I'm glad you have been lucky not to have to work a minimum wage job. Unfortunately, there are a lot of adults in this country who are not so lucky. Either we make up the cost in higher prices on some items, or we are going to have to make it up with our tax dollars. We end up funding these underpaid workers one way or another. Something has got to give, and it has been way too long since we have given the minimum wage a boost. Wages any more are a much smaller piece of the cost pie for many businesses anyway. Prices for fuel, etc have way outpaced any growth in wages. It's time we did something about those and not complain so much about the wages.

Renee, it wasn't "luck" that kept me out of minimum wage jobs...it was hard work and perserverance...sounds cliche, but is nevertheless true!

It's a myth that most people with money were lucky....those with the big money took the biggest risks, either through investing or putting up capital to start a company (a company that provides jobs!), making a business plan and producing a product or service. Whatever they can eek out of this is well-deserved, not the luck of the draw.

Hey Renee,
I don't make minimum wage, like millions of middle class people. However, millions of us in middle class, who did go to college (and are still paying off our student loans), are struggling today with the cost of food and gasoline and housing. We are sick of everyone assuming we have an obligation to "fund" others. I work in healthcare. I see people in lower socioeconomic status with cell phones, designer clothes, acrylic nails, ect. This is not how people should be living with they in Lower SES. They need to learn to adjust. And if that means drinking powdered milk, so be it. It's what my mother raised me on. My mother cut every corner possible because of money problems. People in lower SES today don't seem to do that. Why? They believe those of us who are doing slightly better have an obligation to "fund" them while we work our butts off at harder jobs with more pressure, more responsibilities, more educational requirements, and more student loan debt. Meanwhile, we aren't living the high life ourselves. We are also struggling.

You are all missing the point here. The minimum wage and Social Security checks are both used for the same purpose. To toss a hand full of peanuts to the peasants now and then so they don't do to Washington and the rich what the poor people of Paris did to Marie Antoinette and her cronies.

To reply to Boosterperez:

This is not the first time minimum wage had been increased. Every time minimum wage is increase the prices go up. it might only be a few cents here and there but the consumer is always going to pay. The current increase was set quite some time ago. So, it is really not news, just everybody is paying attention to it because everything is going up.

And as far as your comment that a "burger flipper" does not deserve to make $7.00 an hour. Hopefully, you never have to do it for a first or second job.

Just my opinion

I have found that the most intelligent are the most stupid.
recheck you books, son.
If people can not afford to eat what makes you think they will do?
Education you say, I'm glad you have/or daddy had to get you there.
I was in war at age 17,where were you at that age?

The minimum wage should be $8 an hour adjusted yearly for cost of living increases. The neo-cons in office and mr.bush believe that there should be no minimum wage while oil stocks, CEO, and our government should get raises. I can't believe some people are against this. It is a myth that when minimum wage goes up everything goes up. How can that be if we haven't increased it from 1997 to 2007.
wage increase crime decreases. If you are a small business and you can't afford to pay your workers than get out of business. Old people like the wage like it is because remembering hard times gets them erections. I tired off all the rich white people complaining. I never see a Hispanic or black person whine about minimum wage going up.

Another reason I won't vote for John "Keating Five Savings and Loan Scandal" McCain. If Obama gets too white on me, I will vote for McKinney the Green Party candidate.

I bet boosterprez voted for the idiot moron warmonger bush. he must drive a SUV or Benz and be a rich white person like the turds in westlake hills.

"I am proud to live in EAST AUSTIN"
"May be on foodstamps or social security"
"I love to rip off the man"
"making lots and lots of babies"
"Latino ji-had on the man"
"everyone in the hood"
"it's understood"
"Like the Nigerians chopadollar"
"Like Fat Pat be poppin his collar"
"Hollering at them chicas"
"It's ur boy boriqua"
"eating them talames at the taco hut"
"messing around with that latin butt"
"making a fuss cus I ridin the bus"
"catcha catch da 27 dove springs"
"baby mama house be ringing"
"selling some sweet mary jane"
"flaming some fragerant aroma"
"husting with my sign with bo for the haters"
"yelling fu-k bush to every pincha driving brand new sport car from westlake"
"smoke some mary jane and hustle everyday"

young thug, proud blood, making fuzz.

Not everyone has the ability to do more than that type of job--not everyone can start their own business or be in management. To say that those jobs are just for teens is naive.

"I can't believe some people are against this. It is a myth that when minimum wage goes up everything goes up. How can that be if we haven't increased it from 1997 to 2007."

I can't believe anyone who isn't ridiculously rich and doesn't care about the increased costs would be FOR this. It is NOT a myth that everything goes up as more is taken from businesss. History has proven this time and time again. The minimum wage is just one example, you're ignoring every single other cost that businesses must pay, which have increased radically since 1997 and every time cause an increase in consumer costs and a decrease in job growth. And by the way, the last increase before 1997 was decreased from its original intentions because of immediately escalating costs that seriously affected ALL who didn't receive any additional income to go with the cost increased, and that was during a decent economic time. Imagine it today when the middle class is already struggling. No, it most definitely is NOT a myth, it's seen with every change in business costs, from changes made just a few short months ago to the minimum wage changes of the past that ended up hurting the very people politicians claimed to be helping. Just looking at costs to businesses today and associated costs referred back to the consumer provide ample proof that you are not correct in your claim. I don't make enough to afford what you seem to support, but the economists from both the Republicans and Democrats have already said that they will not support Obama's economic policies, so he has no way of pushing them through Congress anyway even if voted in as President. I'm going to side with history itself and the experts on the economy on this one, instead of your claims that what most of us have seen personally is a myth.

Teens are being bypassed for those minimal jobs and the majority don't want to work for minimum wage. Immigrants are stepping up working 2 and 3 minimum wage jobs and happy to have the money. Minimum wage should be at the very least, during this time of economy burnout $10/hr.

I am educated, have never served jail time or been charged with any crime (felony or misdemeanor), and only work one job. However, I do live in a small town in the south. I don't want to hear about how I should move to a city with higher wages, my parents need minimal care, and as an only child, I am the one to provide that care. I would not want to move anyway, I have lived in several large cities and I do not like the lifestyle.

Minimum wage is too low, but the smaller towns are hit the hardest. There is a very restricted job market here to begin with, and people with college degrees do not make much over minimum wage. Either way, I have worked with women who qualify for welfare. I am not on welfare, nor do I agree with it in general, but if a woman can make more money staying at home collecting welfare than working full time for minimum wage, the wages need to be raised.

You have no right to say a person has to be uneducated or a criminal to be making minimum wage... it really sounds like you need to do some research on the real world and get some experience working like the average citizen.

Rene, I think the man is generalizing about people on minimum wage, but his point is still valid: this will probably help people that don't really need their wages raised the most simply because they are probably still in HS. I'm not saying it won't help some people genuinely, and it's great that it will, but in the long-term it will clearly hurt most Americans when all the prices go up. How many people over the age of 18 that worked at a job for several years are still making minimum wage really? If they haven't gotten a raise in years it's gotta be for one of several reasons:

1. They don't work hard enough
2. They don't/can't demand a raise and there are literally no alternative jobs anywhere

I imagine that most people who will benefit from this will be those who fall in group 1 and teenagers, while everyone suffers with the raised cost of living.

As for those who legitimately have no options for finding another job:
Just go on welfare

The thing is that many Americans making minimum wage are entitled to at least some welfare benefits. They don't take up on them because it's embarrassing. But then again, I don't see the logic in that: just go on welfare if the cost of living is too much, that's why the programs are there in the first place. If you're in a situation that is simply too hard to bare economically, then do all that you can to get out of it. Then maybe you'll have some time to get a little more job training and take care of your parents.

"If you are making min wage right now, you either are uneducated ( No HS degree or GED ), working a second job, or just out of jail. Please......write some other story that is at least interesting."

Not that any of that even matters, the reasons for their position is unimportant, as a minimum wage hike done today would jack up costs for everyone, and those who DO make above the new minimum already would have to pay the increased costs and they would be affected the most.

"I am educated, have never served jail time or been charged with any crime (felony or misdemeanor), and only work one job. However, I do live in a small town in the south. I don't want to hear about how I should move to a city with higher wages, my parents need minimal care, and as an only child, I am the one to provide that care. I would not want to move anyway, I have lived in several large cities and I do not like the lifestyle."

Rene, you admit you have a choice, you choose to live in a small town. With small towns come small wages for the most part. Everyone is given a choice you made yours.

If it were really that uncomfortable you would do something about it.

you obviosly know nothing about economics

Bruce great idea, was $12 the first number that popped into your head? Under your plan you would essentially shut down every small business in my home town in a matter of two weeks. OH man, you're not even worth more of a response....

What Christy said.

Econ 101 Bruce try it some time! Ok gas here in good ole So. Cal is 4.25 per gallon for Regular. Our state min. wage is $8.00 dollars, guess what Bruce, California tried your little old theory out by raising our minimum wage can you guess what happened?

When you take Econ they will teach you that! Again people sorry you hate hearing this but if you get an education (which you can also get from reading! not just at a college!) you would understand this concept. Put down the TV remote and go read something of substance.

Sit around waiting for a handout???

I can only begin because it never ends....

I have been legally working since I was 16, and off the books since I was 11. I have never had anything 'handed to me', and I busted my a** for every penny I made. I have worked in all kinds of jobs, from entry level to management. I have had 2 husbands in the Army, which made it impossible for me to stay in certain jobs when it was time to transfer. I am now back in my hometown, and jobs are very difficult to come by.

Don't tell me MW is fine. I work a MW job, but many weeks I work 70 - 80 hours, sometimes more. Even with the overtime I struggle to make bills. I hate to bust your 'patriotic' bubble, but if you work double full time and still can't make the bills, MW is too low. I do not waste money. I don't eat out, I don't smoke, I don't drink alcohol. I do not have a problem with these things, but they are not necessities and I do not spend money on unnecessary things. I can tell you this... when unavoidable things like insurance, new tires, doctor visits, and medication are needed, it is even more of a struggle. I take every minute of overtime I am offered, and I do not waste my money, but I still barely make my bills, and at times things go unpaid if there is an emergency.

So don't tell me MW is fine. I don't want a handout, but when a person works as much as I do, they deserve to be paid a decent wage for their time and effort.

I am not saying I am entitiled to anything, because I work for everything I get, but MW is not enough for what they require you to do in most jobs. And as for the quality of someone's work not being worth what they are paid, that is the fault of the management for not using whatever means they have to ensure performance, up to and including termination.

There's just no arguing with ignorance, so I won't even bother....

Exactly! The rich people whinning because they have to give up their 20% profits. They seem to always get their profit every year, regardless of how bad the economy is. Even small business owners make more than you think. If you can't pay your employees to do your *hit work for you, then you shouldn't be in business. Sell your business to someone who can.

It's called free enterprise and the profit motive.

I've seen a few comments like "I don't see why minimum wage shouldn't be 15 dollars an hour when the executives are paid so much more", and "you are lucky to never have worked a minimum wage job". Like most, these people have some confusion as to what the purpose of business is. Pay is and should be a reflection of your skills and experience. I have dealt with fast food employees and store employees whom if they were receiving minimum wage, were severely OVER paid. There is no entitlement to a wage and there shouldn't be. The other bit about being lucky is the one that always burns me. successful people are not lucky. They plan and persevere when trouble comes. Too many in this world want the pay without the work and sacrifice and I say the minimum wage for unskilled and young people should be lower, not higher. Increases in pay should be based on performance and experience, and not an entitlement.

To respond to Shane. I completely agree with you. My father always said the less you work, the more you get paid. CEOs do NOT work harder than someone down on the production line. These days, companies don't care if their employees are getting paid what they deserve. In their eyes, if you don't like it, leave. The job market is so horrible there will be someone ready and willing to fill your position. How about getting rid of some of those company vehicles? A CEO should have enough money to pay for his or her own car. As far as people working minimum wage jobs being uneducated, that may be true in a lot of cases. "Just go to college." That's easier said than done. Not everyone has rich parents that can send them to college. And if you have three kids, every penny you make at your minimum wage job goes to them. So college is completely unaffordable. This raise in minimum wage is ridiculous. It may help people a little, but it's still not enough. Every American worker should have the right to work for a living and be able to pay their bills with the check they receive at the end of the week.

The work the CEO does is done prior to getting to that position. Establishing those contacts and devoting the time necessary to advance the business to the point of profitability. As for supporting three kids on minimum wage, here's an idea....if you can't support yourself, then you probably shouldn't be breeding! Bringing more mouths to feed into an already untenable situation is selfish and stupid. Once you establish yourself and can afford to do so, then do so. It is called planning and sacrifice. I did not have rich parents. I decided to join the service. I paid for my own college. I developed skills that were in demand. I get paid a good wage. Do not blame business for poor planning by people.

"the poor person should be making at least 30,000 dollars per year to account for the cost of living."

Thus increasing the cost of living in the process, making $30,000 the equivalent of what $15,000 is today, keeping that poor person in the same predicament while dropping those those who are making $30,000 now into the same boat, highly increasing the poverty rate, requiring that they make at least $40,000 to account for the new cost of living, and on and on until everyone but the absolute wealthiest if dirt poor. This is why the ONLY way to increase the minimum wage responsibly is to do it marginally over long periods of time, raising it to go with a strong support of business growth, allowing for minimum wage to increase along with profit percentages so that business can maintain the same revenue percentages continuously so that they are not forced to increase consumer costs in the process. As businesses boost, raise minimum wage at the same rate so that their profits and revenue hold steady. They won't be making increasing profits, but they won't be losing money which would require costs inflations. This way, consumer costs can remain steady (instead of decreasing which would happen with no minimum wage increase and boosts to businesses), but the poor would see pay increases, thus increasing spending which would boost business even more which would in the long run lower consumer costs which would make the additional money be worth even more, instead of raises at the wrong time which INCREASE costs. If business growth is reducing, then no minimum wage can effectively be instigated without cost increases to match, which is the problem with the last attempted major hike. Pushing for a huge boost all at once is doomed to hurt the poor, only through support of business growth can there be effective salary increases that won't be negated by inflated costs.

Shane believe it or now most CEO's were not created specifically for the position they currently hold. They did not all come from rich families. Many of them actually worked to get where they are today.

IF you were to look at the richest people in the world I mean Billionaire level you will find that many can from humble beginnings

Carlos Slim no rich family ties
Sheldon Adelson borrowed 200 dollars to start him on his way to fortune

Do you know the difference between "rich" and the "others". Self-made rich people did not wait for the government to take care of them. They made their own opportunities.

The government should only step in to help those who served us. Not those wanting to be served.

ok then how about these people that have been laid off in the auto industry because of sales going down i guess its their fault??? these people have bills too and when the measly unemployment checks run out then what will they do? they will take any job they can get

Todd who people had many choices

Lets see do I take this job in the auto industry or not. Choice number 2 - Should I continue to pursue an education or not
Choice number 3- Should I really believe this job will never be phased out ?

Choices, Choices!

NO most people take jobs when they can get them not all people have a chance to go to school and further their education

Thank you....you said it all in less than 100 words. Minimum wages means PROVERTY.

To reply to Ashley-390043:

Some high school students have responsiblities and bills to pay. I delivered newspaper starting at 11 years old and also babysat until I was 16 years old and then went to work at a "real" job. My first two jobs in high school was a fast food place, then moved on to a department store, where I stay for 6 years until the business closed. The reason why I had to work as a teenager was first to pay rent ($100) a month to live in my father's house - his reason for it was to teach me responsible and the fact that he had to pay his way through life also. Second reason, my senior year of high school, senior pictures, senior trip, senior prom, and my own car and car insurance. And this was 1986 so minimum wage in the State of New Jersey was $3.35. So, to put it nicely, I did not waste my money. I worked hard for every dollar I worked for and I appreciate that I was taught work ethic at a early age.

Just my opinion. So, to make it short some high school students deserve the pay they receive.

It sounds like you are a very enterprising individual, but let's face it: your situation is very rare. To find a family where you are required to pay rent under the age of 18 is a bit much. Additionally, the point of a minimum is to ensure people can get the bare minimum. For a kid in HS to go on her trip, go to prom, get a car, etc. is not the bare minimum. These things are, in fact, luxuries.

Why are people constantly stating the teenager have no financial responsibilities. Many have because the family can not afford to support the basic needs for survival. For intance. Fuel will cost is predicted to go to $8-$10 per gallon next year.

Why do you feel the country should do something for you?

What are YOU doing for the country, besides complaining?

Perhaps if you felt more responsibility for your own well-being, and less reliant on a gov't entity to provide for you, you'd be farther ahead today.

Some president in the past said "ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country" ... Today, that president wouldn't even be able to keep his job in the Democrat National Convention... that was John F. Kennedy. And, that was one of the last things that a Democrat in national office has gotten correct. I have worked minimum wage jobs, I have worked salaried jobs, and I have worked multiple jobs at the same time. But what I have NOT done is begged the government to interfere in the market, to make more people suffer so that I can either have more company in my misery, or so that I can get my portion of their redistributed wealth.

Minimum wage jobs are meant to be entry-level. If you've been working at the same job for more than 3 - 6 months, and you're still earning minimum wage, that's because you are not worth more. Instead of whining that the government needs to get you more money, how about you show up to work half an hour early? How about you pull your pants up and / or cover your cleavage? How about you learn to speak the same English that the people that sign your checks speak? (Yo, man, I doan be talkin' bout no Messicans. I'se talkin' bout da homies dat sez the manz holdin' em down, dawg.) If you want success, you need to clean up your act and claim the success. Dress for the success you want. Act as if you deserve the success you want. Be respectful of the customers, even when they're stupid and just plain wrong, because they're ultimately the people that pay you... and, finally, show some sense of propriety.

God forbid if you ever come into a situation where you may need some help and are out on the streets. I guess you would rather help the CEO that's making $2-3 million dollars a year by buying one of their useless products than to help someone who is stuggling. That's what's wrong with this place. There are people who work hard everyday to clean up your *hit, make your fast food, your freakin Levi's jeans, and clean up your trash. They deserve to live and have the basics. What is wrong with you?

I was on welfare for 5 years, working a low paying job and barely making it. Not because of choice, but because mommy and daddy didn't raise me to think about college. To them, it was an unreachable goal. The government helped me and within 2 years I am off welfare and in a very good paying job. I am very greatful for the government's help. Because of that, I am able to stimulate the economy with my pay and I've become a productive taxpayer. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it.

Like I said, I hope you never become ill, lose your house, your spouse leaves you, or you just plain lose your job in a bad economy. You may run into someone that could help, but has the same mentality as you.

I agree with you: politics is entangling this country's resources and making it harder for legal Americans to make a living (especially the immigration situation), but raising minimum wage will only make it harder for people in poverty as the cost of living is raised as well.

Raising the minimum wage is also about politics. It gets Democrats votes regardless of whether it works or not. It ensures that several key unions in this country also get significant financial help and thus help to keep a strong Democrat party base happy at the peril of everyone else. For example, many unions might have a contract with their workers that says something like: you will make, at least, twice the amount of minimum wage. So as the minimum wage goes up, so will all workers wages in unions, and will support of the Democrat party. In the end, a capitalist economy is self-adjusting and this government intervention will only delay the inevitable.

If you only planned for your future to consist of a minimum wage job, you had no business having a family.

Minimum wages were never meant to fulfill the needs of a family of four...jobs that pay minimum wage are meant to introduce you to the world of working, give you experience to move up the ladder. Get a second or third job to make ends meet.

Stop blaming others (the gov't) for your lot in life....you put you where you are today, not George Bush or the legislature....do more to improve yourself....

You likely are where you deserve to be, like it or not.

I could not have said it better myself!!!!!!!!!!!

I love it when some people say! When you have hard economic times you should not have family. What a morons! In today's world it would mean that only rich folks could afford children. Many rich don't want children so it would not interfere into their fabulous life styles. This would mean near extinction of children in USA. I wonder who would pay the fat pension of those yahoos who say such a nonsense.

Why would anyone who is on minimum wage even think it is OK to stay at a minimum wage job if they have a family of four?

Would that not be enough to get you moving. Wow to think you would ok enough not to want to better your situation is shocking!

Get out there and make it happen.

You are asking how stupid we are? Well, stupid enough to vote for the same jerks time after time. Stupid enough to believe a slick rhetoric and promises of professional political liars.

Did they have those children? NOPE. Did they say you must "Accept" this wage? NOPE
GET MOVING AND STOP WHINING!

To think they are going to as you put it "sacrifice their raises to make sure the lower class working family receive more than the minimum raises." is hilarious. Even if be some freak of nature they did agree to that exactly how much of a difference do you think it would make?

Again raise the wages, and here comes the increase in housing, food, gas, heating oil and on and on.

Awesome Charles good for you!

I have to agree I see a lot of poor people make just one bad choice after another with the little cash they have. Seems like they spend it the minute it hits their pockets. Why is that?

Your concept about a wage decrease is a bit of food for thought.