Raising the Minimum Wage

This was first published on 11/6/2014 on a blog I wrote for previously (which is no longer being updated).


This morning, I woke up to a post on Facebook from Senator Bernie Sanders, congratulating Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota for mandating a livable wage for their workers.  This is an amazing feat, as so much rhetoric can be found on how increasing the minimum wage will hurt companies, and only young people will benefit from the increase. 


I was recently astounded by comments made by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie when he remarked:

"I gotta tell you the truth, I'm tired of hearing about the minimum wage, I really am," Christie said during an event at the Chamber of Commerce in Washington, according to a recording of his remarks by the liberal opposition research group American Bridge.
"I don't think there's a mother or father sitting around a kitchen table tonight in America who are saying, 'You know honey, if my son or daughter could just make a higher minimum wage, my God, all our dreams would be realized," he added. "Is that what parents aspire to for their children?"
~ Chris Christie: 'I'm Tired Of Hearing About The Minimum Wage' by Catherine Thompson, on TalkingPointsMemo.com, October 21, 2014 

I have a very hard time understanding why some politicians choose to believe increasing the minimum wage only benefits young workers.  Here's something to disprove this theory, according to the United States Department of Labor:

Myth: Raising the minimum wage will only benefit teens.
Not true: The typical minimum wage worker is not a high-school student earning weekend pocket money. In fact, 88 percent of those who would benefit from a federal minimum wage increase are age 20 or older, and 55 percent are women.  

$10.10 seems to be the magic number at this point in time.  This is what many political figures and the Department of Labor quote as being a livable wage for our current economy.   Read more from the DOL on minimum wage mythbusters, as you will find important talking points encouraging this movement.


One huge issue with large corporations paying low wages is the greed involved in doing so.  Last year, Wal-Mart set up food drives for their own workers, asking fellow associates to donate to needy workers.  Here's something else interesting: Walmart owns a 501(c)(3) named The Wal-Mart Associates in Critical Need Fund whose purpose is "To assist Wal-mart employees who are in extreme financial need due to no fault of their own with basic living expenses."


Wal-Mart is known for their low prices, low wages, and their profits.   According to an article published in December 2013 by Politifact.com, the Walton family's wealth equates to the same amount of wealth held by the bottom 42% of Americans, combined.  I believe it is perfectly logical to come to a simple conclusion: The Walton family is greedy, and by refusing to pay their workers livable wages, the corporation as a whole is actually contributing to the poverty of America.  It isn't an assumption, it is a fact.  Minimum wage workers can't afford to feed their families, and this leads to increased dependency on the government for assistance.  If the Waltons decided to pay a liveable wage, less workers would be dependent upon the government.  It's a really simple concept, but so many people simply pretend this does not exist. 


As it stands, the United States House and Senate are now controlled by a majority that does not support an increase in the minimum wage.  It is now up to individual states to make these changes.  The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) has a page dedicated to updates on State Minimum Wages, where it is noted that the current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.  Many states have set the minimum a little higher, with increases becoming effective in 2015 and beyond.


Strive for equality. By increasing the minimum wage, the gap between the poorest of the poor and the 1% narrows a little more.  It also helps the economy by putting more money into the consumer market, and leads to more people becoming independent, and free of government assistance.  Isn't this a win-win for everyone?