GOP-Led Congress Votes Down Minimum Wage Increase

[Ms. Walsh]

Yeah. People who make careers out of working at places like Target and McDonalds can be making up to $20 an hour, but it's b/c they work up and become managers and get a lot of benefits. I almost got reeled into working full-time at Target instead of going to college. They offered me a job as the manager of the boys, girls, and infant clothing depts. when I graduated from HS, and said I would get a $3 raise, meaning I'd be making $14 an hour, guaranteed 40 hours a week, w/ over-time during inventory, but I had to decline b/c I knew that if I took the job, I'd get stuck working there for years and years and never go to college.

But I could never imagine spending 40-something years doing what I did. It takes way too much out of you, standing up 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, w/ only 2 break in between. I only worked there for 2 years, and my legs and back would always hurt from standing up and walking around for 8 hours. Also, for about 2 months when I was a cashier (before they promoted me to jewelry), I couldn't fall asleep after shifts b/c I would constantly hear the ringing that the register makes when it scans an item in my head.

So, yeah, people can make careers and be successful working at fast-food chains and retail, but I can't picture it being an amazing career. It's really tough work. It's bad hours...I always got stuck doing the evening shifts b/c I'm young, but even managers had to work 2 or 3 evenings a week. Also, nobody gets weekends off, so they can't spend a lot of time w/ kids. Sometimes you have to work holidays. Target was always closed for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter, but during the other holidays we were always opened.

Plus, dealing w/ customers in a pain in the butt! I worked in customer services (where you return items) and it was horrible!

[ademption]

Well, I guess I'm going to hold a minority position on this thread, but I'm strongly in favor of raising the minimum wage and respectfully disagree with some of the assertions posted in this thread.

For one thing, I think it's an important value for the government to provide incentives to work and that people who play by the rules and do work, should get paid adequately. I think it's an important value that we as a society ensure that people have the basics with which to live. I don't believe in a philosophy that says to people who are disadvantaged, sink or swim, but either way, you're on your own. So, I strongly believe in the minimum wage b/c it reflects the moral value that "as you do for the least of these, you also do for me:"

Secondly, I think the minimum wage will benefit many adults especially single mothers. Did you know that there would be 7.3 million people that would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage? That 760,000 single mothers would benefit from the minimum wage increase?

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/issueguides...wage_minwagefaq

Third, I think that raising the minimum wage would help the economy generally. For one thing, if you just look at the gov't numbers that this administration likes to tout, you would see that there have been HUGE productivity gains but the wages haven't kept up with inflation. In other words, people are working longer hours for the same pay w/o any pay increases. Raising the minimum wage is meant to address this problem.

You know how Republicans believe that tax cuts, especially for the wealthy, will eventually trickle down to the middle class and the lower class? The theory is that when people have more money in their pockets, they'll spend it, creating more jobs etc. Well, Democrats believe the opposite. They believe that by raising the minimum wage. people who live on the minimum wage will have more money in their pockets to spend, creating more jobs etc. It's just a difference in emphasis. One is top down (Republicans). The other is bottom up (Democrat).

Given the fact that gas prices and healthcare costs have risen exponentially over the past few years but wages have not, I think that it's VERY important that the next Congress raises the minimum wage.

Finally, I disagree with the assertion that the minimum wage will cause a HUGE job loss for minimum wage workers.

Does the minimum wage cause job loss?

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/issueguides...wage_minwagefaq

[Chris]

Oh yea, dealing with customers does suck. I am do not work many nights, but I actually like to work a few because we are not too busy and I can get things done (Counting money, etc.) a lot quicker than during the day, especially if I'm the only manager there. I don't anymore, but I used to hear timers and dings in my sleep. The past few days, I worked 10 hours a day and I had to help unload the massive truck we got. It takes a lot out of you.

[Dan]

Third, I think that raising the minimum wage would help the economy generally. For one thing, if you just look at the gov't numbers that this administration likes to tout, you would see that there have been HUGE productivity gains but the wages haven't kept up with inflation. In other words, people are working longer hours for the same pay w/o any pay increases. Raising the minimum wage is meant to address this problem.

Which, might I add, was one of the MAIN factors that caused the Great Depression back in 1929.