The debate on minimum wage
Updated: Feb 11, 2021
The debate about the minimum wage in our country has been an ongoing topic with no easy answer. Many people feel the need to increase the federal minimum wage to support those in poverty. However, others feel that increasing the federal minimum wage by too much can harm the economy, putting people out of jobs. President Biden is pushing to move the federal minimum from $7.25 an hour, to $15 an hour. This topic is very controversial with Democrats and Republicans constantly arguing in Congress about who is right, and who is wrong. Things are not any easier with the current global pandemic drastically harming our economy. Many Republicans oppose this idea because they feel with COVID-19 going on, more than doubling the current minimum wage could harm the economy more than benefiting it. “They warn that such an increase could lead to job losses in an economy that has nearly 10 million fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic began” (KEVIN FREKING). Democrats on the other hand feel differently about this issue. They feel that raising the minimum wage will help low-income workers escape poverty and have a more equal share. “Raising the minimum wage is one way of giving workers a more fair slice of the revenues that they help generate” (WSJ). Regardless of what happens, it is a current ongoing issue everyone should pay attention to.