What’s wrong with the idea of raising minimum wage?

I keep getting into these political debates about the same issue over and over again.

Recently it was brought up in one of my classes “What issue would make you get out and vote?” And raising minimum wage was my answer.

But what’s funny is people keep asking me “Do you make minimum wage?”

Well no, I don’t make regular minimum wage, I make service industry minimum wage, which is $2.13 an hour. And no matter what restaurant you wait tables at, you will make the same wage, with no chance of a raise ever.

However, I am sure if minimum wage is raised then server minimum wage will rise also.

But what gets me is the argument against raising minimum wage “If we raise it that doesn’t mean things are going to get cheaper, the prices on everything will rise anyways.”

Well, that’s part of the point. If the price of everything is rising, then the amount of money I make should raise also.

To further my point, if someone is making minimum wage and minimum wage gets raised, then they will come and eat more often and probably tip a little better also.

The alternative is giving tax breaks to multimillionaires. Well, if someone already makes millions of dollars a year, then they make a few more, I won’t see that money. They will buy an expensive car that neither me nor anyone I know will make a dime off of. In fact, the car will probably be imported and I don’t think I know anyone who could even fix the door handle on an Italian car, let alone make any money in the buying, selling or maintaining of one.

So, when I think about it, I am a lot closer to the end of the scale where people make minimum wage than I am to the end of the scale where people get million-dollar tax breaks. And I don’t see me jumping into that other end of the scale anytime soon.