Put An End To Poverty, Increase The Minimum Wage Essay

It is not shocking to hear that tens of millions of Americans are living in poverty. Startling statistics about the poor are constantly being tossed around on television with images of run-down neighborhoods and malnourished children. The real surprise, however, is that millions of those in poverty are full-time, minimum wage earning workers. Many say one should feel morally obligated to help these people. President Barack Obama said it best in his February 2013 State of the Union address, â€Å"Let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full time should have to live in poverty† (Lowrey n.p.). When minimum wage was created, President Roosevelt declared its purpose was to â€Å"maintain a minimum standard of†¦show more content†¦These are the main arguments still heard today. The continuing minimum wage debate in the United States argues if the current hourly rate of $7.25 is a livable wage in today’s dollars. Simple arithmetic shows that the answer to that question is no. A full time employee, working forty hours a week and fifty weeks a year, will earn $14,500 per year. For a family of four, the poverty line is set at $23,550 for the year of 2013 (Sebelius n.p.). This means that a full-time worker (and the worker’s family) is earning $9,050 below the poverty line. Clearly, the current federal minimum wage is not sufficient and must be increased to provide workers with the funds necessary to support themselves and their families. As a college student, I have worked several minimum wage jobs, and I currently have two part-time jobs. In high school, I held multiple minimum wage positions. Young workers, like myself, contribute to a big misconception that all minimum wage workers are high school students, and this is not true. Many argue that a minimum wage increase will not be beneficial because the majority of minimum wage workers are not full-time or working to make a living. The reality, in fact, is that about four-fifths of minimum wage workers are over the age of 25 (Minimum Wage Workers 11). This means that theShow MoreRelatedMinimum Wage Should Be Raised1395 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s society, minimum wage is an issue. It’s whether or not it should be raised or lowered. This interests almost everyone due to the fact that everyone wants to make money and the amount should reflect the work and skills that are put in. The minimum wage is a major antijobs policy. First things first, the minimum wage buys a lot less than it used to. Only Congress can adjust the federal minimum wage, and it doesn’t necessarily increase with inflation. As a result, its buying power has diminishedRead MoreMinimum Wage Should Not Be Increased1669 Words   |  7 PagesFederal minimum wage is a huge controversy around the world and especially in the United States today. It is the lowest wage that employers can legally pay their employees. 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