Should The Minimum Wage Reduce Poverty?

The debate about raising the minimum wages are does it really reduce poverty and hardship amongst the poor? Most of the minimum wage workers are under the age of 24, still living at home and still attending high school or college. By raising the minimum wage, there would be more job loss and higher prices for goods and services.
Our country’s poverty rate has been at an all times high in almost 20 years at a rate of over 15 percent, proving that an increase in minimum wages is not helping to reduce poverty. Those living in poverty were not even working, or a number of them not even living in poor families and it was reducing the employment opportunities for the less-educated and less-experienced. Most families have an income of more than the poverty level rate and the people receiving minimum wage either still live at home with family or have a spouse that also works. Single …show more content…
Many companies will not pay young workers with no skills or experience the minimum wage, let alone a higher wage, so those experiencing unemployment at an early age will have years of lower earnings.I agree with the authors stating that minimum wage is not helping reduce poverty or inequality. Most of the statistics show that minimum wage workers are under age 24, working part-time while still living at home, or are less educated than others. This would increase the cost of production, causing higher prices and then there would be less consumer spending causing less workers employed. I agree with not increasing the minimum wage because the statistics have not proven that it has helped with the poverty level or those with financial or health insecurities. Raising the minimum wage could have an effect on the worker’s hours declining, which would reduce their earned income. It would also force businesses to lay off employees. Many teenagers and young adults could be excluded from the workforce since several businesses will not pay them with no skills or