October 21, 2016

Dear Future President:

The raising of minimum wage impacts America by helping families who don’t make enough to support them and their necessities. This topic has become more important by the increasing number of families who are going into poverty because their paychecks aren’t able to stretch. People that are impacted most from low minimum wages are low income families. They are impacted by not being able to afford the things that families need. Some students' families can’t afford clothes or school supplies for their child. I know families who can’t afford necessities and who live like this everyday. Minimum wage needs to be raised because people work too hard to make too little.

First, people work too hard and for too many hours to only make $7.25/Hr. “The restaurant and food industry is the single biggest employer of near-minimum wage workers” (Desilver). This shows that a change needs to occur; for example, most restaurant jobs pay every two weeks and by the time a mother gets paid her rent is due. Once she pays her rent, then she has no extra spending money for necessities. This also shows that families can’t live off that much money because if a mother is late on her rent too many times, then she could be evicted.

Next, ”Nearly half (48.2%) of the 3 million hourly workers who were at or below the federal minimum in 2014 were ages 16 to 24” (Desilver). That is a big percentage of people who are at or below the federal minimum wage; it shouldn’t be that many people. For example, a mother that is 24 and has 3 children can’t possibly provide for all her babies and keep her bills paid living off 7.25/Hr.

Some may say that minimum wage is enough for low income families. Although the counterargument is understandable because there are probably smaller families who makes 7.25/Hr and are living perfectly fine, it can’t possibly be true when most families with low incomes have children who do not have the necessities they need for school and such. All families aren’t small; some families have one parent with 3 or 4 younger children living off of one income.

It is clear that the minimum wage should be raised. If the minimum wage is raised, this could help out so many families. Then, most students will have money for school lunch and school supplies. You can help by raising the minimum wage or requesting that it be raised.

Minimum wage needs to be raised for people who work too hard and for bigger families. This change would benefit the country greatly. Many people wouldn’t be in poverty, and students wouldn’t be bullied for how they are dressed at school because their parents will be able to afford things they need. What people should realize about raising minimum wage is that more people will be better off and have better living lifestyles; not everyone went to college and got degrees and the people who didn’t can’t always find good paying jobs. Thank you future President for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my letter on raising minimum wage.

Sincerely,

Alaunah Farmer