Yeah, as you said, they don't think like me. They probably don't have the same drive that I do.

For that they pay the price and get minimum wage jobs. 

A guy who busts his ass to better himself and advance in life deserves more than someone who decides to do nothing but sit on his ass and look for handouts. That isn't corrupt, that is just life. You reward hard work, not chosen laziness.

Your minimum wage jobs doesn't make you enough to pay for your rent and your iPhone? Your minimum wage job can't support your family? I have three simple solutions.

1.) Work harder and find a better job.

2.) Get a 2nd job.

3.) Stop having kids when you know you can't afford to support them.

I had to do it and so should everyone else. Thanks to our hard work (Me and my girl) I am not only living well and taking care of my family, but we also now own our own home.

We started as Sports Authority and Petco workers. This corruption you speak of didn't hold us back. We just decided long ago to not look for pity and complain about our misgivings and get off our asses and do something about it instead.

With the inflation that we had, I think its normal to see minimum wages go up and its a good thing. But myself I think the rich business should be paying there employees more than those that are struggling.

Yup and then everyone goes back to bitching about lack of available jobs.

Man you're blatant and ignorant. You think everything is so one sided and it just isn't that way at all. I know what hard work is for my age. Juggling a warehouse job getting in the top 10 % of my class, straight A's ,honors, AP and all. That isn't easy. And I may be inexperinced because I've only left highschool but I've been told by many that I have a great deal of wisdom for my age. But I see the system for what it is and it all isn't on the up and up. For us to be so blind to our faults it sickens me to even say that I live here. People are evil. i really don't want to hear about you and your girl because you and your girl aren't eveyone else. There are people who work their butt off and still get paid a few dollars a day. People that are forced to take these jobs that no one else would dare to do. This corruption that I am talking about isn't the same that you are. You missed the mark. Keep making these people angry and your sons and daughters get killed, your homes get invaded. NO, it isn't right but for us to be so blindsighed to these issues only fuels the problem! I don't protect the killers, the murders, oh no. I only state the obvious which seems to be implicit to you all.

As a twenty year old who worked a minimum wage job during the school year and will likely do so again this upcoming semester, I think the minimum wage is an awful idea. I can completely appreciate the sentiment behind it, but a wage increase only leads to an increase in prices and possibly a (temporary) reduction in jobs, meaning real wages are left unaffected.

You're right, me and my girl aren't everyone else. That is why we aren't stuck making minimum wage anymore and crying about how the system is screwing us.

I was like you too once. 18, fresh out of high school and thought I knew it all. Talked about things made me sick and everyone was so evil and swore I had all the answers.

Reality is going to hit you hard and your drop from that high horse is going to sting.

I'll stay blatant and ignorant thank you very much and you go on being the defender of the world and righteousness. I'll congratulate you personally when you recieve your nobel peace prize.

All I see in this thread is a bunch of self righteous people who don't realize that their hard work alone isn't what sets them apart from the minimum wage earners as a whole, but the opportunities given to them.

I was recently laid off from my job as a plumber, which generally pays better than most jobs and is almost completely recession proof, and have been unable to find work. On top of this, my grandfather recently had a massive stroke and is going through therapy to relearn to walk and use his right arm. His little incident completely obliterated any savings I had, so I have survive off pack ramen until I can find a minimum wage job to get by or my student loans are disbursed in late September.

So tell me more about how hard work is what everyone on minimum wage needs more of.

Also, a drastic rise in Minimum wage would have wide reaching effects. All jobs will likely see an increase in pay, especially technically demanding ones to prevent people from taking easier, better paying jobs or simply taking a financial hit to have more time to themselves. The price of all goods produced by minimum wage labor will see a jump, but the increase will be less than the increase in spending power granted to minimum wage earners. Increasing minimum wage is overall better for the entire economy, which is why extremely rich and money smart people like Buffet and Romney (Romney is of course famous for his hatred of society's "leeches") support raising it.

I am on no high horse and I know life will get harder. I do not know all of anything as it is impossible to do so. I only know what my parents teach me and what my books tell me. Where I differ is my strong sense of religion and I take nothing for myself. God is the only "righteous one here. I don't think half the things you though as you were 18 because I'm not you when you were 18. Heck, I don't even know who you are. You want to talk about work... then let's talk That's all the credentails is about. You know. You're right. Let's just stop here because you and your girl are the best okay?

While the general argument for a minimum wage increase is inherently flawed, there is an justifiable argument completely separate from it that is not flawed.

The general argument you hear is that the minimum wage should be a sufficient "livable wage," or so it is called, and is often pegged around $15/hr. The problem with an immediate wage increase of this much is, it will lead to some pretty significant inflation (especially at smaller businesses and thus the $15/hr no longer being "livable"), some industries going out of business completely (I'm especially looking at the bar industry, as people simply wouldn't be willing to pay 50% more for their burger, fries, and beer at their favorite local joint on a lazy afternoon), as well as the current moderate wage workplaces having some pretty upset workers. If somebody at McDonalds is able to make $15/hr, than why am I only making $26/hr with a 150 credit degree and 3 letters after my name (CPA).

Now, the legitimate reason why the minimum wage should be raised, and how it should be? It should always be attached to inflation, plain and simple. Why is a minimum wage worker today making $7.25/hr, when a minimum wage worker 10 years ago made $7.25/hr. I realize they don't have a college degree, but I also realize that they are making effectively 30% less money than 10 years ago for doing the exact same thing, which is by no means fair.

When people working a full time job still need government assistance, then you know you need to raise the minimum wage. People who have a job should be independent of the government, that's the whole point of having a job.

Also, Keyesian principles are not entirely faulty. they do apply sometimes. People working minimum wage jobs should at least have enough income to be able to contribute to the economy as well.