Dear Future President,

A number of reliable economists have recently made clear that minimum wage is a controversial issue worldwide. It is known for its effects on many victims detrimentally harming many working class families. You would think that this issue of minimum wage needs to be addressed immediately, right? So, what’s taking so long future President? I have had to work just a 6 hour shift in the hot summer heat, employed at a plant and garden store called Bordines. If I didn’t have a lunch break I couldn’t imagine how dreadful 6 hours constantly working would be. Your mind gets tired and you don’t feel like doing anything after 4-5 hours of constant work. Each day after work my legs, arms, and back would be sore from getting carts, helping load mulch and other bags, and whatever else needed to be done. I couldn’t see myself being paid a low amount of money each day and working extra hours just to be able to try to support my family. To be honest, I couldn’t imagine having that job for the rest of my lifetime. From my personal experience, I believe that minimum wage needs to be addressed and raised immediately to fit the nation's needs. Also, raising minimum wage is known to not have much impact whatsoever on decreasing the amount of job opportunities. As of right now, the federal minimum wage is only $7.25 per hour (states fluctuate slightly). While they don’t admit it hardly at all, business owners often take advantage of their workers by paying them cheaply because it saves them a ton of money. This occurs especially in migrant workers where businesses pay cheap. I believe that minimum wage is a big issue not just in the US, but globally. Many workers, myself included, hope that the minimum wage level should be raised to help provide the economical needs for families and workers.

To begin, minimum wage should be raised because it doesn’t affect the economy negatively with any noticeable effect. A reliable database, called Infotrac Student Edition, wrote an article called Minimum wage vs. the carwash heroes: New York's new $15 wage floor stating, “Nobel laureate Paul Krugman claimed in a 2014 interview with Business Insider that minimum wage increases have a negligible effect on job losses because they mostly affect service-sector positions that can’t be replaced by automation.” By raising minimum wage, as Paul Krugman claims, will lead to no drastic detrimental harm to the economy or job opportunities. Whereas some are convinced that minimum wage should increase, minimum wage non supporters argue that “the overwhelming body of evidence suggests that increasing the minimum wage would do little to reduce poverty or inequality. On the other hand, it would almost certainly reduce employment opportunities, especially for those low skilled, entry level workers for whom a job represents the first rungs on the ladder of opportunity” (http://www.cato.org/joining-the-minimum-wage-debate). The opposers say that minimum wage will do little help to reduce poverty or inequality. But, according to the previous article, it informs, “At the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour, a mother with 2 children working 40 hours per week, taking no vacation, will find herself at year’s end falling thousands of dollars below the poverty line.” Raising minimum wage is worth a try since people are struggling right now more than ever. Minimum wage is a critical issue that needs to be addressed and raised immediately to help support those in economic need.

Secondly, the low minimum wage rate is affecting workers because they don’t have any extra money or leverage to spend it freely. They feel as though they are constantly penny pinching their money super conservatively, otherwise they won’t be able to afford the bills. According to the database, Opposing ViewPoints in Context, an article that was published called Fight for the $15 protests: why they’re about more than fast-food wages interviewed a couple of people to hear their opinion on the minimum wage gap and how it has affected them. One truthful innocent person shared, “What the $15 would do (if raising minimum wage to $15) is it would bring just the top of my head to the surface, it would bring me there. Right now I’m under the water.” Not just this person, not just Americans, but everyone in the world would be electrified if minimum wage prices went up because they would have some wiggle room to what they can afford. There is literally nothing wrong with raising minimum wage because prices are slowly going up due to supply and demand, therefore minimum wage must go up to support all workers. Article, There is a moral and economic case for raising the minimum wage implies, “We now have a body of research by the top-flight economists showing that an increase in the minimum wage does not reduce employment or significantly hinder the economy.” Opposing arguments claim that inflation would occur and prices would be higher, therefore raising the minimum wage technically won’t help those in poverty. But, people could boycott against that and not buy as many goods, allowing the prices to drop to normal where minimum wage increasements would benefit. By raising the minimum wage rate, everyone struggling would soon thrive and be released from poverty. More people could afford products they wanted, they would be happier working because they wouldn’t have to work as long and they would be paid more for their labor. Virtually, there are more pros than cons raising minimum wage higher to the next level.

Lastly, minimum wage should be raised because it helps increase work ethic and the standard of living in workers. Database, Britannica School-High published an article called Minimum Wage which conveyed the message, “They (Higher minimum wages) enhance the work ethic and increase the standard of living of workers and that they decrease the cost of social welfare programs and protect workers against exploitation at the hands of their employers.” By raising minimum wage, it will benefit many low paid labor workers in all the ways listed above. It will allow workers to have more free time with family because they don’t have to work longer shifts anymore because they’re being paid greater. They also will start to appreciate that they are paid better and will tend to take more pride in their jobs. Lastly, they will be less stressed about their economic state and will be able to feel confident in the money they have available for other necessities (ex. bills). Yet some readers may challenge my view by insisting that it would force businesses to layoff employees and raise unemployment levels. Of course, many will probably disagree with me on the grounds that prices will rise and cause poverty still. Businesses could get some money from the government to use to help pay employees a higher amount for minimum wage so that they don’t have to layoff employees and raise unemployment levels. Also, companies wouldn’t raise their prices drastically because other smarter companies would leave their prices cheaper attracting more consumers. The companies who raised their prices accordingly to minimum wage would lose a ton of business and have to convert down to lower prices even though the minimum wage price increased. As you can see, the pros outweigh the cons in the dilemma of a minimum wage increment.

To conclude, future president I hope that you take all this valuable information into consideration when dealing with the minimum wage issue. Ultimately, what is at stake here is many Americans economic status and well being. Recent studies shed light on minimum wage increasements, which previous studies had not addressed. All there is to now is to increase the levels. According to the majority of people, raising minimum wage would be the best decision, helping all Americans across the country struggling to keep the heads up from under the water. By raising the minimum wage significantly to help rescue them you would bring them to safe land. People would be happy once again, less stressed, spend more freetime and family time, and it would be better overall. My point here is that being paid better should interest those who are economically struggling more. Beyond this limited audience, however, my point should alert and bring attention to anyone else who cares about the larger issue of minimum wage. Future President please set the example for other countries to see and follow. I hope that you make the best choice here, benefiting the majority of the people. Imagine your own feet in their shoes. I’ve presented you with the facts and reasoning, now it’s your turn to help make a difference!

Sincerely,

Kristoffer H

Citations

Ornstein, Norm. "There Is a Moral and Economic Case for Raising the Minimum Wage." Ethics. Ed. Noël Merino. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2015. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "The Moral and Economic Case for Raising the Minimum Wage." www.nationaljournal.com. 2013.Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Trumbull, Mark, and Cristinas Maza. "'Fight for $15' protests: why they're about more than fast-food wages." Christian Science Monitor 15 Apr. 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Epstein, Jim. "Minimum wage vs. the carwasheros: New York's new $15 wage floor pits man against machine." Reason July 2016: 26+. Student Edition. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

"Minimum wage." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2009.http://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/52853. Accessed 20 Oct. 2016.

Link for Pros and Cons: http://minimum-wage.procon.org/