We Must Raise the Minimum Wage to a Living Wage
Senator Bernie Sanders
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is no longer enough for lots of desperate Americans to live on anymore. Senator Bernie Sanders quotes in his article "When over 60% of American workers are now living paycheck to paycheck, when the life expectancy of low-income Americans is in decline, when we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country, we can no longer accept a federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour." Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour not only offers more support to these desperate Americans and their families that are in need but it also would provide an increase in pay. With Sanders also quoting "In fact, had my 2015 bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour that was indexed to median wages became law, the federal minimum wage this January would be at least $17.40 an hour. Together, these two proposals would provide an increase in pay for tens of millions of desperate Americans." Which only further proves an increase in the minimum wage provides adequate help for these Americans and their families in need.
Raising Minimum Wage: Good for Workers, Business, & Economy
Hon. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour leaves families that are in need struggling to make ends meet. According to Scott's article "The real value of the federal minimum wage has declined 24 percent since 1998. Today, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 leaves an adult with two children thousands of dollars below the federal poverty threshold." Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour provides more job growth which is good for businesses and employees. Also, raising the minimum wage is also heavily supported by large and small business owners. Scott quotes in his article "Recent experience in cities that have increased their minimum wages provides further support. San Francisco increased its tipped minimum wage to $12.25 before tips, and experienced positive job growth in the leisure." along with "Business executives support a higher minimum wage. A survey conducted by Republican pollster Frank Luntz that was leaked to the Washington Post in April found that 80 percent of business executives supported increasing the minimum wage." and "Small business owners support a higher minimum wage. A national poll of small business owners conducted by the American Sustainable Business Council found that 60 percent of small business owners support increasing the federal minimum wage."
Increasing Minimum Wage Has Positive Effects on Employment
Easterly Carson
Increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour has positive effects on employment. Carson quotes in her article "Their results apply to the fast-food sector and the entire low-wage labor market. "We find that in labor markets that are more concentrated and less densely populated, minimum wage increases lead to overall positive employment effects," Marinescu and collegues write." Increasing the minimum wage benefits businesses by it providing room for more jobs while also benefiting employees by giving low wage workers access to more jobs. With Carson also quoting in her article "In labor markets where employers have more control over wages, increasing the minimum wage often results in a rise in employment, according to a new study coauthored by Dr. Loana Marinescu." This provides adequate support to businesses by providing more employees when needed.
Equity Implications of the Unchanged Federal Minimum Wage
Yali Pang
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour causes minimum wage workers to have to work two to three jobs at once or to have to choose between essential needs to cover their basic human needs. In Pang's article she quotes "This disparity is also evident at the national level, leaving minimum wage earners to seek additional resources or choose between essential needs to cover their basic needs." A low minimum wage of $7.25 an hour makes it to where minimum wage workers and their families in need struggle financially and it causes unhealthy living conditions. Pang also quotes "These low minimum wage exacerbate financial difficulties and other challenges for workers, leading to job insecurity, family instability, unaffordable childcare, and unhealthy living conditions, all of which perpetuate poverty." While a low minimum wage may cause problems for minimum wage workers and their families, an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour can promote equity. Pang uses another quote saying "Increasing the minimum wage can effectively promote equity."
Wage & Means - Tested Benefits: Raising the Wage & Threshold
Kaitlyn Rippel
Raising the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour would help minimum wage earners in poverty or near the poverty line. Rippel quotes in her article "Cooper's report also found that the "Raise the Wage Act" would disproportionately help workers in poverty or near the poverty line." A higher minimum wage of $15 an hour ensures help for these minimum wage earners and their families, while also showing that it doesn't affect employment negatively. A higher minimum wage is benefits minimum wage earners and businesses. Rippel also quotes "Cooper (2019) quotes a study done by Wolfson and Belman in 2016 saying "no support for the proposition that the minimum wage has had an important effect on U.S employment. This meta-analysis included 739 estimated effects from 37 published studies on the minimum wage and employment."
Could Raising the Minimum Wage Improve the Public's Health?
Leigh J. Paul
An increase in the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour would lift wages for lots of minimum wage earners. Paul quotes in his article "One estimate indicates that increasing the federal minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020 would lift wages for 35.1 million workers, or 25.5% of workers." This shows an increase in wages would affect minimum wage earners in a positive way and further help them. Another quote Paul uses is "Tsao et al produce estimates of the effects of raising the minimum wage to $15 in New York using simulation models. The $15 minimum wage would reduce premature deaths." An increase in wages to $15 an hour would also help to reduce premature deaths.
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