Our nation is considered the richest on earth, yet many Americans are living below poverty level. One reason we can pinpoint is the fact that the current minimum wage has not kept up with the increasing cost of livelihood. The most recent increase in the minimum wage rate was in September of 1997 from $4.75 to $5.15, what Congress considered a livable wage at that time. Six years later the minimum wage is at the same rate, despite of the fact that current cost of living has greatly risen. Minimum wage is based on how the society views the importance of the jobs, not because the workers lack skill. Much of the workforce earning minimum wage are Nurses Aides who care for our elderly, Day Care workers who care for our children, and Security Guards of our major businesses, all necessary, important positions that require high skill in their fields. .
American's need to earn a wage that help them stay out of poverty, lessening the need for welfare assistance. We should not have to be faced with choosing between child-care or health care, clothing for our children or paying bills, food or gas for our vehicles. Earning a higher wage will reduce the struggle of living satisfactorily that many face from day to day after working forty to sixty hours a week. Aside from providing better quality of life, raising the minimum wage could also have an impact on other issues that our nation is facing, such as child abuse, drug abuse, high crime rates and mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Having a parent that makes a better wage opens a broader range of advantages for their children, lessening the likelihood that they will become involved in criminal activities and they will grow to become a more industrious adult. The knowledge that their job is viewed as important in society, with the increase of minimum wage, could lead to more contented people with higher self-esteem. .
Some feel that raising the minimum wage would cause unemployment to increase, which would not be the case.
