Minimum wage was a big nothing in Florida
All Things Considered, December 13, 2006 • When Democrats take charge of Congress next month, one of the first items on their agenda is raising the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 over the next several years.
Recently, I visited one state — Florida — to see what actually happened after voters there raised the minimum wage two years ago. Back then, people on both sides of the issue were making dramatic predictions.
Two years after Florida raised its minimum wage, the dire warnings from those who argued the move would force businesses to lay off workers have not come true. But it’s also hard to find someone — like the fictional “Paula” — who says the higher minimum wage has helped a lot.
Instead, you’re more likely to find business owners who pay well over the minimum wage.
Do you think the Democrats strategy of raising minimum wage will help working class people who lost their high paying jobs to overseas outsourcing? Should the Democrats be focusing instead on issues that will help the middle class see wages go up again?
John,
Given the income distribution curve for US taxpayers, a $15 per hour federal minimum wage is indicated.
Over 400,000 people work for free in family businesses. That would be kids, John. Children. Most likely.
We could double income for 40% of taxpayers, easy.
Mad Dog
Do you think the current $7.25 MW bill will help the middle class?
I don’t think the minimum wage law will improve anybody’s lot except those actually working for minimum wage. And there aren’t a whole lot of them out there. As the article said most businesses pay higher than the current minimum wage already. The Dems’ MW bill is a gratuitous pander to everyone suffering economic hardships, even though few of those people will benefit.
Chris
You are right and let your voice be heard!
Indeed…Democrats are real jerks for helping the poor. So like them.
You know who REALLY helps out the poor? Republicans!
Yall may be too young to remember this, but back in the day they had this disaster called Katrina…it was a hurricane that wiped out an entire city, and thank the lord that Republicans were in charge back then, or else all those poor people who were stranded wouldn’t have been given food and water for days…if the Democrats were running the country they would have just left those poor people stranded down there for days I’d bet.
Al
The point is all Democrats are doing pandering and not dealing with the real problem trade and immigration.
BTW AL, we have liberals and conservatives who see the problem.
John,
Be honest. If Pelosi put forward a bill to repeal NAFTA do you think Bush would sign it? Then what? With approval ratings headed into the twenties I’m sure Bush thinks that he has nothing to lose at this point.
John,
Do you have the guts to define middle class?
Median income is under $16k.
Pretty much the minimum wage now.
So, about 50% of taxpayers would benefit from $7.25 an hour as a minimum wage, plus the 400,000 working for nothing in the Mom and Pop shops.
The benefit isn’t just the minimum wage jobs, which are less than 3%.
If I’m making $7.25 for a jerk, I can quit and find another jerk to pay me $7.25 an hour.
Lots of people think they are stuck with shitty hours, shitty bosses, and shitty customers. Level the playing field.
Don’t make people work for ten cents an hour over minimum wage so we can say, most businesses pay more than MIN WAGE.
If one company, like Goldman Sachs can pay out $19 billion in bonus, they can do more than tip the doorman.