Long-Awaited Minimum Wage Increase

Working full time, a minimum wage worker brings home only $10,712 a year, nearly $6,000 below the poverty level for a family of three. Today, minimum wage workers will see the first federal pay increase in a decade. Raising the minimum wage means a $4,400 yearly pay raise—money that could pay for 15 months of groceries, or more than two years of health care. It could buy 19 months of utilities, 20 months of child care, or 30 months of college tuition at a public, 2-year college.

Over the next two years, the minimum wage will increase from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 per hour. Thanks to this increase, in 2009 a family of four will move from 11 percent below the poverty line to 5 percent above the poverty line. Nearly 13 million people will benefit from the increase.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Speaker
• Pelosi
• Charles
• Rangel
• Steny
• Hoyer
• George
• Miller
• Minimum
• Wage
• Increase

[Pbirv]

Many of the working poor did apply themselves and went to college, only to see the jobs they trained for eliminated, shipped overseas, or given to foreign guest workers willing to do those jobs for a fraction of what Americans can afford to live on(because the countries they're from pay 100% of their citizens' college tuition so they don't have to pay back student loans), and minimal wage jobs were the only ones available, and that's when they don't have to compete with illegals for those jobs.

[ntn1987]

Minimum wage minimizes employment. Raise your IQ instead, ignorant Democrats!

[jumboshrimp09]

Im trying to point out that I am not a biased rich guy who hates on the lower class because they take my money. I want a raise, but not because the goverment forces one, but because I earned it. Im against an increase because of the negative macro economic effects on the country.

[jumboshrimp09]

This minimum wage increase is ridiculus. There are people who wont be able to work now because the goverment is aloud to decide how much bussineses pay there employes regardless of the work load. I am a minimum wage employ against an increase in minimum wage.

[AbosRacing]

lol, you and me are polar oppisites. Neither of us are going to change our oppinions on the topic. I was born and raised republican, and unless i spend some extensive research time to figure out the benefits of things like communism, or socialism, i will probably stay that way.

Its selfish, i know, but whatever works for me now is probably what i will stick with untill i die.

[AbosRacing]

'Makes sense.

Wow, we've added a wholesome amount of comments to this vid, and we've seemed to reach an understand of each other...

So I guess this is goodbye *sniff*

later.

[thesiouxgoddess]

Abos, welcome to the THIRD WORLD phase of America. But, it's only temporary..........I guess everyone will be alright in the long run. Mike Malloy said this (I didn't): "CAPITALISM KILLS"

[AbosRacing]

And i understand that...

[thesiouxgoddess]

And some people just need a HAND UP to get to a better place in life..........take note I did NOT say hand out.

[thesiouxgoddess]

Abos, as a person who believes in education and a strong work ethnic as any intelligent or normal person would, I can care less about the welfare system myself. Yes, I agree that someone shouldn't just BREED to get a "handout" off of other people's tax dollars. But, regardless of whatever economical background, people will still bring offspring into this world because "no man or woman is an island unto him/herself"......people are still going to have kids, despite WHATEVER!