The minimum wage should reflect the cost of living index. Goods and services continue to rise at a fairly rapid rate, the minimum wage needs to adjust accordingly.
As for restuarants - i never understoof why that particular business had to pay their employees such a pitance, and the public was supposed to make up that nominal dollar amount with tips? Why do resturant owners get such a deal?

To begin with, only a tiny fraction of workers are paid the minimum wage. It's a fantasy that millions of American workers are struggling to support a family on the minimum wage. More than four-fifths of minimum-wage workers have no dependents.

The minimum wage is simply the bottom rung on the economic ladder. It's a start, not the destination. Few workers are stuck there for long. The BLS reports that 63% of those hired at the minimum wage get raises within a year or less from employers who want to reward and retain them. Workers whose skills can't command a higher wage from an employer will be unable to find work when an increase in the minimum wage prices them out of the market.

Even though very few workers in our economy are paid minimum wages and hardly any have to live on minimum wages, the impact of a minimum wage increase affects many others, especially well-paid workers with union labor contracts indexed to the minimum wage.

In our market economy, supply and demand for anything - products or labor - are brought into balance by a market-clearing price. Wages are determined by the voluntary interaction of employers and employees. Arbitrary minimum wage laws distort this market transaction. Just as it's not nice to fool Mother Nature, it's bad economic policy to fool with the price mechanism in a market economy.

Funny how liberals are all for anything that happens between consenting adults except determining how much you'll work for.

If government could legislate a solution to social problems, and they have tried time and time again, we wouldn't have any. Sure, there has to be a minimum wage, but a livable wage? Who determines that?
A livable wage is like beauty, it's in the eye of the beholder.
If you want more money, make yourself more valuable.
If you don't want higher minimum wages, be sure you pay a fair wage, keeping in mind that a fair wage isn't just as little as possible.

This will only make prices go up at all the fast food stores and everywhere else that employes people at minimum wage.

To all those who support the concept of the minimum wage, I say this. If you really believe that's it's a good idea to micro-manage the free market, then let's make the minimum wage $25/hour. I would think that would be enough for a family to live on. If you think that's a ridiculous suggestion, then you must ask yourself - why? Go back to all your arguments supporting the minimum wage (or an increase in it) and all of your own arguments apply equally to $25/hour.
And good luck trying to start a business yourself. Hope you can do all the work yourself without having to hire any employees.
I support freedom. The government should say out of these issues, but the political advantage just makes it too much fun for them. Look at your paystub if you want to see what's really going on!
This is ECON 101 folks, pick up a book and figure it out.

fldpan,
Thanks for the response.

I've read that the average restaurant makes just a 5% profit margin and that about a third of sales go to payroll costs. Is this making money faster than they can count it or barely getting by?

Also, why do employees get a claim on profits?

why dont we all vote demo not worry about what we make and everyone can collect the same wage every two weeks regardless of education job demand or how hard someone is willing to work to better their employer or themself to move up

adriankoqueen,
I took your point to be that it is hard being poor. I have no disagreement with that.

My questions were asked to see if you think factors other than government mandates determine wages and poverty.

If wages are primarily driven by productivity, then minimum wage legislation will have bad side effects. If wages have nothing to do with productivity, where do they come from?

The answers will help us determine the best anti-poverty strategies.

ybanon-
I think your taking this a little out of context, $20.00 an hour i think is a little high to start with don't you think? Your not getting my point.And what do you think would be the result of eliminating the minimum wage?
I like what SFCM wrote maybe you should read this as well!

adriankoqueen, had you considered that an increase like this could force business owners such as whybesad out of business, leaving not only themselves but others out of work all together? Or that others starting a business will purposely reign in their growth so that they don't have to hire anyone else? One reason there aren't enough well-paying jobs is because there is not enough competition because the little guys keep getting driven out. Yes, the cost of living in Janesville is rising due to its central location between Milwaukee, Madison, Rockford and Chicago, but there are choices everyone makes. I choose to live here and be underpaid because my family and closest friends are all within this county or slightly beyond. But that's not whybesad's fault.

whybesad--Check out this link!
http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/dwdhistory/...

actually, a living wage was exactly what the first WI wage law was designed to provide to women and minors. [The first Wisconsin wage law was enacted in 1913 and specified that a "living wage" must be paid to women and minors. In enacting this law, the Legislature specified that "every wage paid or agreed to be paid by any employer to any female or minor employee shall be not less than a living wage." Administrative authority was given to the Industrial Commission, which was to use an advisory board equally representing employers, employees and the public in its determination of a "living wage," thereby also necessitating consideration of the cost of living.]
--

adreankoqueen, ms_sassy_wi and others:

I have a few serious questions.

How do you think wages are determined in the first place?

What would be the result of setting the minimum wage at $20/hr?

What would be the result of eliminating the minimum wage altogether?

Thoughtful responses will be appreciated.

I understand what you are saying, whybesad, but GM and other unionized businesses in this area have a lot to do with the housing market and the cost of living expenses. Regardless of experience and education, a single woman cannot live on wages that are offered in this area. The opportunities for a "professional" just aren't here in a primarily manufacturing community.

to whybesad- As a business owner you would say that!!! I suppose your a Republican to. Education and experience is not always what dictates a wage anymore.
Would you like to loose your business and go out and try to find work and only be paid minimum wage? Or how about your children? Would you expect them to pay for gas to go to work? Have them pay for their insurance? exc. You can't do much on a minimum wage job anyway but a little more sure would help.
Let's give our young people a chance in life, maybe they will respect the duties of holding a job and make them better workers instead of sitting at home or getting into trouble.

As a business owner, I feel this will hurt the businesses. The minimum wage was never designed to be a "living" wage. It wasn't put in place to support a family. It's simply a "starting" wage. The free market will dictate the wages a person earns by how much they know about a job, experience and education.