Obama proposes raising the minimum wage to $9/hour...

**JustAlex** · 02-14-2013, 02:12 AM

And of course Boehner and the rest of the GOP are against it and since this has to go through congress, the chances of it being actualized is quite depressing.

Meanwhile you have MILLIONS of Americans who work very hard and they still can't get by.

I often think about this and I really wonder how these people survive on a day to day basis.

I can't imagine it, and it makes me sad to know that the "richest" country in the world is also one of the cheapest.

**gladdyontherise** · 02-14-2013, 07:46 AM

While I think anyone (including myself) who currently makes minimum wage would like to see it go up, I'm not sure how practical it would be. I see some businesses just letting people go if it happened. I don't agree with that, but it would probably happen. The problem is the difference in the standard of living and minimum wage is completely out of whack.

**shrewsbury** · 02-14-2013, 08:26 AM

also it depends where you live, the cost of living in California is way higher than the cost of living in Ohio. you would think minimum wage would be different in states where the cost of living is higher.

**pghin08** · 02-14-2013, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by shrewsbury

also it depends where you live, the cost of living in California is way higher than the cost of living in Ohio. you would think minimum wage would be different in states where the cost of living is higher.

I agree. I live in Pittsburgh, where it's far easier to get by on $9 an hour than it is in LA or New York (though $9 still doesn't get you far).

I'm going to actually come to Boehner's defense a bit here. I'm sure this issue, on a personal level hits a soft spot for him. He had to work multiple jobs to pay his way through college, so he gets how this stuff works. He doesn't come from means at ALL. He knows exactly what it means to struggle.

**Star_Cards** · 02-14-2013, 09:58 AM

I definitely see both sides to the argument. I wonder how many adults make minimum wage. I'd be interested to see stats on how many minimum wage earners are people supporting families and how many are the typical high school and college kids.

It all depends where you work, but if you've been at a place that mostly has minimum wage jobs, one would think they get some raises from time to time. I've only had one job where I entered in at minimum wage (pizza place during high school) and I didn't make minimum wage after about a year in. sure, they were small raises, but still. Although this increase would probably effect more since it's a pretty big increase and it would bump people making just a dollar more than the current min wage. Isn't the minimum wage 7.35 or so?

I also see that if could hurt the business owners as well. It really won't effect me directly either way as I don't make min wage nor do I employ anyone. I'm on the fence about it.

**Star_Cards** · 02-14-2013, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by shrewsbury

also it depends where you live, the cost of living in California is way higher than the cost of living in Ohio. you would think minimum wage would be different in states where the cost of living is higher.

great point. I think if I had to try to live off of min wage and support a family I'd try to get to where that wage was at it's maximum value. I know that's very easily said, but some places the cost of living is higher than what people who make more than min wage could afford.

**JustAlex** · 02-14-2013, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by pghin08

I agree. I live in Pittsburgh, where it's far easier to get by on $9 an hour than it is in LA or New York (though $9 still doesn't get you far).

I'm going to actually come to Boehner's defense a bit here. I'm sure this issue, on a personal level hits a soft spot for him. He had to work multiple jobs to pay his way through college, so he gets how this stuff works. He doesn't come from means at ALL. He knows exactly what it means to struggle.

Wait....but wouldn't he like to see it go up in order to see others have a better chance than have to struggle so much?

Or is the only way to be successful in this country is to literally go through hell?

Isn't the whole point of government to help it's citizens?

Or are the GOP so petty that they have a "well, I had to go through hell, so you should too" mentality?

I'm in favor of making people's lives easier....even if my life was very hard.

It's like saying....well in my day I had to use a manual typewriter to do my college homework....why should you get to use a computer and spend a fraction of the time than I did?

**Wickabee** · 02-14-2013, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by gladdyontherise

While I think anyone (including myself) who currently makes minimum wage would like to see it go up, I'm not sure how practical it would be. I see some businesses just letting people go if it happened. I don't agree with that, but it would probably happen. The problem is the difference in the standard of living and minimum wage is completely out of whack.

If it does happen, blame the business owners. BC had the lowest minimum wage in Canda awhile back at $8.50 and raised it to $10/hr.
There were no reports of layoffs due to this. Frankly, the only ones who complained were poorly run retaurants (who also complained they would go broke when tougher drunk driving laws were brought in).
When things like this come up and a group starts complaining about a rise in minimum wage, liquor laws, gay marriage benefits, etc eating their profits, you're listening to a group of bad business owners.

**pghin08** · 02-14-2013, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by JustAlex

Wait....but wouldn't he like to see it go up in order to see others have a better chance than have to struggle so much?

Or is the only way to be successful in this country is to literally go through hell?

Isn't the whole point of government to help it's citizens?

Or are the GOP so petty that they have a "well, I had to go through hell, so you should too" mentality?

I'm in favor of making people's lives easier....even if my life was very hard.

It's like saying....well in my day I had to use a manual typewriter to do my college homework....why should you get to use a computer and spend a fraction of the time than I did?

No, what I'm saying is that I wouldn't lump Boehner in with other Republicans. He has to act as the voice of his party, which disagrees with the raise. That's his job. But my bet is that if you were to just ask John Boehner the person, he would probably agree with it.

**Star_Cards** · 02-14-2013, 11:14 AM

I doubt the majority against are so because they want to see people struggle. The major concern is if companies can afford the increase. Is it good if a companies has to lay off a guy in order to cover the increase of min wage for nine other employees.

I don't like seeing people struggle but part of me wonders how much should a min wage job earn. It is a min wage job for a reason. The model is set for people to progress from those jobs after gaining experience. I do understand that some people get stuck but some of that has to depend on ones drive to get into a better job.

As I said before. I'm still on the fence and see both sides. It's hard for me to speak on the side of people trying to live off of a min wage job as I've never had to do it.