$7.25 per hour. That’s the current federal minimum wage, a number that has not changed in more than a decade despite calls from the public and lawmakers, including former President Barrack Obama.
In fact, in 2019, the Democrat-majority U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill known as Raise the Minimum Wage Act, which called for an increase to $15 per hour by the year 2025. However, the Republican-majority Senate has yet to take up the bill on the floor. But now, with Democrat Joe Biden expected to begin his presidency on January 20, 2021, there’s renewed hope among supporters that this could soon become reality.
Let’s take a look at why this could and could not happen, and what workers can actually expect if the minimum wage almost doubles.
Will it Happen? In the Near-Term, it Hinges on the Senate
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declined to take up the House-passed Raise the Minimum Wage Act in 2019, and it’s unlikely that this will change as long as Republicans are the majority party in the upper chamber of Congress. However, both Senate races in Georgia are going to runoff elections early next year, with the winners deciding control.
If Democrats pick up both seats – which seems unlikely – then this bill would be highly likely to pass. If Republicans retain control of the Senate, Democrats will likely have to wait until the 2022 mid-term elections to make another attempt. However, it’s also worth noting that mid-term elections almost always favor the party opposite of the current U.S. President, meaning this would be a tall task for Democrats.
Pros and Cons of $15 Minimum Wage
Per a study from the Congressional Budget Office, an increase to $15 minimum wage by 2025 would increase the paychecks of roughly 30 million Americans, and move 1.3 million Americans out of poverty. Those are the two major benefits associated with a minimum wage increase. What’s more is there seems to be support for this increase in pockets throughout the country. Eight states have already passed legislation to make their respective minimum wages $15 an hour, with latest to do so being Florida, and a Pew Research Center survey said that about two-thirds of all Americans support such an initiative.
However, there are some drawbacks as well. Notably, how it’s projected that more than 1 million workers might find themselves out of work due to the higher required minimum wage’s impact on businesses. And those that are likely to be most impacted include teens, part-time workers and those without a college degree or secondary education, the latter group of which this Act is more specifically designed to help. Essentially, young and low-skilled workers will be effectively priced out of the labor market.
Democrats and Republicans would be better served finding a compromise to raise the standard of living for working-class Americans. Unfortunately, considering the political climate, this seems impossible at the time of writing.
If they do this it’s going cause more than a million job loses because we know the government numbers are always wrong that and everything will be automated talk about a huge mess the only ones that truly benefits it’s big tech of course the ones who back Biden do I think it should be raised yes to ten dollars or maybe 12 but not fifteen but it will also put a lot of small business mom and pop stores out of business but the democrats are and always been about big givers and big business not the little guy the working class who truly are the backbone the taxpayers we should stop paying taxes for a year and see what would happen to the government see if they remember us then no new green deal or narrowing from China no incoming taxes no loans
Let’s see if I have this right. Biden is going to $15.00 per hour. In order to pay that the company will have to increase the prices of their products or services. Who buys the products or services? Oh that’s right, WE DO. Isn’t it fortunate that we will be making more money in order to buy the products that when we made less we were able to buy for less. WOW! Guess there ain’t no free lunch after all. Especially when you think that with the higher income we’ll have to pay higher taxes along with the higher prices for products. Maybe we should require iQ tests and some basic business training for our representatives. Obviously, 47 years working for the government didn’t help Biden understand the facts of life for people who don’t work for the government and are not subject to special favors.
Biden graduated from college with a law degree and to the chagrin of his mother, moved to Washington, DC to become a politician instead of a lawyer. I guess he knew he would never become a successful lawyer.
And he most certainly will NOT be a successful president
Excellent response!!
Wow , I love your statement and I agree 100% . We have a small business and have been almost destroyed with China Virus and with A different President who wants to lock down the whole country for 6wks which always becomes longer and higher min rate and raising our taxes will probably close our business for sure!! I know this far Left party doesn’t like America and really doesn’t care about the hard working middle class Americans but to destroy us all I never thought I’d see this day socialism/communism if we don’t wake up I thought Americans wanted to be first Not vote for someone who puts China First
I thought it would increase in increments?? 7.25 to 10 the first year and a dollar a year there after, you put 15 bucks an hour all at once and YOU WILL KILL THE ECONOMY!!
What did you think the democrats are trying to do? This is how you crash the Trump economy.
Exactly. To get another “notch” in their belt.
BLAME TRUMP ! (That’s what Democrats do.)
I am a small business owner and a $15 hour min wage will cripple my business, and those in my industry who do survive will pass cost on to consumers. As with all business increases in /expensesdebt normally result in higher costs being passed on to consumers. The government makes up funds when they want them and pass those costs right to working peoole. Trump has tried to run America like a business and not a politician as it should be. This Biden idea of raising min raise to $15 hour will send our economy in a downward spiral setting up more socialist programs and the need for government dependcy.
Which is the Democrat/Socialist want. To destroy our nation and our freedoms.
Read the pamplet “Rules For Radicals” by Alinsky (Obama’s professor in Chicago).
Obama was following this publication as if was a cook book. Step#1 Pass a national healthcare law that makes all citizens dependent on the government for their health. Step#2 Raise taxes so high that it will bankrupt the country so all citizens will be even more dependent for the necessities of life, such as food. And it goes on with additional steps (8 in total) where the government takes total control of banks, railroads, airlines, etc.
Eventually, the Communists take over and if you are charged with being a “counter-revolutionary” for speaking out, you are taken before a firing squad. Stalin did it. Mao did it. Castro did it. They all do it.
This saddens me much as I believe that is true. How else will the world get to be a part of the “new world order” otherwise? I do not like it . . . at all. Times they are a changing . . a deep spirit is coming up for socialist programs, government dependency, communism. It is closer than we dare imagine and will happen fast as to catch everyone off guard. Even as I type, i believe there is much behind the scenes things happen to have this all occur just as it has been for quite a few years. Picture the Wizard of Oz guy behind the curtain. The movie is just a movie but, the truth of what is happening around us, is the not. It’s real. It’s happening. It’s purposeful. May we all pull back the curtain here in the USA and see the sinister work lurking there.
Absolutely NAILED it!
But the sheep have blinders on
Precisely what Harris/Biden want!
when i was young working at Woolworths the government passed a law that would increase my wage by .25 an hour. yes that was 25 cents an hour. i was so excited. then we had to go threw the entire store and raise the price of every item. i ended up paying more to the government and state in taxes. i paid more for everything. I lost,not gained buying power. economics 101.
Exactly! And just what do people think is going to happen now if Biden reverses everything President Trump has done?
There is a saying: “To Hell in a basket !”
Have you heard it before ?
Yes I agree all trumps hard work will be reversed in no time we all need to stand up for what we know is right
The truth is companies will just charge more for their products you’ll most likely be paying more for everything , the only thing getting more money is TAXES .
A cry goes up from the “Democrat/Communists” : “TAX THE RICH CORPORATIONS ! ”
So, the corporations are taxed at a higher rate……….and then the corporations pass on the taxes to all the consumers in higher prices for their products or services.
Now the dummies that cry for higher corporate taxes don’t realize that they are actually taxing themselves !
Go figure………….
Look at history. Every minimum wage hike created a recession. The value of the $ declines, you will actually be working more to buy the same items.
Don’t worry. The so-called Democrats will blame Trump for the recession. They NEVER take the blame !
Sounds good to get votes. In reality they become $15.00 per hour poor folks.
Yes it would be nice to increase wages, but one must consider the negative ramifications. 1st, wage increase will ultimately put many small businesses out-of-business. 2nd, those that survive will reduce the number of employees causing higher unemployment. 3rd, higher prices for goods and services will be passed on to the consumer. 4th, corporate investments will decrease. 5th, those receiving the increase will spend that increase on higher cost for goods and services and finally all those not receiving the increase will still end up paying for increases in good and services. Analysis tells me that in te end not many will benefit and those that do are I the minority. My opinion. PERIOD!
Where was this thinking (15.00)back in the good old days
Great and sure fire way to push even more jobs and products to China.
Will totally kill all the jobs and industry brought back into this country in the last few years.
Most Social Security recipients would go into poverty as their income would be much less than $15 iminium wage. Nothing is ever said about these people that worked all their lives for their SS, just about entry level wage earners and those to lazy to boost themselves out of poverty. I am self made so I expect other to be self made also. The fair way is to handle minimum wage is by cost of living increases, but no more than SS, disability, military etc get annually-that would not be fair just $15 increase is not fair.
A few years ago I took a temporary job teaching MECHATRONICS at our local Junior College. Mechatronics is the term used to describe the automation of manufacturing factories. The school had an anthropomorphic robot. That long name means it could mimic the motions of a human arm. It had joints for the motion of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand, with two gripping fingers. It was about 5 feet tall at the shoulder. It is a common type of robot showing up in manufacturing all around the world. My students programmed it to tighten nuts on bolts, drill holes with an electric drill, and other similar operations. The class final exam was to program it to flip HAMBURGERS. A spatula was attached to one of its fingers. We did not have a real kitchen in our laboratory so we needed to use props. that would not spoil.
The hamburger patty was the top half of a hard rubber hockey puck that had been sawed into two pieces.
The bun was a soft rubber dog toy hamburger also split in half , the pickle slices were poker chips.
Ketchup, and mustard could easily have been added.
The robot was programmed to scoop up the “hamburger patty” From the Work table (“Grill”). Flip it over three times, putting in back on the “Grill” each time. It also warmed the “buns” on he grill, it the put the “patty” on the lower half of the “bun”, adding “pickles”, and then the top half of the “bun”. Finally, it picked up the completed “burger” and presented it to the “Customer” with a recorded message asking “Do you want fries with your burger.”
My students all got “A” for their successful efforts on this very special exercise.
The point of this narration is the robot could work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, etc. It did not take time off for vacations. It needed no medical insurance, etc.
The initial investment was high, but it never went on strike and did not collect a weekly paycheck. Maintenance was needed but one trained individual, male or female, could maintain several dozen robots all over the region.
The hourly equivalent cost of sch a robot “worker” was much less than $15 / hour plus benefits.
A television camera could be added to allow custom cooking, I.E. Rare, Medium, Well done, etc.
The point is be very careful with raising minimum wage laws lest you eliminate jobs, particular in the low end economy work (The “starter” jobs”).
Dave
Welcome to $15.00/hour, and part-time work with no health insurance offered by employer. You win?
The mentally, morally, and spiritually deficient Lie-beral DEMONocrats are suffering from the insanity of satanity whose only expertise is bullshitology, masked under the cloak of self righteousness. They have the Look-At-Me-See-How-Nice-I-Am Syndrome AND ARE FUGITIVES FROM TRUTH.
There are robots that can replace all the burger flippers without the hassle of the manager trying to figure out if they are going to show up for work today. A robot can be programmed to mow your lawn (or the lawn at your work place, returning to a charging station as necessary. A modern auto assembly line only needs humans to satisfy a labor union. If AI has replaced segments of the labor force this will accelerate