The government is complaining about welfare and all...but they expect people to live off off crap? I don't know about where you all live, but min. wage is only 5.15 in Ohio. It just isn't enough for how much inflation has rose in the last 10 years. What's your opinions?
216563
The United States Congress is currently considering a law that would increase minimum wage to about $7.25. I am just above the current minimum wage and would love to make $7.25, the only problem is economic effects that this could have on the country. Due to the huge rise in wages companies would have to pay out, they would be forced to raise prices to make up for that difference. That would cause the standard of living to increase, which would have a negative impact on our economy and perhaps bringing us back to this same issue. Again I do believe in a high minimum wage, but perhaps (and hopefully) smaller increases over a long period of time would remedy this problem.
467481
People of ALL races will lose jobs. Prices will rise, then they promised to raise minimum wage again. It will be a vicious circle of inflation!\n\n\nInstead, why not install a national Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) or all?
595394
Since 1997 the minimum wage has remained the same...despite rising costs of EVERYTHING!  Yet congress o.k.'d a raise for themselves.........Aren't republicans repulsive?
503119
I work in welfare. 1/4 of the people honestly are in need, maybe they lost their job or they are a housewife whose husband left them with 4 kids and no job skills- they just need temporary help to get back on their feet. OR maybe they are working a minimum wage job and just cannot make ends meet- but those are few and far between<-- please believe. Another 2/4 are either elderly or disabled and cannot work. The last 1/4 ARE lazy bums that strive to have 10 kids just to increase their food stamp amount. (The lucky ones end up with over $2,000/month in child support so they don't have to work- chose your "lays" wisely, ladies). Then there are the single men who have 4 kids and won't work cause they don't want to pay child support (but who can blame them when child support takes more than half their checks when they do work). There are all kinds- not all fit neatly into a stereotype.
46907
The cost of living has gone up tremendously. The living wage has not. So, overall, I would say most are really struggling to afford to live A very elite few are getting by, actually paying their way without using credit. Very few!
386486
Your boss is right! If the minimum wage goes up, so will unemployment! Did you ever think about looking for a job somewhere other than a fast food restaurant? Maybe you haven't noticed, but the economy is the best it's been in a long time and the unemployment rate is at 4.4 % which is lower than the average for the last 30 years!  You see, Bush did something right, and it's all because of the tax cuts (which everyone got! Not just the rich like you left wingers seem to think)
568223
IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON THE MINIMUM WAGE IS $7.25/ HOUR, ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION.  UNFORTUNATLY WASHINGTON IS ALSO HOME TO SOME OF THE HIGHEST PERSONAL TAXES IN THE NATION.  THE HIGHEST GAS TAXES IN THE NATION TOO.  SO WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO.  YOU COULDN'T LIVE ON THE MINIMUM ANYWAY
223978
Would everyone like to earn more money?  Sure thing, from that standpoint it sounds great.\n\nBut the problem is this, when you raise the minimum wage, prices will go up in the market, reducing the effect of the wage increase.  Job availibily will go down, because the USA will become less competitive on the international market from a price standpoint.  The same people who received the "raise" will have the highest potential to lose their job.\n\nIf you look at the minimum wage as what you're going to earn, then you need to wake up, start learning some new things, find a new way to earn, find a better job, do something different.\n\nIf you're living in the USA and making minimum wage, it's your choice, opportunity is available, you just have to pursue it everyday!!
569459
People I've met that stay on welfare end up in a better financial situation then working full-time for minimum wage. Plus if you have children who need daycare, you end up working to pay the babysitter. It's a shame b/c continuing their education would get them a better job but either they don't think of it that way or they're lazy and don't want to try. This country definitely needs welfare reform AND disability reform. I've seen too many people take advantage of the system!
209109
LEARN TO READ YOU INOR***T WET*A*K!!! AINT NO GOOD WETBK JUST GOOD AN DEAD WETBKS! Keep mouthing off, I'm just sittin back watchin ur ppl dig themselves a bigger grave. LMAO May 1st! It aint gonna make no difference to the economy it's just making people angrier......so by all means keep doin watcha's doin!
232420
"Who, else is gonna help bring the crops in at 4.00 an hour and not complain? "  Since minimum wage is $5.15/hour, the farmers are breaking the law.\n\nIllegals draw welfare by stealing people's social security numbers and identities. That means there are a lot of people being directly hurt by these people as well. Innocent people are having their credit ratings ruined, having IRS problems, and social security problems. If someone who has had their social security number stolen gets married, if either spouse dies or become disabled then they can be denied their benefits. \n\nMy family moved to the US before WWII. Those of my family that didn't make it over got killed by the death camps. Our family assimilated to the American culture. We didn't expect the Americans to change to suit us. The illegal immigrants from Mexico are not civilized like that.\n\nThey not only changed the National Anthem to Spanish, they changed the words. They already burn our flag and hang our flag upside down. They waved the Mexican flag during a lot of their protests. Some schools have stopped hanging the American flag and forbidden students from wearing clothes with any part of the American flag on their clothing all to keep from offending the Mexicans. It's nothing short of an attack of our country, not only by the illegal aliens, but those who seek to appease them. \n\nI am tired of the stereotype that Americans wouldn't do the work that illegals do. Illegals do all kinds of jobs for less than minimum wage which drives the wages down for U.S. citizens. Construction jobs are an example. There are lots of illegals doing construction jobs that Americans used to do because the companies can keep more of the profits if they pay less for the workers. All that does is make companies wealthier and Americans poorer. Illegals are stealing jobs that Americans have done for years. \n\nIf you go to a country and refuse to assimilate, continuing to speak your own language then you are really not an immigrant -- you're a colonist ... and that's what the Mexicans are doing, they're colonizing the American Southwest as part of their "reconquista" Read about mecha in the link I provided and you'll see what the Mexicans real agenda is.\n\nhttp://www.americanpatrol.com/MECHA/MEChAindex.html
183683
Here is the delema. The reason that there is so much of a stink is. The illegals are getting offered wages for like, $3 and hour, which is targeted at them to give the employer cheaper workers, just an example. This is below minimum wage, and illegal. An illegal immigrant will take this, and can't complain because they are illegal. Now if the same job was offered at minimum wage. Granted alot of people aren't going to take the job, but there would be more people inclined to take it. No one in there right mind, if they are legal, is going to take a job at $3. So how they are saying that americans won't do those jobs, is inaccurate, because these jobs aren't being offered at legal wages. The American may have little education, but you know what, they are still citizens, and should have atleast a chance at the job, at minimum wage. When they are saying that the wages are low, they don't mean minimum wage low, like Mcdonalds. They mean unsustainably low and illegal. The reason they can live on these low wages is, if there are a bunch working, they all get a small place and use the money together to live there.
429349
Earnings growth is declining, except that is, for the city bankers who are expecting bonus growth this year of 25%.\n\nThe influx of migrants from the Eastern European states is having it"s effect. They are prepared to work for a lower wage and this has a "knock on" effect. They are also prepared to sleep 3/4 to a room in cheap bed & breakfasts.\n\nInflation is at 2.5%, which is 0.5% above the target, so gordon will try to keep wage demands as low as possible.\n\nIt would be nice if, Gas - Electricity - Council Tax,etc. only increased by 2.5%, but no, these charges have gone through the roof.\n\nI read a report about a month ago, that Gas was so plentyful, that the importers were "paying" the distributors to take it off their hands. Did prices come down? Not on your life.\n\nAnyway, back to the subject, I think we should do as other countries are doing, and restrict the number of immigrant to fill only the jobs that are vacant.\n\nYou won"t get a job in America unless it can"t be filled by an American citizen. We should have a similar scheme.\n\nPut the onnus on employers to "prove" that they have tried everything possible to fill the vacancy using the indiginous population.\n\nWages going down, bills going up, more and more people getting into debt. It"s all going to explode soon.
340527
You have the most comical misspellings I've seen today. \n\nBut I agree with you. What we all need are good public employee-union jobs. We'd be pretty much set for life--and that's not right.
485542
Boy am i with you look at the question i asked a couple of hours ago!!!!\n\nI'm sick to the back teeth of handing all our hard earned wages over to them.\n\nWe will be taxed the "AIR" we breathe before long, and i don't think that is to far retched!!!\n\n\nI am with you all the way, good luck to you and yours.\n\nAnd this is to the people "Who have obviously have a few quid in their pocket" \nIt's not that we don't expect to pay tax, stop being so jumped up!!!\n\nWe are just fed up of getting screwed over????
294189
There is a lot that makes me upset about taxes!The fact that my taxes go to pay wages of some slacker government employee upsets me. I don't want to pay them to take more rights away from me they have done that enough, thank you.My parents now pay more in taxes per acre, than my grandfather payed per acre to buy the farm. Not fare? nothing is anymore.we are worse off in this county than we have ever been.the poor get poorer, the rich get richer.
430347
It ought to be mandatory to get food assistance in 3rd world countries where they are producing babies as fast as they starve to death, but it's not a bad idea here, especially if they are 3rd generation welfare recipients. I'm one of the working pooor who gets annoyed at people on food stamps driving better vehicles than I have, have their rent paid for, who whine about not getting more money and spitting out babies to get more benefits. Gee, I guess I'm developing an attitude :P