase the minimum wage five dollars more. If we do move the minimum wage up to 15 $ we’d be making it more difficult on ourselves to afford things.

If your social media circles are anything like mine, you don’t have to scroll very far down your facebook dashboard before you see a ubiquitously shared, ‘liked’ and commented on post disapproving of raising the federal minimum wage. The post may have a picture of a soldier, a disheveled EMT in the back of an ambulance, or a waving American flag with overlying text stating something to the effect of ‘“Burger flippers” think they should be paid as much as these minimum wages workers? No way!’ If my experience on social media is any indicator, the most popular posts always contain “burger flipper” or “baconator.” Posts like the ones described above make moral judgements about the minimum wage with little evidence for those judgements and the flurry of comments that follow often fail to elucidate the key arguments for either the proponents or opposition of raising the minimum wage. In this paper, I will argue that the federal minimum wage should be increased by assessing both value judgements and pragmatic economic arguments to dispel some of the most well-worn of arguments by those who oppose. I will attempt to prove that the minimum wage is not feasible for meeting workers’ needs while discussing the historical context of the minimum wage, discuss human motivation as related to the minimum wage, and disprove common economic arguments borne of catastrophizing.

Imagine trying to live off of minimum wage. Currently, that is only $7.25 an hour it is very difficult but millions of people worldwide do. That is why I am here, to raise the minimum wage. Even if we could get it up to “$10.10 an hour from $7.25 it would lift 900,000 people out of poverty.” The Congressional Budget Office estimates. Imagine if we could raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour that would help lift A lot more people out of poverty.

When you are placing an order at a restaurant, I bet it doesn’t occur to you who is the person that is preparing your meal. Typically, the people working in that environment are teenagers and adults who are supporting their families. And if we go further into thought, you may find yourself wondering on how people can make a living at the current minimum pay. Like some teenagers, I found myself in that person’s shoes behind the register working for minimum wage. And from my experiences I began to realize how difficult it is to live off a small amount of pay and support a family or even have a solid future. A thought begins to form and it poses a question on how can a person be considered poor if they are

Increasing the minimum wage doesn't seem good for the British economy, it would do more harm than good. Giving people a more livable wage is great but I think it's more complicated than just increasing the minimum wage. As mentioned in the article it puts people like Ms. Von Der Heyde in difficult situations. Increasing the minimum wage seems to only be a realistic idea for big companies. Businesses with thousands of customers could potentially increase their prices by a small amount and have enough to account for the higher wages. While a small business such as the Georgian House Hotel would have to substantially increase prices or cut workers to afford the higher wages.

Raising the pay of one’s workers is proven to increase productivity in the workplace: Worker productivity increased 104% while the minimum wage rose 101% between 1947 and 1973 (Henderson). Common sense also plays a role here. If you were being paid a penny an hour when you really deserve a quarter an hour, would you work your hardest? Would you begin your work enthusiastically at full-throttle? No, you wouldn’t, and the second you saw a better opportunity at another place of employment, you would jump to it. Why should you feel loyal towards a job or company which does not pay you enough to live? The federal minimum wage should be raised in order to ensure the effort and loyalty of workers.