Lower Class Americans Raise Minimum Wage

A full time worker earning $7.25 an hour will make approximately $15,080 a year (“Minimum Wage”). That’s barely more than what students pay for housing and food at some colleges, and we expect a family to live off of this? The poverty line is at $20,000 for a family of four, so how are these people supposed to raise their children in a healthy environment while working full-time to not even be on the poverty line? If this raise is done correctly, employment and prices won’t be hurt, and we will only be helping our nation’s hardest workers. “Katrina Gill is a certified nursing aide. She monitors 28 patients from 10:30pm to 7am, checking vitals, preventing bedsores, and changing diapers. She makes $14,400 a year with no benefits. She currently has $160,000 worth of medical debt from her son’s cancer care” (Conlin). “Joseph Schiraldi guards the Empire State Building, one of the biggest terrorist targets in the world, for eight hours every-single day. He makes $7.50 an hour in the nation’s most expensive city with no pension, no health care, and no sick days” (Conlin). How is it fair that hard-workers are forced to live below poverty, when raising the federal minimum wage would not have any major negative effects on our economy? Although some people believe that it is unnecessary to raise the federal minimum wage, while looking at the facts it is necessary to realize the benefits it would bring.

They may say I am looking at this issue from one point of view. Many higher class Americans would probably object when I said that minimum wage should be raised. They will stand with the fact that with hard work you will get to better places, which I believe it does but I still believe that minimum wage should be raised. They are coming with facts they read, but I and many other americans are seeing and living it. We are the ones who see it with our own eyes in the streets, see people holding up signs that they need help financially. We are the ones hearing their stories personally, and helping them with a dollar or food. Higher class people are only reading it and since they do not physically live it, they won't understand where financially unstable families or homeless people are coming

The income inequality gap is a huge problem when 1% makes more than the 99%. The Debate that is happening right now is whether the United States of America should raise the federal minimum wage or not. They are plenty of pro and cons for raising the federal minimum wage. The federal minimum wage is 7.50 an hour, but many states and cities have a different minimum wage depending on the states, city, and cost to living in that city/state. The Los Angeles city council has passed a city ordinance to raise the city's minimum wage, which would increase the minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour by 2020. Other citizens across the country have been rallying for their cities to raise the minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour, while some a little

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.

Wealthy people in America are incapable of understanding the fact that the actual minimum wage, after being adjusted for inflation has continued to fall in the past 50 years. After adjusting for inflation the calculated minimum wage of the late 60’s would be $10.90, which is significantly more than todays $7.25. The unemployment rate of 1969 was 3.5 percent compared to today’s unemployment rate of 5 percent. So that alone lays to rest all the arguments claiming that a higher

When it comes to raising the minimum wage, it 's an essential (U.S dept. Labour)ingredient in entering a stable economic society. Congress must raise to the challenge or face the consequences of a declining economy. With more than 70 percent of working class people working on minimum wages, the economy will surely benefit from giving them an increase. If they refuse to make an advancement towards the situation; we will make it very difficult for our future generations to raise out poverty. Help the working class people of American and pave a brighter road to our future economy. Lift the spirits of the American by giving them a raise. The cry of millions of American citizens living in poverty is most important to the economy. Whereas, raising

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 14% of the nation lives below the poverty line, the current population is 326,474,013, and 45,706,362 of the population lives in poverty every single day. One of the reasons why such a large chunk of the population is in poverty is because they are not being paid a reasonable salary for them to support themselves and their families. Raising the minimum wage can lead to problems, but gradual increases are made over time, it could be beneficial for millions of people around the nation. The positive effects of raising minimum wage is what makes it worth it. A raise in minimum wage can be beneficial; however, it must be a

To start off, the minimum wage needs to be increased as soon as possible in order for it to compensate to the inflation of prices seen over the years. Prices are constantly on the rise and that is due to natural inflation that reflects the U.S. economy. However, what hasn’t been changing is the minimum wage. Currently, the minimum wage does not automatically adjust to inflated prices. Instead, for the wage to rightfully increase congress must pass new legislation for there to be a federal minimum wage increase to take place in the country (“Minimum Wage”). The problem here is seemingly apparent. Prices keep rising but the minimum wage still remains stagnant. This causes countless numbers of families to face a dip into the poverty level and worry no longer about being able to support and sustain their family. No parent should ever have to face a grim reality where there is seemingly no feasible hope for their children to live

Americans are worried about how the minimum wage will be change to best fit everyone’s needs. There are 45 million families living in poverty that can’t get out no matter how hard they try. The economy will undoubtedly be affected if the minimum wage will be changed raising of the minimum wage will reduce the amount of some jobs. Over the years inflation has caused controversy on how the minimum has not gone up with it. Additional actions will be needed to take people out of poverty then just raising the minimum wage. In order for there to be a smooth transition there needs to be more done before just raising the minimum wage. One looking through the economic lens can see that this a huge topic and very contraversonal.

People all across America believe that minimum wage is a good thing and helps people without an education have a normal life, however others believe it is causing poverty and homelessness among the citizens. Minimum wage was made to provide enough money to live just above the national poverty line.But over the years the cost of living has increased while the minimum wage hasn’t. Today, the national minimum wage is $7.25, which is less powerful than the minimum wage was in 1968. This is because the minimum wage was $1.60 per hour, which seems low but back then $1.60 was enough to support a three person family, whereas today the minimum wage can barely support one person. All throughout  the U.S., workers have been fighting for a higher minimum

The federal minimum wage needs to be increased to keep up with inflation. Most wages are increased to keep up with inflation, but those at minimum wage tend not to see one so the employer can cut costs. Fortunately, some states have already fought this by raising their minimum wages to keep up with the cost of living in that area. If the minimum wage was changed with inflation, it would have been $11.16 in January of 2016 (“Should the Federal”). The lack of wage raises, along with the reduction in purchasing power, greatly affects the poor. Obviously, they have much less money to begin with; taking anything away from the poor hurts them greatly. According to Senator Bernie Sanders, “Since 1968, the minimum wage has lost more than 25 percent of its purchasing power (“Should We Raise”).” This loss in purchasing power will only continue. Inflation always

To begin, there is an extensive debate over whether if the U.S were to raise minimum wage, could it really help the working poor of low income families. Nancy Cook, in her article from the National Journal, “Why a Minimum-Wage Hike Can’t Help the Poor”, she points out that two thirds of around 100 surveys from 2007 had a negative effect and that it does more for the middle class than the lower one. (p.14). So, therefore, from her

The conflict perspective for raising the minimum wage is between the upper class that runs large corporations and the lower class that works at minimum wage salaries. Lower class people want to make a higher minimum wage and the wealthy class does want to increase their wages because they want to keep making a large profit. Also, The upper class or wealthy control

One cause of income inequality is the real value of the minimum wage has decreased 32% since 1968, it was $10.71 in 1968 and now it is $7.25. This weakens economic stability because a dollar bought nearly 7 times the amount of goods in 1968 than today, leading to inequality, poverty, and forcing Americans to rely on government assistance. Companies can raise their prices a little to offset an increase in wages without consumers responding, shown in the Fried Haddock Dinner effect. Americans against raising the minimum wage need to understand that they are already subsidizing these low-income workers by paying for the social safety net they rely on, so they might as well transfer that money to pay them an

Those living in the United States of America are experiencing some economically dark times. Unemployment is becoming increasingly worse. Social programs are failing. Prices everywhere are on the rise as wages are declining drastically. Class division has never been more distinct. Of those lucky enough to have secured the multiple jobs needed in order to maintain their subsistent existences, most make only a minimum wage, established by their state’s laws, which is then harshly taxed upon. Life is hard enough in our dying superpower of a nation, but even worse for the work force of America that must survive on minimum wage. It is an offending disappointment that our fellow countrymen and women must live the way they do. This raises a