Minimum Wage

Raising the minimum wage. We have heard Jim Webb use it as a campaign tool. Nancy Pelosi has said it would top the new congress agenda. I have no problem with raising the wage as long as there is some relief granted to the small business and mom and pop joints that actually pay minimum wage. I believe raising the wage will not help the worker, but it will hurt the small business's trying to establish themselves. My family is involved in a small business. The profit margin is very slim and requiring them to increase wages will force them to discontinue uniforms, require workers to copay more for insurance, etc. I don't see this as a top tier issue. William Buckley has a good write up here. He notes a few things:

"We learn that 60 percent of minimum-wage earners - two-thirds of them women - are working in restaurants and bars; 73 percent, by the way, are white, and 70 percent have high-school diplomas. Nearly 60 percent work part time."

Buckley makes some great points in his write up so give it a look. It will be hard to convince me this will help workers. I encourage you to write your congressional leaders and request help for small business if they raise the minimum wage. It makes sense.

Technorati : Congress, Minimum Wage, Politics