Minimum Wage Increase?

The hot topic on my favorite local radio show was the proposed Minimum Wage increase.

I admit that back in my high school days about 10 years ago, I thought minimum wage increases were good. I mean after all, I only made minimum wage back then, and I loved the thought of making more money. Who doesn't?

When the min wage increased however, I discovered that I really wasn't making any more money, even though my hourly wage was more. How? First the government took more money out of my checks for taxes. I also had to pay more for everything from cigarettes to hamburgers to gas for my car.

Thus, after the minimum wage increased, I wound up making LESS money than before.

My own personal experience aside, minimum wage increases sound great in theory, but in practice they are anything but. They cause more problems for businesses, cause layoffs, and lead to price increases. The only reason the government is proposing an increase is because higher minimum wage means more tax money for bloated government.

At the same time however, it is beyond rediculous when a company pays its employees barely enough to survive, while its managers and owners make an obscene amount of money. Wal Mart is a good example of this; the Walton family clears several BILLION $$$ each year while most Wal Mart employees scrape by on less than a living wage. Any Wal Mart employee gets fired if they so much as mention UNION.

If the purpose of raising minimum wage is to eliminate poverty or help everyone make more money, why don't they just raise the minimum wage to $50/hour? Wouldn't THAT eliminate poverty if EVERYONE made at least $50/hour? Of course not; then a cheeseburger would cost $45, and a gallon of gas would be at least $25.

Signed:

Thomas Lessman
Candidate for KS House Dist. 53
. www.ThomasLessman.com
Email: talessman@yis.us