Should I care about the minimum wage? Why or why not?

Answer 1

No, not really. The minimum wage issue is purely an election year ploy so that politicians can look like they've accomplished something to their constituents.

The federal minimum wage is $5.15, but each state and some cities set their own. These range from $5.15 to as much as $10.33.

Raising it is absurd. Why? Because it will actually cause job creation to DECREASE. Minimum wage jobs were intended for entry-level workers with little to no skills, not as a career position. It also encourages employers to either hire illegal labor or pay labor off the books. These jobs are designed for young people to gain work experience (at a lower wage) and then move up and make more in another position with more resposibility. Some of these jobs are also held by retirees looking to augment their income. Also, many are given increases after a period of 90-180 days.

As an employer, you're likely to either do without more employees to avoid the increase, pass the cost on to your customers, or reduce your staff to combat the increase. Or simply avoid creating mimimum wage jobs in the first place.

As of 2004 there were some 74 million hourly workers in the US. Of those ONLY 520,000 earned the federal level minimum wage of $5.15, while 1.5 million were paid less (usually waiters/waitresses, and tip-based employees). This means the balance EARNED MORE!

As I said, minimum wage workers tend to be young. About half of all hourly-paid workers earning $5.15 were under age 25, and about one-fourth were age 16-19. Among teenagers, about 9 percent earned $5.15 or less. About 2 percent of workers age 25 and over earned the minimum wage or less. Among those age 65 and over, the proportion was 4 percent.

Why increase the mimimum when it would impact only 2 million people out of a population of almost 300,000,000?

Answer 2

Yes you should, but not for the reasons most people will give. Minimum wage HURTS the economy. It is the #1 cause of inflation. It should be done away with. If you don't believe me, I suggest you pick up the Wall Street Journal at your local library and look through the archives to find articles on Minimum Wage. It's frightening how hurtful this is to the US economy.

Answer 3

You should care about the minimum wage. $6 isn't bad for a high school kid that wants spending money. when the minimum wage was started it was supposed to be a "living wage", now people can't survive on that.

Answer 4

Have you ever worked for minimum wage? Have you ever been kicked in the balls? They are similar.

If you care about Immigration you should.

With higher wages, Americans looking for jobs that could actually support their families, will take the minimum wage paying jobs that many say only immigrants will work.

Answer 5

Jack, I think that everyone should care about the minimum wage. When you lift something it is better to lift from the bottom. When the minimum wage goes up so does everybody elses. Does it raise prices, yes, but profits go up at the same time. So it is good to lift from the bottom.

Answer 6

Everyone who says that minimum wage causes inflation is full of it and don't have any facts to back them up.
The fact is that inflation has doubled or tripled the cost of just about everything in the last 10-15 years but wages have not changed at all. What was considered middle-class back then is still considered middle-class except now they can barely afford to pay their bills.

Answer 7

Yes, you might have a minimum wage job at some point in time.

Answer 8

Well Republicans and Democrats don't think its very important, but they are just trying to get that toaster they were promised if they can make it 10 years without raising it.

Answer 9

not if you get paid 5 times as much like I do

Answer 10

Only if you are making it.