Raise Minimum Wage

Over the years minimum wage laws and just minimum wage in general has changed directly. With these past changes the United States economy has come a long way, only reminding the US people why change is good. Changing the wage laws and increasing the wage to satisfy our current needs could get the United States government and the American people back on track.

The federal minimum wage was signed into law in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt, at the height of the Great Depression. Its stated purpose was to keep America’s workers out of poverty, and increase consumer purchasing power in order to stimulate the economy. In their article “Raising the Minimum Wage: The renewed Debate over Fair Labor Standards,” the Congressional Digest states:

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, he called it ‘the most far-reaching, far-sighted program for the benefit of workers ever adopted in this or any other country.’ The act provided sweeping regulations to protect American workers from exploitation in sweatshops and factories -- Including workplace protection provisions and a ban on child labor -- and created a mandatory Federal minimum wage of 25 cents an hour to maintain ‘a minimum standard of living necessary for health, efficiency, and general well-being, without substantially curtailing employment.’

The Congressional Digests ideas are straight to the point directly quoting President Franklin throughout the article giving examples of past changes that have worked so well and that have changed things for good. Such changes as the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Walsh Healey act are great examples of changes over the years that have not only improved minimum wage but also improved t...

... middle of paper ...

...organization that they once had. Because payroll- and income-tax revenues would rise, the federal deficit would come down. Social Security worries would fade.

James’ opinions on raising the wage would be that it would simply be worth having some prices go up. Sure prices are gonna go up but workers are going to have extra income to pay the higher prices and most of them would come out ahead. By saying this I believe that james thinks that the pros outway the cons in the situation making the wage all the more better. Also it states that women would benefit from it because they tend to work for lower wages. Galbraith also gives insight to what he thinks will happen to working families giving them more freedom to do things in the community only stimulating economic growth along with reclaiming the so called “middle class political organization” the US people once had.