Do You Think It Is Acceptable for the People to Be Living in Poverty Even When Working a Full Time Job?
Essay Preview: Do You Think It Is Acceptable for the People to Be Living in Poverty Even When Working a Full Time Job?
Report this essay
Do you think it is acceptable for the people to be living in poverty even when working a full time job? Many of the people working minimum wage jobs are not teenagers anymore but people who have to support not only themselves but their entire families. A minimum wage of $10.50 in such an expensive state like California is simply too low for even a single person to live on, let alone entire families. In order for the working class to stay out of poverty the minimum wage should be increased to $15. Of course, this should be done gradually over the next couple of years as increasing the minimum wage directly to $15 an hour would be too precipitous. Some people, however, argue that raising the minimum will cost us jobs and raise the price of manufactured goods. However, there are 21 states that have already increased their minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage and have seen no negative consequences of it. Majority of the Americans also support the idea of raising the minimum wage because it really can help bridge the wealth inequality gap between the poor working class and the middle class.
Perhaps the most important reason the minimum wage should be increased is because it will stimulate job growth and increase economic activity. Many retailers and fast food chains have already increased their wages and have seen positive growth in their employment. Increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour would create thousands of jobs and inject millions of dollars in the economy. A person making $10.50 an hour in the state of California is guaranteed to live in poverty even when working 40 hours a week. A hike in a minimum wage will put more money in the pockets of the lowest working class which in turn would boost consumer spending, and get the economy going.
Raising the minimum wage can actually help lower crime rates by providing sustainable employment. The reason that many individuals turn to crime is because they don’t see any viable options