originally posted in:Secular Sevens
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All the talk of raising minimum wage has got me thinking. While, personally, I don't believe that fast food workers should be making $15/hr, I do believe that working full time at minimum wage job should at least put a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food on your table. The minimum wage should be increasing at the same rate as the cost of living.
The US federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr, which was last adjusted in 2009 - nearly 5 years ago.
People working minimum wage jobs [i]need[/i] those cost of living adjustments.
Letting the free market determine what something is worth is a basic principle of capitalism, yes? If the free market decides that someone flipping burgers is worth $3/hr, that person is screwed. The unfortunate part of this situation is that $3/hr is better than $0/hr, even if $3 wont buy you shit, so people will take those jobs.
Capitalism is inherently emotionless. At what point does one put aside their capitalistic intentions and exhibit compassion in taking care of their workers?
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Edited by kj2177: 11/8/2014 6:58:57 AMfree market capitalism would minimize exploitation of the poor in my opinion. as long as their are people involved in any system their will be exploitation. and you have to remember what minimum wage jobs are. should the high schooler with an after school job living in his parents house be making what his/her father is at a full time job? maybe, maybe not. but these jobs were not designed to support a person's livelihood. unfortunate, but if minimum wage was raised to $15/hour tomorrow the economy would take a nosedive.