Dear Madame/Mr. President:

In 2014 America welcomed more than 42.4 million people. Within a year, Colorado’s population we increased by 101,000 people alone. With this influx of newcomers comes an increase of living price to living in this beautiful country. This dramatic increase means I, on my own, may not be able to continue living here, in Colorado, the place I have always called home, if I only make minimum wage. This is why I believe that the first thing that needs to be addressed during your presidency is raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. I am not alone with asking for a change.

I’ve seen my brother try to move out but quickly return to my parents home because, although he works full time, what he makes is not enough to live by himself. My brother, Morgan, has a car and was renting a single roomed apartment not too far from Golden Colorado. Not long after his attempt to live on his own, he began asking for financial help. Soon after, Morgan was back in the house. He could not make it out in the world on his own. He just did not have enough money. The thought of never being able to support myself, like my brother, with the job I have now is why I urge you to raise minimum wage in this great nation so that people can thrive while being a productive citizen so that people can make a life for themselves here in America. Besides, isn’t that why people come to America, for a better life?

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) was put into place by President Roosevelt on June 25, 1938. FLSA was put into place to keep the economy running allow families to make a living and get the basic needs based on their pay. If you set a higher wage in America, it will help make family life necessities possible for mothers and fathers who work minimum wage paying jobs. In return, families who have more money, have greater spending power and will spend their money, not only on needed goods, but also luxuries. It is simple supply and demand. This keeps America’s economy up which is very important for the United States. So we are to avoid another depression like the ones of the 1930 or the more recent one of 2009. Some may worry that increasing minimum wage will just send the jobs to other parts of the world that will do them for cheaper. However, most jobs that pay minimum wage include customer service and face to face time cannot be done across oceans.

Many argue that unemployment increased with the minimum wage. This would be incorrect. Business already do the math to have the least employees possible. Those slots that are left need to be filled to maximize productivity. I myself am a victim of the business world’s threshold. I work with only three other team members. This many employees isn’t enough for the company. When I am sick, there isn’t anyone to cover my shift. Even though my work will not hire anymore workers, there are always new businesses being created and new slots that need to find an employee to fill the slot. Jobs will always be available even at the $15 wage. Yes, some small businesses are unable to afford to pay their employees the new wage, but without it, families cannot afford to live in amazing place like Colorado. Families need to eat and have a place to come home to and kids need a place to do homework at and a way to get an education. Mothers and fathers need to have the money to put food on the table and set up a life for their children in which they can succeed. Increasing the minimum wage will allow people to buy the foods they need, and pay the electric bill. Colorado just had an amendment to raise the minimum wage to $12, however, this isn’t enough to sustain a hard working family. It must be $15 around the state to keep the economy up.

A minimum wage of $15 will allow families to live here in this great country without suffering. After all the suffering I have witnessed within my family, I believe it is unfair to make people who have always called this country home, no longer be able to afford the cost of living. I want to see this country return to its once vibrant land, where people can work as hard or as little as they want to and make the life that they want for themselves. Instead, people are sacrificing all their time and energy into a job that provides them with barely enough money to keep going. A larger minimum wage would be a lifesaving bonus for not only families all over this country, but America’s economy, which is certainly a reason to address such an important issue as the President of the United State of America.

Sincerely,

Meagan