To those against an increase in the minimum wage : Did you ever have to work for minimum wage or?
951939
I used to work on minimum wage for many years. Yes it sucks and it too low to live on - BUT - it taught me that I needed a good education and inspired me to excel because I knew I would never want to be that poor again! I came from lowly background and paid my way thru college (jobs, loans, scholarships) - nothing inspired me more than wanting to get out of my factory job working a smelly printing press.\n\nWhat you have to understand is the big picture of macro-economics.  When eveyone gets paid more for minimum wages, companies can either hire fewer people to do the same work - or charge more for their products. This increases prices (from McD's hamburgers (crew), to apartment rent (paying janitors), to evrything else.  Now you are back where you were before because you need more money - even though you got a wage hike.  This is an artifically high wage rate if the market can not support it.  This is why so many illegal immigrants are working - they take less money than minimum wage and get by. Employers pay them so they can keep their prices lower to compete and be successful. Businesses that fail cannot hire and pay people.  \n\nWhile I 100% agree that someone earning minimum wage can not make ends meet, raising it only makes the problem escalate. The real cure is eduacation and job development.  If you are stuck in a minimum wage job for your life - you are screwed. Take action and pull yourself up.  This is the land of opportunity and millions of immigrants with no money in their pockets made good by hard work, investments and education. Immigrants (my roots) know that education is the key to escaping poverty - this is why they scrape and save every penny - to help pay for their kids' college.\n\nYou sound pissed at the world  - this will keep you miserable - no way to live life.  Look up - you can make it if you put your mind to it and live to succeed.
187138
they are trying to get minimum wage changed, but it is by state.  a lot of states are trying to raise minimum wage to $6 (right now, in my state, it's $5.15).  your state has to pass the bill before it will go up, though.
1006399
I think that this is great. I am a full time student. I also work full time, and have seen the era of no child left behind leaving alot of our young minds behind. As far as the minimum wage, this is a great thing. The minimum wage has not risen since 1997. I wonder who was the president then? Also the current administration has risen the national debt more then any president in US history.
1109800
The reason intelligent people are against the raising of minimum wage(or min wage all together), is because when you raise the minimum hiring wage you force the business owners to take the blow to their profits, which they are not going to do.  \nYou not only have to pay the basic unskilled worker coming in the door more per hour but by nature all skilled workers are going to want a raise by equal increments.  \nNot to mention the  price of ever day good will go up.  Your hamburger at McDonald's will be $10(exaggerated a little)\nThis is a political trick usually by Democrats to "buy" votes from the poor and uninformed.  It sound good to raise wages, but it doesn't work.  The free market should decide what a good wage for a good job is.
1050832
It was the Senate, not Congress.  S.Amdt. 4322 to S. 2766\n\nAll Republicans except for 8 (4 of whom are up for re-election) voted down on it. All Democrats voted for it. Contrary to popular belief, most minimum wage workers are adults and a majority of them are women.\n\nRemarkably, Congress has raised their own pay seven times (over $30,000) since the last time they raised the pay of minimum wage workers.\n\nNays:\nAlexander (R-TN)\nAllard (R-CO)\nAllen (R-VA)\nBennett (R-UT)\nBond (R-MO)\nBrownback (R-KS)\nBunning (R-KY)\nBurns (R-MT)\nBurr (R-NC)\nChambliss (R-GA)\nCoburn (R-OK)\nCochran (R-MS)\nCornyn (R-TX)\nCraig (R-ID)\nCrapo (R-ID)\nDeMint (R-SC)\n Dole (R-NC)\nDomenici (R-NM)\nEnsign (R-NV)\nEnzi (R-WY)\nFrist (R-TN)\nGraham (R-SC)\nGrassley (R-IA)\nGregg (R-NH)\nHagel (R-NE)\nHatch (R-UT)\nHutchison (R-TX)\nInhofe (R-OK)\nIsakson (R-GA)\nKyl (R-AZ)\nLott (R-MS)\nMartinez (R-FL)\n McCain (R-AZ)\nMcConnell (R-KY)\nMurkowski (R-AK)\nRoberts (R-KS)\nSantorum (R-PA)\nSessions (R-AL)\nSmith (R-OR)\nStevens (R-AK)\nSununu (R-NH)\nTalent (R-MO)\nThomas (R-WY)\nThune (R-SD)\nVitter (R-LA)\nVoinovich (R-OH)
1120198
The minimum wage was not necessarily established with the expectation that one would have to make do living on that wage.  There are people who are actually supported by others who are happy to receive 5.25 an hour--namely but not limited to teen agers.  Others might include retired people wanting to add a little income and perhaps others with a full time job wanting to make a little extra.
589053
The illegals don't have to be paid minimum wage.  Who are they going to complain to? INS?  Would you rather pay someone $4/hr or the minimum wage?
1168486
Yes.  Anyone who claims there will be massive job loss and companies going bankrupt due to a minimum wage increase has no knowledge of history.  No minimum wage increase in history has resulted in that.
1175660
I think it is because they tend to be more greedy, they just voted themselves a pay raise but it don't look like they will pass a raise in the minimum wage. It has been a decade since the minimum wage has been raised.
436787
Minimum wage workers?
774018
I don't know anyone who works for minimum wage, but a raise in the rate will not help. The greatest misconception about minimum wage is the idea that it is a living wage. Minimum wage is not and was never intended as such. It is a benchmark rate for workers entering the system. It is assumed that the average worker will gain skills and either move up in their current company, or change positions based on their acquired experience. The reason minimum wage does not help anyone is related to economic cause and effect. If the price of labor increases then the prices of goods and services must also increase to reflect the added cost of doing business. Therefore while you make more money you will also be forced to pay higher prices thus eliminating your surplus income.
490542
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!!
835413
Depends where you live here is the breakdown by state:\n\nFederal Minimum Wage Law Level $5.15 \n\nAlabama No minimum wage. \nAlaska $7.15 Automatically adjusted to remain one dollar over federal minimum wage should that change. \nArizona No minimum wage. Increasing to $6.75 effective January 1, 2007 pursuant to Arizona Proposition 202.\nArkansas $6.25 \nCalifornia $6.75 Increasing to $7.50 on January 1, 2007 and to $8.00 on January 1, 2008. [1] \nSan Francisco $8.82 \nLos Angeles $9.08 With health benefits[2] \n$10.33 Without health benefits[2] \nColorado $5.15 Increasing to $6.85 on January 1, 2007. \nConnecticut $7.40 Increasing to $7.65 on January 1, 2007. \nDelaware $6.15 $6.65 increase in 2007, $7.15 increase in 2008. [3] \nDistrict of Columbia $7.00 Increased on January 1, 2006. \nFlorida $6.67 Rises with inflation. \nGeorgia $5.15 \nHawaii $6.75 Rising to $7.25 effective January 1, 2007 \nIdaho $5.15 \nIllinois $6.50 $6.00 for employees under the age of 18 \nIndiana $5.15 \nIowa $5.15 \nKansas $2.65 For employees over the age of 18 (applies only when the federal Fair Labor Standards Act does not). $5.15 federal minimum wage takes precedence, overriding the state minimum. \nKentucky $5.15 \nLouisiana No minimum wage. \nMaine $6.75 Will rise to $7.00 in October, 2007 \nMaryland $6.15 \nMassachusetts $6.75 ($2.63 for service (tipped) employees, $1.60 for agricultural employees; legislature passed increase to $7.50 starting January 1, 2007 and to $8.00 January 1, 2008)[4] \nMichigan $6.95 Increasing to $7.15 July 1, 2007 and to $7.40 July 1, 2008 \nMinnesota $6.15 \nMississippi No minimum wage. \nMissouri $5.15 Increasing to $6.50 on January 1, 2007. \nMontana $5.15 Increasing to $6.15 on January 1, 2007. \nNebraska $5.15 \nNevada $5.15 Increasing to $6.15 on January 1, 2007. \nNew Hampshire $5.15 \nNew Jersey $7.15 \nNew Mexico $5.15 $9.50 in Santa Fe, as of 2006 \nNew York $6.75 Increasing to $7.15 on January 1, 2007 [1] \nNorth Carolina $5.15 Increasing to $6.15 on January 1, 2007 \nNorth Dakota $5.15 \nOhio $5.15 Increasing to $6.85 on January 1, 2007\nOklahoma $5.15\nOregon $7.50 Adjusting to $7.80 on January, 1st 2007 \nPennsylvania $5.15 (Per act signed into law July 10, 2006, this will increase to $6.25 on January 1, 2007 and to $7.15 on July 1, 2007. For companies with ten or fewer employees: $5.65 by January 1, 2007, $6.65 by July 1, 2007, and $7.15 by July 1, 2008. The current tipped wage, $2.83, will not increase with this Act\nRhode Island $7.10 \nSouth Carolina $5.15 \nSouth Dakota $5.15 \nTennessee No minimum wage. \nTexas $5.15 \nUtah $5.15 \nVermont $7.25 \nVirginia $5.15 \nWashington $7.63 Increasing to $7.93 effective January 1, 2007\nWest Virginia $5.85 Increasing to $6.55 effective 7/1/07 and $7.25 effective 7/1/08 \nWisconsin $6.50 \nWyoming $5.15
91407
The minimum wage in this country hasn't changed at all since 1997. During that time, we can assume that on average there was an increase in over-all costs of around 3% per year due to inflation. This is actually a healthy inflation rate if you look at growth historically. Alan Greenspan, the recently retired chairman of the federal reserve, was a bulldog when it came to fighting inflation. \n\nDuring this time, however, the congress has not voted to increase minimum wage. This has been voted down numerous times. The rational for this is that the Republican majority who are now in control believe that wages should be set by the market. Therefore, if market conditions warrant paying individuals more money then they will get it due to the invisible hand of market force. The claim is that minimum wage hikes will cost businesses too much money and they will be put out of business and it actually will depress the economy. Many cities and states, however, have a higher minimum wage than the federally mandated minimum and their economies do not seem to have been hindered in the way in which supply-side economist project. This is a never ending debate between classical and keynsian economist and unfortunately for those making minimum wage, the people in charge currently, are of the classical persuasion and are not fans of regulation. They think the market should be allowed to control all aspects of the economy.
462737
The Federal minimum wage is 5.15.  It was raised in 1997 from 4.75.  Each state also has a minimum wage that may be more or less than that.  THis is a really cool interactive map that shows what the rates are in each state: http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm
1105084
Why would they work harder, you are paying for their food!  It's party time!!!\n\nRemember the saying "give a man a fish..."?  Well we just gave them a fish for 6 months they don't even have to think about fishing until the government money runs out.\n\n"sstockus" & "Rense" said something very important, what is the connection?  Motivation, the government takes away their motivation to work because they do not associate work with money they associate the government giving them money for nothing.  Then they go out to work and they only make a little more for a lot more effort and many of them quit.\n\nSocial welfare programs are a crutch to keep the poor in America Lazy!\n\nI think that food stamps is actually one of the better programs (I still think it should be eliminated with the rest)  I have known people to use it but I have known a lot of people who have abused it.\n\nAnd minimum wage is not the problem (I don't think their should be a minimum wage)  Minimum wage job means minimal effort and minimal training and minimal education.  The people with those jobs think they "deserve" minimum wage regardless of how good they do so they are not good competitive workers.\n\nonly the truly worthless deadbeat employees gain from minimum wage.  \n\nIf minimum wage is so good why not make it $100 an hour?........that is the same reason that it is not good now.
768701
Definitely raise in minimum wage.\nDon't ask for an explanation because that is self-evident .