Minimum

 According to the dictionary “ the least or smallest amount or quantity possible, attainable, or required.”  The minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour on the federal level. So all that says to me is that the employer would pay you less except it is illegal. They are willing to pay you the least amount possible for the sweat of your brow. The average rent in the United States for a one bedroom apartment is $1,000 per month. If you want to do the math that would require approximately 138 hours of labor if no taxes were taken out of that hourly $7.25. Grocery cost for one person runs between $150 and $300 per month. So another 20 or so hours at minimum wage will get you fed at a minimal level. Ramen noodles must be a staple. We haven’t gotten to transportation, utilities, healthcare, clothing, telephone, or any other expenses. So one person working at minimum wage works the equivalent of 4 weeks of 40 hours for rent and food. Some in Congress say work your way up, get some more education, get job training. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Tough to do when you don’t have boots. 

I know the arguments. If we pay $15 per hour for kids flipping hamburgers then what about those folks with training and jobs like EMT’s that are only making $16 per hour? I haven’t been on an ambulance ride in some time but I suspect for what the trip costs they could afford to pay their help more. So, stop the “what about” bullshit. People’s work should be valued and paid enough they can afford to live. I’m old but I remember my dad being able to work and make enough money for mom to stay home and care for us. It seems to me that the minimum wage should be indexed to keep pace with inflation like social security. 

A final point. As a taxpayer I don’t think my tax dollars should go to pay for government benefits like Medicaid and food stamps for employees of profitable companies like WalMart or Amazon. Those companies are worth billions of dollars and their owners are billionaires many times over. Yet taxpayers put out money every day because their employees are paid poverty wages. Both those companies actively fight against unionization and the wage and benefit increase that would bring to their workers. 

So, pay a living wage or maybe you just can’t afford to be in business. Remember that workers are trading something (their time) that they cannot get more of, for something a good businessman can get more of (money).