pShould the minimum wage be raised to $9 per hour?

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Results

45 %

Yes, good idea

45 %

No, poor idea

10 %

I have mixed feelings

@Feb '13 c 773 comments V 1,286 votes

Detailed Results Next Debate Vote Now

Activity Stmts Popular

1286 Votes

4 hr
InquisitiveMe endorsed Speedieg

v Yes, good idea
6 hr
Sunnyside voted

v No, poor idea
u

7 hr
weathergod voted

v No, poor idea
u

7 hr
RealTexan endorsed JoeJared

v Yes, good idea
8 hr

Vermonter

v No, poor idea

When the Federal minimum wage is raised, it only benefits the unions.Because union contracts are based on a percentage of the Federal Minimum wage. 135% of of minimum, 189% of minimum, etc. Most states have their own minimim wage, and it's higher, so the Frderal wage is moot. But what happens when those at the bottom get a federally mandated raise? Ok, they get $9 an hour. What about the people who are making $9 currently? Naturally they will demand a raise because they made more than minimum before. So they go from $9 to $10. Then the one making $10 gets upset, so they demand a raise too. Next thing you know the french fry guy at Burger Barn is making just as much a...

Post
10 hr
phyllis-powell voted

v No, poor idea
11 hr
Rule163 voted

v Yes, good idea
u

11 hr

guest

v Yes, good idea

The prices are going to rise with or without the increase in minimum wage.

Post
u

16 hr
TJWV voted

v No, poor idea
u

21 hr
KickBrass voted

v No, poor idea
Fri
Missbritt9090 voted

v Yes, good idea
u

Fri
carpeng voted

v No, poor idea
Fri
WaMu voted

v Yes, good idea
Fri
7777777GGG voted

v Yes, good idea
Fri
livewire voted

v Yes, good idea
Fri
dethkat666 endorsed JoeJared

v Yes, good idea
Fri
fidler601 voted

v Yes, good idea
u

Fri

PatCarnohan

v No, poor idea

Forces employers into firing those whose labor is of less value than the minimum wage, so their wage is decreased, not increased.

Post
u

Fri
Rcharlie voted

v No, poor idea
Fri

RightWingJive

v Yes, good idea

Since Ronald Reagan, the worst President in history, went into office in 1981 to destroy the middle class and low income earners, they have suffered. They need a break.

Post
Fri
ominious1 endorsed Armed_Veteran

v No, poor idea
Fri
GPitsch endorsed JoeJared

v Yes, good idea
u

Fri
johndziedzic voted

v Yes, good idea
u

Thu
Abby11 voted

v Yes, good idea
Thu

barton7

v Yes, good idea

I actually feel that they should raise it to at least 10.50 .

Post
Thu
mattandkim voted

v I have mixed feelings
Thu
dwpgh92 voted

v Yes, good idea
u

Thu
Soron voted

v No, poor idea
Thu
carolb777 endorsed justapirate

v Yes, good idea
u

Thu
CivilWarSam endorsed Armed_Veteran

v No, poor idea
May 23
poee endorsed Speedieg

v Yes, good idea
u

May 23
pboucher voted

v Yes, good idea
u

May 23
BIGJIGGs endorsed JoeJared

v Yes, good idea
u

May 23
DebWilliams57 voted

v No, poor idea
May 23
Randolf endorsed Dan_Tien

v I have mixed feelings
May 23

Brandon101

v No, poor idea

No. $9 is not a living wage. The poverty line is around 21,000/year, so $15 an hour would be more like it. We are the stingiest country I could ever imagine. Little story here -- started my career managing family factory (I managed one and Dad, the real boss, managed one) and they were modest, but we built 'em up over time. But we started out with like 10-15 people, and paid maybe $6-7/hour (in 1975 or so) and a meager health insurance and dental insurance plan and a meager pension plan as well. As we did better we paid better 'cause we're not all that excited about wealth anyway, not that we were homeless of course. But we were certainly able to do $15/hour by 1990,...

Post
u

May 23
MTB voted

v Yes, good idea
u

May 22
leemercury65 voted

v I have mixed feelings
u

May 22
Mobandy voted

v Yes, good idea
u

May 22
Sapientia voted

v No, poor idea
May 22

Tryder

v No, poor idea

if minimum wage is raised, prices across the board will increase. it will be no relief to the poor. it will make their plight much worse. if we want to help the economy and the job market, we need to fix our monetary policy. End the FED. Our money is worthless, giving more of it will not help.

Post
u

May 22
xitilop01 endorsed JoeJared

v Yes, good idea
May 22
TheOutlier endorsed justapirate

v Yes, good idea
May 22

Xavier_Onassis

v Yes, good idea

The minimum wage in Australia is $16 per hour.

Post
u

May 22
Turtle_Sex voted

v Yes, good idea
May 22

pat310

v Yes, good idea

It should be at least 10 dollars an hour

Post
u

May 22

Activevoter

v Yes, good idea

Ofcourse. How can we support a system that doesn't follow inflation and that is, as it is set, below the poverty line to sustain living?

Post
May 22
griz64blue voted

v No, poor idea
u

May 21
steve2 voted

v Yes, good idea
May 21
Greatkaven voted

v Yes, good idea

8 hr

Vermonter

v No, poor idea

When the Federal minimum wage is raised, it only benefits the unions.Because union contracts are based on a percentage of the Federal Minimum wage. 135% of of minimum, 189% of minimum, etc. Most states have their own minimim wage, and it's higher, so the Frderal wage is moot. But what happens when those at the bottom get a federally mandated raise? Ok, they get $9 an hour. What about the people who are making $9 currently? Naturally they will demand a raise because they made more than minimum before. So they go from $9 to $10. Then the one making $10 gets upset, so they demand a raise too. Next thing you know the french fry guy at Burger Barn is making just as much a...

Post
u

11 hr

guest

v Yes, good idea

The prices are going to rise with or without the increase in minimum wage.

Post
u

Fri

PatCarnohan

v No, poor idea

Forces employers into firing those whose labor is of less value than the minimum wage, so their wage is decreased, not increased.

Post
Fri

RightWingJive

v Yes, good idea

Since Ronald Reagan, the worst President in history, went into office in 1981 to destroy the middle class and low income earners, they have suffered. They need a break.

Post
Thu

barton7

v Yes, good idea

I actually feel that they should raise it to at least 10.50 .

Post
May 23

Brandon101

v No, poor idea

No. $9 is not a living wage. The poverty line is around 21,000/year, so $15 an hour would be more like it. We are the stingiest country I could ever imagine. Little story here -- started my career managing family factory (I managed one and Dad, the real boss, managed one) and they were modest, but we built 'em up over time. But we started out with like 10-15 people, and paid maybe $6-7/hour (in 1975 or so) and a meager health insurance and dental insurance plan and a meager pension plan as well. As we did better we paid better 'cause we're not all that excited about wealth anyway, not that we were homeless of course. But we were certainly able to do $15/hour by 1990,...

Post
May 22

Tryder

v No, poor idea

if minimum wage is raised, prices across the board will increase. it will be no relief to the poor. it will make their plight much worse. if we want to help the economy and the job market, we need to fix our monetary policy. End the FED. Our money is worthless, giving more of it will not help.

Post
May 22

Xavier_Onassis

v Yes, good idea

The minimum wage in Australia is $16 per hour.

Post
May 22

pat310

v Yes, good idea

It should be at least 10 dollars an hour

Post
u

May 22

Activevoter

v Yes, good idea

Ofcourse. How can we support a system that doesn't follow inflation and that is, as it is set, below the poverty line to sustain living?

Post
May 21

maskedtex

v Yes, good idea

The prices of everything goes up, so why not wages.

Post
May 21

AtheistStand

v Yes, good idea

Of we can give billions to other countries why cant we invest in our own people? Geeezz is it that hard to understand?

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May 21

Your_Name_Here

v No, poor idea

More welfare... We, the People will subsidize the income of others by paying higher prices to offset the additional tax built in to the goods and services we purchase in order to subsidize higher pay. The only income that is of value is that which is earned, not given.

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u

May 20

robbob280

v No, poor idea

In some state yes but not all cost of living differ from state to state . When you raise wages the price on products goes up . ( cost of living ) Remember the rich get richer and the poor stay poor .

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u

May 20

KentuckyJim

v No, poor idea

No. The government would be better off to actually help people themselves, rather then just throwing more policies and taxes on the backs of business owners. Minimum wage is meant to be a supplementary income, and not a primary one. Raising it would effectively lower the value of all of our incomes, including the ones that just got the higher minimum wage, because prices would go up. There would be no gain for anyone. It would be a better decision to leave it alone, and instead focus on creating more middle class jobs that these people can move into, and working to bring the cost of a college education DOWN.

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u

May 20

meggiemae

v I have mixed feelings

I don't think this issue has been made into law, still working on it ...........

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May 19

MrHats

v No, poor idea

Yes, things are difficult now. Yes, life is hard and providing for a family is more than a chore it's almost a fight. However raising the minimum wage would, in turn, make the cost of everything go up. How does that help the people earning minimum wage. Their money will warrant the same demand regardless.

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May 19

Carach

v No, poor idea

There should be no minimum wage at all. Any attempt by the government at setting prices for anything, including labor, is wrong and a violation of individual rights. While those who have, and are able to keep, jobs might be better off, the unemployed will certainly be worse off, and there will most likely be more of them. Those who do not have the skills for a $7 job will certainly not have the skills for a $9 job. People always seem to forget that regardless of any regulation, the actual minimum wage is always $0.00.

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u

May 18

Granite4Red

v No, poor idea

The idea of the formation of the United States was never about imposing federal guidelines such as a minimum wage. If the individual states choose to impose (I disagree for other reasons), at least that would be in keeping with our founders intent and adhere to the 10th Amendment

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u

May 18

dzfgb

v No, poor idea

No, politicians should have to live on minimum wage, as their plight would make our dollar stronger.

B1

r1 reply

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May 19

sweetromance

What a delightful idea. (^:

Post @sweetromance
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Feb '13

Armed_Veteran

v No, poor idea

The minimum wage was never meant to be a "living" wage. It is a starting wage you are supposed to work your way up from. If you can't make it on minimum wage, you are supposed to get yourself better trained and better educated and work your way up. In other words, if youare 20-21 years old and still making minimum wage, you should really be reconsidering your career choices. Increasing the minimum wage will do nothing but cause employers to hire less people and increase the cost of their goods and services, thus driving the economy even further into the black hole we are currently in.

B7

r31 replies

e148 endorsed

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Feb '13

JoeJared

v Yes, good idea

Actually, compared to 1970's minimum wage and cost of goods, it should be $15.00/hour.

B2

r16 replies

e131 endorsed

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Feb '13

justapirate

v Yes, good idea

I don't know why there should be doubt that the minimum wage is too low. I challenge ANYONE who is against it to try living on the current minimum. Go ahead. Try it. Seriously. No cheating. No using resources that you've got. Just plain make a valid attempt. You'll find that it doesn't meet any minimums that are required to just plain get by. To those who say that this will put businesses outa business- if it's that close a margin then you're two steps away from bankruptcy, anyway.

B4

r5 replies

e40 endorsed

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Feb '13

Speedieg

v Yes, good idea

I agree with the president no one should work a full week in this country at any job and not make a living wage. Not everyone can be an engineer or doctor.

B4

r5 replies

e33 endorsed

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u

Feb '13

seedtick

v No, poor idea

Business owners will pass the cost along to consumers, lay off workers, cut benefits, etc. You cannot run a business if you cannot make profit. A small busines that is struggling will likely close down because of the added expense. Adding $70 per 40hr week to each employee just may be the straw that breaks the camel's back. That also means that they will be forced to increase higher paid skilled employees by a simular percentage. You cannot run a business on idealogy. But, the unsaid thing here is the added tax money the federal government will get when wages are raised. It's just another way to get into the businessman's pocket. Kind of like money laundering by using ...

B4

r6 replies

e22 endorsed

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Feb '13

Dan_Tien

v I have mixed feelings

Prices rise to match increased wages. Raising the minimum wage will be a very temporary fix for the working poor, while hurting people on fixed incomes. Reducing cost of living increases for seniors is already on the table.

e23 endorsed

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Feb '13

Russell797

v Yes, good idea

I will say it again. Our economic system is entirely dependent on never ending, continuous growth in all aspects. This unrealistic expectation of the capitalist economic model can only work when large segments of society can afford to participate in that upward growth. Holding low wage workers down is counter productive to this desired end result.

B2

e14 endorsed

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u

Feb '13

kramresim1

v Yes, good idea

The minimum wage should be a living wage and it needs to be tied to inflation.

e12 endorsed

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Feb '13

gammler

v No, poor idea

The minimum wage was never meant to be a living wage. Rather it was meant to be a training wage and a bar to prevent employers from exploiting employees just coming into the labor force. Every time the minimum wage goes up all that happens is that prices go up accordingly. All that gets accomplished is Bernanke paper with higher numbers on it. A raise in the minimum wage also causes more unemployment. The more it goes up the more workers who still have jobs work for it. It constricts the possibility of raises for more experienced workers.

B4

r3 replies

e7 endorsed

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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

v No, poor idea

The inflation from such a move would make the recent droughts and the surge of the price of fossil fuels look like a minor inconvenience!

B4

r1 reply

e7 endorsed

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