Minimum Wage And Reduce Poverty - 1864 Words

Courtney Hilts American Government Chippewa Valley Technical College 10/01/15 Minimum Wage in America Should the federal government raise the minimum wage to reduce poverty, ensure proper pay, and protect younger generations and minorities? That is a common question discussed in recent years. In 1938 during the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt signed a law creating a federal minimum wage. The federal minimum wage is important to Americans and the government because it keeps workers out of poverty and helps increase consumer purchasing power which in turn stimulates the economy. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, although certain states have higher minimum wages. (Raise the Minimum Wage) One advantage of raising the minimum wage is the economic stimulus which can lead to an increase in job opportunities. If minimum wage workers can spend more, then businesses can earn more and therefore will need to hire more employees to keep up with the rise in business. Another advantage is the reduced expense for social programs. Many of the people earning the minimum wage are also those relying on the support of government run social programs. With higher wages, many people would be able to support themselves without heavily relying on social programs, which would lead to lower taxes or a reallocation of the funds to support other needs. Many employees who are comfortable and satisfied with their wages are less likely to quit, so an increase in minimumShow MoreRelatedThe Minimum Wage Should Not Reduce Poverty1214 Words   |  5 PagesMillions of Americans live in poverty, unable to find high paying jobs to support themselves and their families. Common belief persists that paying a higher minimum wage would aid in lifting people out of poverty by giving those with low paying jobs a higher income, however the evidence suggests otherwise. As the 2016 race for the White House heats up, the minimum wage battle stands at the forefront of every economic discussion. The rhetoric between candidates within and across party lin es intensifiesRead MoreRaising The Minimum Wage Will Reduce Poverty Essay734 Words   |  3 PagesFurman, Jason, and Sharon Parrot. Raising the Minimum Wage Will Reduce Poverty. Poverty. Ed. Viqi Wagner. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from A $7.25 Minimum Wage Would Be a Useful Step in Helping Working Families Escape Poverty. www.cbpp.org. 2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 9 Nov. 2015 Jason Furman and Parrot Sharon explain why raising minimum wage will help families. The wage has to be elevated to just the point where a family can actually afford allRead MoreShould The Minimum Wage Be Reduce Poverty?1807 Words   |  8 Pages abandoning their jobs, and demanding a minimum wage of fifteen dollars per hour. On the surface, pushing the minimum wage up from $7.70 per hour seems the obvious solution, but is a mere Band-Aid on a deep wound. Creating more job opportunities, expanding business productivity, and most importantly, increasing the education and the skill level of workers will end poverty and boost prosperity. Fundamentally, the government should not raise the minimum wage for workers due to the associated loss ofRead MoreMinimum Wage Should Be Raised?958 Words   |  4 PagesMinimum Wage Louis Montgomery III English Composition 101 Mrs. Blackwell April 23, 2015 Minimum Wage Do minimum wage jobs help pay the bills? Do minimum wage jobs support the family? Should minimum wage be raised? Will raising the minimum wage reduce poverty? The idea of minimum wage jobs is to help people get work experience without having any skills. Most minimum wage jobs include fast food restaurants and grocery stores. Minimum wageRead MoreEffect Of Raising Minimum Wage1215 Words   |  5 PagesEffects of Raising Minimum Wage The minimum wage in this country has been a controversial issue. Many people believe it will help reduce poverty and boost the economy. However, they are not looking at the downfalls this will bring to our country. This could make the unemployment population rise, it will raise prices of other things, and would have little effect on reducing poverty. Raising the minimum wage would have a negative influence on our country. This movement throughout our countryRead MoreEffect Of Raising Minimum Wage1215 Words   |  5 PagesEffects of Raising Minimum Wage The minimum wage in this country has been a controversial issue. Many people believe it will help reduce poverty and boost the economy. However, they are not looking at the downfalls this will bring to our country. This could make the unemployment population rise, it will raise prices of other things, and would have little effect on reducing poverty. Raising the minimum wage would have a negative influence on our country. This movement throughout our country is beingRead MoreThe Minimum Wage Act Of 20071607 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction In 1938, the first national minimum wage laws in the United States were passed as part of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which served as â€Å"a floor below wages,† to reduce poverty and to ensure that economic growth is shared across the workforce. Today, many people who work for companies that pay at or near the minimum wage and remain near or below the poverty level rely on government health and food security and income programs to supplement theirRead MoreThe Minimum Wage Should Not Be Raised1187 Words   |  5 PagesMillions of Americans live in poverty unable to find high paying jobs to support themselves and their families. A common belief is that paying a higher minimum wage would help lift people out of poverty by giving those with low paying jobs a higher income, however the evidence suggests otherwise. The 2016 race to the White House heating up, the minimum wage battle is at the forefront of every economic discussion. The rhetoric between candidates within and acro ss party lines is intensifying. ManyRead MoreThe Minimum Wage Debate1637 Words   |  7 PagesThe minimum wage debate brings about a range of reactions from different people. There are those who believe that there shouldn’t even be a minimum wage and that wages should be determined by the markets. On the other hand, we have those who vigorously argue for increasing the wage minimum citing inflation, the poverty line and worker productivity. Regardless, we do have a federal minimum wage rate in the United States at $7.25 per hour, with some states having a higher minimum wage than the federalRead MoreMinimum Wage Should Be Raised For A Better Standard Of Living1636 Words   |  7 PagesVamsi Sanagala Hannah Manshel Dec 15 2014 English 1 Minimum Wage Almost 3.3 out of 76 million workers in the US receive minimum wage (Source: BLS reports). Activists for raising the minimum wage claim that the federal minimum wage of $7.25 is the reason they are living in poverty, and that the wage must be raised for a better standard of living. Many people who take on minimum wage jobs are young and work in companies that don’t carry much prestige; however, they still