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I know that a lot of businesses and corporations are spinning the same old story about having to lay off workers or cut their hours because they cannot afford to pay them $9 per hour. What they don't seem to realize is that raising the minimum wage will lift a lot of folks out of poverty. They will no longer rely on the government for assistance for food stamps or other programs. This will help reduce the defecit and stimulate the economy because these folks will spend more. For those business owners who believed Romney's 47% remark, this seems like a good solution to reduce those "dependant on government". Businesses will simply pass the cost on to cunsumers. I personally wouldn't mind paying more for goods and services knowing that the extra cost is lifting someone out of poverty.

does this guy think we are stupid ?
If you raise the minimum wage you just get fewer hours worked , that does not
raise anybodys standard of living .
how many people are trying to work more than 1 job already ?
Companies already higher fewer full time people i.e 40 hours a week most are
less than 29 hours now to beat provideing ins.
I still say six graders can do better math !

That man sure does like spending other peoples money !

It is clear that 0Bama and his advisors failed economics and finance.

Under 0Bama, unemployment has almost doubled tiny.cc/wbnpsw
There are 11 million illegal aliens adding to the work force; almost 50 million on Food Stamps.

Most businesses are reducing workers hours or laying-off staff due to the 0Bama HealthFraud Scheme. 0Bama promised that the HealthFraud Scheme would save $2,500 per person, GAO stated it will be a $3,000 INCREASE. tiny.cc/70mpsw

0Bamas' entitlements and overspending are bankrupting Americans. Americans are spending less, fewer Americans are working full time. To compete in todays global economy, to make America more competitive, 0Bama should be DECREASING the minimum wage.

Thanks 0Bama, for ruining the American economy.

more inflation

Minimum wage is a starter salary, then people would advance upward earning a higher wage or find a higher paying job somewhere else. The cost of salaries will be past on to the consumer, thay always are.
Squirter what about the small businesses? Most can barely afford the employees they have now. As stated above employers will cut hours. Now on top of that Obamacare the employers have to shell out money for. Mom and Pop businesses along with small business owners would higher alot of High School and College kids and they cant afford to because of minimum wage. If you think $9.00 an hour will lift people out of poverty etc, you are truely clueless.

@Squirter Raising the minimum wage is not going to bring anybody out of poverty. While the federal minimum wage $7.25, most states already have theirs set higher than that. California's is at $8 an hour. You are not going to be able to live off $9 an hour any better than you can $8 an hour, the difference is too small. But the purpose of minimum wage isn't to be able to live off it. Its just to create a base line so employers don't take advantage of employees.

Not to mention it will increase the rate of inflation.

Upping the minimum wage only feeds inflation. When the bottom rung goes up everyone else wants a pay increase, to keep from being on the bottom rung.

And if we really wanted a living wage why not make it $20-$40/hour maybe more.

In my opinion you could raise the minimum wage to $50.00 dollars an hour and 80% of the people on government assistance for food stamps or other programs will still be there. Why work when the government is paying for everything they do and want. Gets them their 60 inch TV, free cell phones, food, child raising and they even have money left over to buy their booze and dope.

"traveling around the country" Translation: Spring Break on our dime - again.

I know that a lot of businesses and corporations are spinning the same old story about having to lay off workers or cut their hours because they cannot afford to pay them $9 per hour. What they don't seem to realize is that raising the minimum wage will lift a lot of folks out of poverty.

Two mutually exclusive statements squirter. One has to be generating wealth to make wealth.

squirter a dollar an hour raise will lift no one from "poverty". Especially when the workers hours get cut and product price increases to make up for the increased cost to the business owner.
This isn't a solution, it's a "look at me, I'm doing something" stunt that won't do anything but further hurt small business.

Raise minimum wage? All that does is make everything cost more to support it. Those that make more than minimum wage don't get a raise. Raising minimum wage only makes it harder on everyone

Well said rrhs , the pres. will look good but that's about it . Once again the people will pay the price.

Oh goodie. This should put a nail in the coffins of small businesses, while not really affecting huge corporations. Why can't democrats understand this?
I have another question. Since when was a minimum wage job intended to support a family?

Perhaps what we really need is a Maximum Wage limit. Say, $4,800 per hour ($10,000,000 per year) Realizing that many will be hard-pressed but they could always get a 2nd job.

Question? Has raising the minimum wage ever raised someone out of poverty? Just another lie on the political stage. Workers think they get help so they vote for the ones who keep them on minimum wage, waiting for the next handout.

Well said ludicrous85,9 an hour will not lift anyone out of poverty,these minimum wage jobs were originally for people entering the job force,manly young people,they were never intended too support a household,that's the problem with Libby's,they look through life with rose colored glasses.

It's not widely understood that earning more money at a low hourly rate doesn't actually make one better off. If you get a pay raise that takes you from, say, $8 an hour to $9, most of the increase will be eaten up by a reduction in benefits (tax credits, food stamps, etc.) that you would otherwise be receiving. This is why there is no incentive any more in our current system for people to "work your way up" by earning more. Taking away the benefits altogether would give people something of an incentive to better themselves, but only if they are already working. For those people who don't have jobs but are getting benefits, cutting benefits will not help them, of course.

Nobody is entitled to earning a salary that will keep them above the poverty line. Obama and his communist pals hate capitalism, once you understand that you can understand how the liberal mind works. There should be no minimum wage, show me in the Constitution where it's required. If a job-creating, freedom loving business owner wants to pay his employees $5 dollars a day, that's his right. Our freedoms are being taking away one by one.

Don't blame me when our country collapses; I didn't vote for Obama or any of the other current members of the Democratic Communist Party.

"No one in America should work full-time and raise their children in poverty"
Why don't we start with our Military? Talk about working full time (plus) and raising their children in poverty. We should be ashamed and disgusted (I am) at the low wages we pay the very same people that protect this country.
A good start would be to put all of congress at minimum wage, but I won't hold my breath...

What happens when all this feel good economis fails ,
do we get are money back ? And the people that wanted socialism
pay double taxes .

Everyone does not deserve a living wage nor a house just because they live in the USA. Work hard...get two jobs if you do not make enough money. Improve your education and take personal responsibility for your life.

From a MARXIST who has NEVER met a payroll .... we should just DICTATE what hard working businesses should pay UNSKILLED entry level workers.... How about 18 Dollars an hour ? We could see the price of goods and services rise more than the REAL unemployment !! What FUN we could have !!....Come on REALLY ?..... WE should start A new Department of Ditch digging (SHOVEL READY) you know!!... THEN a Department of Filling in the ditch TWO CREWS !! ... WE could hire ALL of the DEPENDENT class who are nice and comfortable DRONES FOR THE LIBERAL LEFT !OH and they could all have a OBAMA PHONE :D