Employers say it means job cuts because of the increased cost of labor, and their employees are saying they can't get by on $13,000 a year. What do you think and why? What role should the government play in the working family household?
2006-08-04 11:53:33 · 5 answers · asked by Maybe I know, maybe not 2 in News & Events ➔ Current Events
Absolutely, it is literally a crime that they haven't. Congress has given themselves several raises since the last time the minimum wage was raised.
I vote we raise the minimum raise the same percent that congress awards themselves from now on.
2006-08-04 12:00:16 · answer #1 · answered by amish-robot 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I do think the minimum wage should be raised. Right now, people making minimum wage have to work 3 jobs, usually not full time just to make ends meet (working 40 hrs a week 52 weeks a year is only $10,3XX, $5000 below the poverty line). Even if they lost one of their jobs but were making $7 per hour that would be, for a the same amount of work, is $14,560, almost a 50% pay raise.
This pay raise will also help the economy. Currently the people making minimum wage, after tax have (roughly, and before deductions) about $8,000. After housing costs, that drops to about $4,000 before food and utilities. That means that they can barely scrape by and have no money to put back into the system. If they have a 50% raise, they will have 50% more money to put back into the system (roughly a total of $6,000). Since the middle class and this class spend more money than the upper class, this means it will strengthen the economy.
2006-08-04 19:59:23 · answer #2 · answered by John J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes they should. But it should be a clean bill with no riders attached. That's why it didn't pass. And yet Congress has managed to give itself 7 raises since 1997, to the tune of over $31,000. In 1986 I was making slightly more than $10,000.00 per year. I was supporting myself and 2 kids with almost no help from their deadbeat dad. And I couldn't make ends meet. Had to apply for Food Stamps. And prices are much higher now. It's no wonder families can't live on minimum wage.
2006-08-04 19:36:21 · answer #3 · answered by celticwoman777 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it should be raised, no one can live off of that amount of money. Where in the world can you pay rent/mortgage on that amount of money. You'd end up on some government sudsidy, so some way the gov't will be helping you anyway. (Well it's our tax money anyway!) I say raise it! Americans like to eat and have a roof over there head too and not have to make a choice between the two!
2006-08-04 19:18:28 · answer #4 · answered by phillyprincess 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It's really not keeping pace with inflation. For that matter, when you adjust for inflation, the average salary today is lower than it was in 1975.
2006-08-04 19:01:56 · answer #5 · answered by Chi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋