Should Minimum Wage Be Raised

We believe that gradually raising the minimum wage will increase the standards of living of workers, reduces poverty, reduces inequality and help businesses work efficiently. Raising minimum wage is essential because the cost of living has gone up considerably. The increase in cost of living makes it impossible to raise a family on a minimum wage job. An average minimum wage worker earns about $14,500 a year leaving way too many families below the poverty line. The poverty rates in America have been going up gradually and minimum wage would help relieve the problem. The increase in minimum wage would help families in poverty to survive the growing costs of food, medicine and education. Raising minimum wage would encourage the workers to get a job and paying workers well would make them feel better about their job and reduces stress. Raising minimum wage would not only help families get out of poverty, but the additional earnings would contribute to the overall economy by raising demand and job growth as spending increases.
The actual cost of living in United States is $65,000 a year for a family of two adults and two children which is $50,000 more than what a minimum wage worker earns. A family living on minimum wage will find itself living in deep poverty. Researchers say that the actual value of Minimum wage has fallen over the years. Today, the real value of the Minimum Wage is 20% less compared to when Reagan took office. Workers that receive tips have even lower wages of $2.13 per hour which is unchanged since 1991. Today we see the disappearance of programs to keep 40 million people out of poverty. States are lowering benefits. It is crucial that we raise the minimum wage in order for families to be able to get by day to