Still $5.15 an hour
Attempts to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour were squashed by the Republican lead Senate. It would have marked the first increase in 9 years for America's lowest paid workers. A worker earning minimum wage takes home less than $200 per week. I can't even begin to imagine how workers living in red states are able to survive let alone provide adequately for their families.
It's stunning that Republicans can claim that the tax break was needed to jump start the economy but raising the minimum wage would cause its demise. Republicans claim that tax relief for Americas wealthiest has resulted in a trickle down affect that has benefited the rest of us. By this logic minimum wage laws aren't really necessary since business owners will give their workers additional dollars just because they a great people. Tell that to the 2 million people in America that earn minimum wage.
It's stunning that Republicans can claim that the tax break was needed to jump start the economy but raising the minimum wage would cause its demise. Republicans claim that tax relief for Americas wealthiest has resulted in a trickle down affect that has benefited the rest of us. By this logic minimum wage laws aren't really necessary since business owners will give their workers additional dollars just because they a great people. Tell that to the 2 million people in America that earn minimum wage.
posted by mochi at 6:20 PM
3 Comments:
Why stop at 7.25? Why don't we give more? How about $10 an hour? Nah, messing with the minimum wage doesn't have any effect on inflation or unemployment. Heck, lets make the minimum wage $15 an hour. I don't know a lot of adults who make minimum wage and I live in the "poor south". Most people who make minimum wage are high school and college kids that are still in school. They can raise it though. I don't care. But the idea that raising the minimum wage helps people is a myth. Sure they get a little bit extra, but the raise in minimum wage lessens the value of everybody elses money due to inflation. This is more of a populist issue. It doesn't help a whole lot of anybody but it makes the Democrats look like they care.
There are working adults who only earn minimum wage - I've known them and even been one of them, when no jobs are available and you take what you can get. And no, you can't just move to where better jobs are - it's not like a Steinbeck novel anymore.
I dare anyone who says it doesn't make any difference to try living on $5 an hour for a year.
SheaNC, the world or businesses doesn't owe you a living, any more than they owe you a set wage. Minimum wage could be lived on no matter what the Democrats want to put it at--we live in a nation of spoiled brats and overprivileged--I lived in countries where the "rich" ate rates and sago worms and were happy for that. If one's not educated enough to do better, or not willing to move to the places where jobs are, or are too good to do what the "blacks and mexicans" do, then one deserves to starve. And YES, ANYONE can move to somewhere where jobs are plentiful--I have given many a drifter a bus fare, and I'm sure that someone would do the same for you.
Another thing--there's no harm in working longer than 40 hours--All my life I have had the minimum of two jobs. Thats an easy way to double your wage.
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