10/25/16

Dear Mr President, 

Minimum wage is a plan that would backfire. The federal government wants to raise the wage to $10.10, but in New York it was raised to $15. That is twice of what it is in most states! Politicians say “That it would reduce poverty,” but it would have many negative effects on the society today, and poverty is going to grow if the plan goes into effect. Please, Mr President, don't let this plan pass.

It could affect America because people would lose their jobs. It would cause more poverty in America, and business would have to layoff people. Edward Adams the founder of Ebs-consulting states, “If an employer has a tight budget,... they will have to lay off employees to stay with their budget.” Most business don’t make enough to double their pay ,so to keep in business they would have to layoff people. Also it would cause fewer hiring in America, Kevin A. Hassett the State Farm Chair in American Politics and Culture and Director of Research for Domestic Policy states, “People who keep their jobs get more money; those who lose their jobs ,or fail to get new ones, suffer.” It is saying the people who stay get a “raise” but the people who get fired will have a hard time trying to find a new job. It would also affect people in poverty. Ebs-consulting made a claim, “...,people aren't in poverty because they aren't paid enough, but rather, because they aren't employed.” So it would be harder for people in poverty to be hired at the rate.

It would also affect teenagers because they would be cut out of the work force. The small business owners would not hire teens because they are not as skilled. According to epionline, dedicated to studying public policy issues surrounding employment growth, “When the minimum wage gets boosted, employers frequently cut down on hiring teens.” It would make it harder,for teens to get the money for college, and other things that are important.It would make it more expensive to hire teens, according to pro con.org ,“24% of minimum wage workers are teenagers”. So when they work for the company they learn what to do. So most of them are going into the job with little to no experience.

They would have to raise the price of the product they are selling. According to Ebs-consulting “...employers may be forced to use is a price increase to attempt to afford their works…..” The owners would need to make money some where else because they need to pay taxes, employees,and other things. Also it would affect the people who normally buy those goods because they would be paying more for the same product. I think that the free market should be making the rate not the federal government. According to learn liberty.org it stated that “96% of american workers make more than minimum wage.” So why would we raise the wage and mess up the economy, more than it already is?

People could argue that you can limit the number of work hours ,but most minimum wage workers don't make enough money right now most minimum wage workers are poor. If you limit their hours they would be making the same amount of money than you would if it was regular price. They wouldn’t have the money to pay taxes, and for food and it would also put more people like this. So it wouldn’t work!

Now is not the time to raise the minimum wage because the economy, is not strong at the moment ,and it will affect the small business. The consequences could be really bad...citizens would lose their jobs, houses, and their normal everyday lives. Raising the minimum wage would shake the economy, and low skilled workers will not be hired! Teens will be shutout of the work force. Minimum wage is a problem in today's society and if you raise it it would make a bigger problem.

From a True American,

Brandyn Speicher