Should Minimum Wage Be Raised

Raising the Minimum Wage: Why Not? In recent years, there have been many controversial issues that have presented themselves to the people of the United States. However, there has been one specific controversy that has taken over, gaining of the attention of United States citizens, the politicians leading the country, as well as gaining ever-growing popularity through social media outlets. This controversy is a seemingly simple topic: Should the minimum wage be raised? Though the question itself appears to require a simple “yes” or “no” answer, there are many factors involved in the decisions that will be made about this topic in upcoming years, such as price increases, unemployment rates, and the basic cost of living in American society. The ultimate goal of a minimum wage increase is to reduce poverty in the country, as well as provide financial relief to families who …show more content…
Though both sides present strong arguments as to their cause, the decision to keep the minimum wage as it is is the better option. This is because raising the minimum wage also raises the prices of goods for consumers due to businesses requiring funds in order to continue producing. Along with this, jobs will be lost, and positions for workers will be far harder to obtain, putting those who are unskilled in a poor standing, causing a rise in unemployment. Also, raising the minimum wage does not benefit the families it hopes to benefit. Rather, it helps teenagers who do not need to support themselves with earning extra money. Additionally, raising the minimum wage begins to diminish the value of jobs that require an education, due to the fact prices will increase, but those who have an education are being paid the same and have additional expenses that need to be paid. For these reasons, raising the minimum wage does not reduce poverty, and other paths should be taken to help those in