Essay #6

Erik Matisek
English 1A
Minimum Wage
It can be said that the minimum wage in the United States is sufficient enough to support a family and provide the basic necessities to ensure a healthy lifestyle. After reading many different stories about single moms or dads in the work force making only roughly seven dollars an hour I have come to the conclusion that the minimum wage is set too low. There are some people who argue against a minimum wage at all because they feel it is too much government interference, but without a minimum wage people would be working for quarters. Business owners do not wish to pay their employees more because they feel it will be a hindrance to their profit, but what they do not expect is the rise of satisfaction of the workers which indirectly relates to profit. There are many opposing beliefs on whether a minimum wage increase will benefit the poor working class or simply cause a decrease in job opportunities, but what is known is that as of the situation now a strong majority of lower-class workers are stuck in poverty with no exit path and will sometimes lead to homelessness.
The minimum wage is set so low that if a family living off this wage attempts to survive with all basic needs than one job, even full time, will not nearly be sufficient. “A couple with two children would have to work a combined 3.3 full-time minimum wage jobs to make ends meet. That's 132 hours a week. It just doesn't add up” (Skylar). If the parents split those hours even amongst themselves then each parent would need to work for sixty six hours a week. That is over half of the 120 hours within a weeks period. The remainder of the time will be left for sleeping and some preparation. Little time is given for any meals to be cooked so fast food always seems to be the only option. Often times, the family does not own a car, or maybe one, if that, so the parents are forced to walk to work, creating more time to be spent away from home. It is evident that a family cannot survive long in a situation like this. The children would have very little, if any, supervision, and they will never get to see their parents, except for the ten minutes before bed. One problem leads to another, and there is no way out of it. The minimum wage should be raised in order for families like these to drop some of the work load and spend more time at home. More time at home will lead to more meals cooked and less fast food money spent causing an increase in family income. After more money is saved due to less eating out, a family car can be afforded causing even more time to spend with the family. It tends to be a trickle affect by simply raising the minimum wage even a small amount.
I will discuss more on inflation of minimumm wage in comparison to other things such as rent.
I will also bring up opposing views on a raise of minimum wage. Some people believe it would hurt the poor by limiting job availability.
I will discuss the difficulty of escaping poverty.
I will write about homelessness and how it comes to be.