Why won't they raise minimum wage, have you tried to survive on 5.15 hr?

Answer 1

This is because of the high cost of labor in factories and other work sites because Americans demand a higher standard of living when it is leading to economic disaster. The exports of American goods has declined because we are too expensive but you can buy a Japanese camera cheaper in New Yorkthan in Japan because they are flooding markets with less expensive goods but in America we keep raising prices...and losing the sales. I am not saying that you should have a lower living standard, but I do say that we have inflated prices because of the incessant demand for wage increase and other countries haven't. I live in China...my breakfast costs about 16 cents US, a half gallon of purified water costs about 20 cents...I pay $1.50 a month for my telephone bill...costs me 24 cents for a taxi ride of 2 miles....

Answer 2

I have not tried living on 5.15 an hour, but I can sometimes hardly live on my salary. Anyway - beside the point.

Sadly, this is a political question and one that should definitely be addressed. There was a provision in a bill which would have raised minimum wage to $7.25 by 2009. The main legislation of the bill was cutting estate taxes, which the Republicans knew would not pass. So they made a mockery of the bill-making process by attaching this rider to the estate tax bill forcing Democrats to choose - cutting the estate tax (something they don't want to do) vs. raising minimum wage (something they do want to do). Anyway- long story short, the bill eventually failed in the Senate.

Ok - now the underlying implications of this. The federal minimum wage has not been increased since 1997. In the same time, Congressional leaders have GIVEN THEMSELVES raises in excess of $30,000 per year. I know it's a stretch to keep essentially two households active year round, but still... I think a salary of $130,000 can do that. If Congress was robbed of the power to give itself pay raises, that would get a lot of things done quickly. So, the fact that low-wage workers are being screwed by the cost of inflation, as long as the haves keep having, that's what's important, right?

Answer 3

Because to raise minimum wage would mean to inflate all wages across the board. The only people who should be on minimum wage are students. If your looking at it to survive and make a life then you should cash in your chips now and by all means don't have any children. Go back to school or get some job training. There's no reason you shouldn't be making $35 an hour.

Answer 4

It's still easier to survive on $5.15/hr than $0/hr. Minimum wage is a tricky calculation. If it's set too high for the circumstances, then the employers won't pay it and will simply cut jobs and expect people to work harder. It's hard to tell how high is "too high".

Also, many states (and even a city) _have_ already raised minimum wage because cost of living is higher in those states. The minimum wage in California is $6.15/hr, and the minimum wage in San Francisco is $8.50/hr.

Answer 5

The figure they have been paying for minimum wage is absurd . People say raising it will cause hyper-inflation . how do they expect people to afford anything based on minimum wages . I think they should stop clowning around and raise it to $ 10 - or $ 12- an hour !

best of luck !

cheers !

Answer 6

While increasing their own pay by over 30 thousand dollars in since the last time minimum wages was raised our elected EMPLOYEES have turned their back on the people and aligned with large business.

We have the opportunity to change the government through the vote. Get off your sofa and VOTE!

Answer 7

no i haven't!
i feel for minimum wagers, you are the working poor and it's ashame.
do you know that it has been 10 years since they have raised it, yet the lawmakers have given themselves 7 raises in that time period which amounts to more then $35,000.
my suggestion is that the only way they get a raise is that we the people vote for it. perhaps then they will be a little more sympathetic to the 'little guys' plight!
i wish you a payraise soon, good luck!

Answer 8

ok SweEEthEaRt...Look sTudy sOme ecoNOmics...
say theY raise your min. wage ok.......
you pay 3 bucks for a box of ceral ok...
you make some more money....ok
but, then next week when u need more cerael...ok
yOu gonna pay 3.50 bucks......
so, YOu dont make more money, you onlY think you do....ok
is called inflation...make min.wage 10 bucks an hour......ok
dat same box or cereal is gonna cost you 8.45....ok
you dont gots more mula, you only think you do.....ok
stay in school and like study.......so you dont have to live on min.wage......huh....capische?¿? goTTa gooOOO

Answer 9

Hey just becaus elected officials give themselves a raise every year and free transportation what makes you think anyone elese is deserving? Could you live on the 167,000 a newly elected congressman makes a year? CMON!

Answer 10

It sucks, but every time they raise it, everyone raises prices a little more.