Minimum Wage Debate Essay

Raising the minimum wage has been one of the biggest debates during the 21st century. One side of the spectrum argues that raising it will make it so they have a living wage, while the other argues that raising it will hurt the economy. Whichever the case is, people are clearly divided on this issue. Before Oregon passed the 15 dollar minimum wage law, people wrote arguments to try to either prevent or pass this law. The article, “How a $15 minimum wage would affect a real business: Guest opinion” by Lee Spector argues that raising the minimum wage would hurt small businesses like the one he earns. “People don’t go to college to earn a $9.10 minimum wage: Guest opinion” by Justin Norton-Kertson is an article that argues against Lee Spector’s article. Although both

Berlatsky, Noah. The Minimum Wage. n.p.: Detroit: Greenhaven Press, c2012., 2012. Joliet Junior College Library Catalog. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.

First, one main reason that the minimum wage should be raised is because the economy will prosper. “Economic Policy Institute stated that a minimum wage increase from the current rate of $7.25 an hour to $10.10 would inject $22.1 billion net into the economy and create about 85,000 new jobs over a three-year phase-in period” (ProCon). This quote shows that the economy will flourish from the increase of the minimum wage and that unemployment will decrease. Another quote that shows how raising the minimum wage will affect employment is “To the extent that through these contour effects it affords as much as 70 percent of the workforce greater purchasing power, it effectively increases aggregate demand for goods and services, which should ultimately lead to the creation of more jobs” (Challenger 19). Bryan Covert supports raising the minimum wage by

Have you ever thought that you wanted a raise at work but did not have reasons? In this essay you can give your boss these reasons and get more money. The minimum wage in 2012 was $7.25. The minimum wage is a large-scale reason of poverty. The federal minimum wage should be increased because raising it would increase the economic activity and spur job growth, decrease poverty, and also improvements in productivity and economic growth have outpaced increases in the minimum wage.

A controversial topic often debated between liberals and conservatives is the minimum wage issue. While many liberals advocate for raising it, a number of conservatives are persistent on keeping the rate constant; however, studies show that raising minimum wage would not alleviate this country’s poverty issue and would, in fact, increase the unemployment. For these reasons, the minimum wage should not be raised.

Since the Great Depression, there has been a minimum wage in America, but this minimum wage has changed 22 times since the Great Deprnbession. Many people say minimum wage should stay at $7.25 like it has been since 2009. Meanwhile, other people believe that minimum wage should be $15.00 so they can have more money to live comfortably. People think that a higher minimum wage will help, but it will hurt more people than it will help. If America makes the minimum wage $9.00, people will no longer be in poverty and it will make the economy balance out.

Minimum wage was first established in 1938 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in an attempt to stimulate economic growth and create a better standard of living for the lower class. This attempt was fairly successful, but also has many consequences. You may be asking yourself, “how on Earth could setting a limit on how little you can pay someone be bad?” On the surface this statement seems logical, but if we delve deeper we begin to see many negative effects on the implementation of minimum wage. In our nation the minimum wage law almost seems out of place, like it doesn’t quite fit in. The reason for this, is the core mechanics within a market economy. A market based economy is defined as “an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.” (Merriam-Webster) As you can see minimum wage does not follow this rule of competition and the decisions of private investors. It is in the economy’s best interest to abolish minimum wage because it will cause an increase in employment, stimulate economic growth, and allows for an easier escape

With everything going on with the Walmart workers picketing for fifteen dollars an hour wages, the topic is widely discussed with many people taking many different sides. The essay “Raising the Minimum wage will reduce poverty” By Sharon Parrott and Jason Furman, They go into how they think the minimum wage should be raised in order to decrease poverty in america, Of course there are reasons to raise it and reasons to not raise it. Yet with the multitude of reasons for and against it, it’s hard to make a decision that makes everybody content, Some of the reasons not to raise it include, Raising it can make prices for everyday items go up, Why go and spend thousands of dollars on college when you could get a decent job right out of high school, and Why let workers who work at unskilled jobs make as much if not more than the military. Some reasons for minimum wage raising is, The fact that the cost of living is higher means people can’t survive with minimum wage without federal care, And just helping people get back on their feet when they couldn’t find a job. The reasons Minimum wage shouldn’t be raised outweigh the reasons it should.

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate an employer can pay an employee for hours worked. The topic of raising the minimum wage is a sensitive issue for many people. The livelihood of many relevant stakeholders will be directly effected by policies created in regards to raising minimum wage, both positively and negatively. This paper will examine the history and current state of minimum wage. It will identify the issues connected to raising minimum wage, analyze the arguments for and against, and make recommendations based on the analysis. While minimum wage could refer to the federal or state minimum wage, this paper will use the term minimum wage in reference to the federal minimum wage unless otherwise specified.

In conclusion, a federal minimum wage increase will significantly improve the standard of living of low-wage workers. To meet their basic needs, workers must be given a living wage. It is not only morally correct to do so, but also beneficiary to both ends. The increase in wages allows for a more supportable income, but it also stimulates the economy. Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour is the most beneficial

Income plays a big role in creating a society that is capable of doing many great things. In the recent years political issues in the states about worker pay has increased tremendously. This national problem has been good for presidential candidates as they can use this to boost their popularity. Some states are already taking action, 13 states plus DC have already increased minimum wage. In New York fast food workers pay was a approved to $15 (minimum wage). Many other states across the U.S. Are pushing to get a $15 improvement for minimum wage. Although there seems to be a gender gap in compensation many bills make it so there is equivalent pay for the work that everyone does. The bills help strengthen the laws that require equal pay already. Paid family laws are getting more attention. Lower-income families are benefiting from this especially minority women. Many of

We do not know how the rise of minimum wage will affect us in the future here in California, but in Seattle, Washington the minimum wage is now $11.00. The money it is not making a difference. A study in my fourth source “Jacob Vigdor, an economist at the University of Washington and one of the authors of the report...leading the researchers to conclude that the minimum wage reduced the number of hours worked quarterly by 3.2, roughly 15 minutes each week.Those figures do not include workers without jobs…Workers employed by thriving businesses who did not lose any hours could have enjoyed welcome gains. On the other hand, workers who had a hard time finding a second job to make up for their lost hours might have been earning much less.”(Source 4) The rise of the minimum wage is not working in one place, it does not mean it will see the same results in other places, the first step of improvement is identifying the errors. If Congress can find the issues between why the rise of minimum wage is not working in Seattle they might be able to find a successful way to improve the problem why minimum wage has to rise at all. Minimum wage jobs were created for inexperienced teens but, now there are jobs where you start at the minimum. It is not a wage meant to live off of but the minimum wage job is supposed to be a temporary job as you climb your way up to your own personal

Minimum wage is grounded in the view that if a worker and employee agree on a wage then this wage level must be welfare maximizing for both them and by definition for society. The only thing a government regulated price for labor can do is distort labor markets and lead to less, not more economic welfare (Atkinson 2013). The impact of minimum wage depends on the employees’ skills and experience. Highly skilled workers are not affected because their wages are above equilibrium minimum which makes these workers minimum wage not binding. Minimum wages result in unemployment because the number of employees seeking employment is exceeding the number of employees organizations are wanting to hire. For example, teenage workers with increased minimum wages results in less job opportunities for other teenagers who drop out and decided to join the workforce ;minimum wage alters the minimum demanded and minimum supplied. Increasing the minimum wage will decrease the need of workers in the market because employers will have to cut costs to pay the new minimum

Economist have tended to oppose minimum wage on the grounds that they reduce employment , hurting many of those they are supposed to help (the economist:24/11/2012). The main “common sense” argument is that by imposing minimum wages, one artificially raises the price of labour way from its “market-clearing” level and higher unemployment results-and the first to lose their jobs will be the least-skilled workers (city press;2014/11/25).

First, the concept of minimum wage was established by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in 1938 for the purpose of insuring a minimum standard of livelihood for inexperienced workers. The last time the minimum wage was increased was on July 24, 2009; the wage increased from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour. Minimum wage should be based on a living wage rather than a market wage standard. The minimum wage being based on a market wage standard violates the principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and responsibility.