Minimum wage increase
I was happy to see this story today about a bill in Congress to increase the minimum wage. It's weird how most salaried workers get a minimum 2-3% wage increase each year, which typically accounts for inflation, yet hourly workers continue to get the shaft because minimum wage holds flat. It has been at $5.15 an hour since 1997! It is inexcusable that our legislators have taken so long to increase this. Assuming an annual inflation rate of 3%, the wage should be up to at least $6.50 by now. At the current rate, workers are making an annual salary of $10,500, which is $5,000 below the poverty line for a family of three. Anytime I hear someone complain about how this is going to raise prices (like at the good ol' local Wal-Mart), I just want to shake them and ask them how is that not worth it to know that millions of families are now a little bit closer to making a living wage.
Of course, as is always with politics in our messed up system, this issue is far from a slam dunk. The Democrats have their plan, and the Republicans have their plan (which, of course, calls for a much smaller increase), and neither side is likely to budge. While I do back the Democratic proposal which calls for a $2 increase (as opposed to the Republican increase of a mere $1.10...which doesn't even cover the inflation since the last increase), I hope the two sides can come together and at least agree to some sort of increase. To me, this definitely seems like a much more pressing issue than Social Security, but this story is getting zero publicity anywhere.
Of course, as is always with politics in our messed up system, this issue is far from a slam dunk. The Democrats have their plan, and the Republicans have their plan (which, of course, calls for a much smaller increase), and neither side is likely to budge. While I do back the Democratic proposal which calls for a $2 increase (as opposed to the Republican increase of a mere $1.10...which doesn't even cover the inflation since the last increase), I hope the two sides can come together and at least agree to some sort of increase. To me, this definitely seems like a much more pressing issue than Social Security, but this story is getting zero publicity anywhere.
This entry was posted by Brad, on
Sunday, March 06, 2005.
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3/09/2005 2:47 PM
and i especially like how congress has voted themselves pay raises in something like 6 of the past 7 years for a whopping 28k increase. yes increase in their own pay. if only serving in congress were a minumum wage job!