The working class can barely survive on the two to three jobs they have to work to make ends meet, so let’s raise the minimum wage.
What does raising the minimum actually do? It raises the cost of food at restaurants, grocery stores and businesses in general. If the business owners raise prices to make sure their pockets are still overflowing with money, the minimum wage becomes too low again.
The government is facing budget shortages, so they cut budgets and jobs while raising taxes.
Politicians ALWAYS include in their campaign speeches that they will cut taxes but that has never really worked long-term. Politicians, business owners and people that control the money and wealth normally only look at short-term money making goals.
What is the answer? There is no definitive answer, but here is some food for thought:
Henry Ford faced a dilemma. His work was so repetitious and boring, he could not keep workers. They got bored and quit. His answer was to DOUBLE the wages just to keep his workforce stable. The side effect was that the people that built the cars could afford the cars they built. Another interesting side effect was that the people made more money and paid more taxes.
Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.”
The gap between the rich and poor is now greater than ever. How can we redistribute the wealth? If I could answer that, I would be richer than Bill Gates ever thought of being. But consider this; if the middle class were making more money, then they would generate more jobs or service industry and business opportunities and would pay more taxes, which would negate the trend to cut budgets. Education might even be valued again as a necessity rather than a nuisance.
I think that an answer is to look at long-term job, business and financial stability.

Lyndal Anthony
Metals Lab Coordinator
[email protected]
563.599.8042