Is raising minimum wage nationwide a horrible idea?

[IkePoR]

BMaker11 said:

IkePoR said:

Those don't sound like poverty issues to me.  I'm talking about rent, the lights, water, food, etc.  Luxuries are luxuries.

If you can't afford 6 kids don't have them but I don't know what having different fathers  has to do with it.

That is like 95% of the reason people want raises in minimum wage. They can't (or don't want to??) differentiate between priorities and luxuries. Every time I see a news report about walk outs on the job and protesting, it's some run down looking person saying, effectively, "I got kids to feed". I'm sorry, but minimum wage jobs aren't meant to be "career" employment. They're low wage/low skill so you can get introduced to the workforce and have something on your resume.

If you're a single, 35 year old with 3-4 kids...why the hell are you working at McDonald's? You telling me that in all those years, you couldn't develop any skills that could get you a better job than working at the register? One thing I always hear is that "my husband died and he was the breadwinner". Breadwinner or not, you telling me you couldn't learn how to type at a reasonable rate on a computer, maybe learn some Excel? The most rudimentary computer stuff you can pick up in literal spare time between whatever in the world you're doing. Because, at least where I'm around, that's a $14/hr job starting wage, if you get a job using those skills. And there's so much more available with skills that don't take a 4 year degree to accomodate.

But no, instead we're supposed to bend to the whims of the lowest common denominator. Instead of bettering yourself and getting a better job, we're supposed to sit back, watch you flip burgers for years, have a bunch of children, etc. then complain that $7.25/hr ain't enough to pay for your kids, rent, school, iPods, and Jordans. Minimum wage isn't supposed to do that! It's supposed to take care of YOU! Your bare essentials (roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food on your table). And not a single other person.

I completely agree with this, to an extent.  Back in 2008, before I decided to go back to school, I woked 40 hrs a week at $7/hr(which was 75 cents higher than min. wage in 2008).  When I went to apply for the cheapest studio apartment in the area, I was turned away as I needed to make $10/hr at least before being considered. So in most cases you're probably right but perhaps I am the exception to the rule.

Blob said:

IkePoR said:

That... completely doesn't answer my question

The wiggle room is the fact that you can get a job thats not minimum wage. Oh and those who earn minimum wage get tax offsets.

That answered me.  Thanks, makes sense.