Minimum wage.....

It's been how many years since our Government has raised it? What kills me is my State's high mucky mucks have given them selves a raise every flipping year! To me this is crazy. It seems every one in a political seat gets raises except us voters. We all need to start keeping things like that in mind come November.

There is nothing I hate more than freedom. people simply should not be free to make their own decisions, including negotiating their wage. Minimum wage isn't enough. $7.25 an hour, how can you raise a family on that? Government should set all wages, not just a minimum wage. Pelosi and the Dems promised a raise for the American people, not just minimum wage workers, they need to give us all a raise by raising ALL wages.

Our state is going up to $6.85. I think it is good. The only bad thins is some of the restaurants and places are already raising prices because of it.

Ours is up to 7.15 I believe. I don't think it's bad b/c the point of the minimum wage is usually that it's a starting point. As in, you get a job and make the minimum, but then every year you get promoted/raises and make more and more. I think the point of a minimum wage is not to give the person enough money to support themselves, it's giving the companies a starting point and from their it's the person's responsibility to work hard and get raises - or find another job if they don't like their pay.

Where I live the minimum wage is $6.75 or something but in specific cities it's something like $8.00.

In my state minimum wage is $7.15. I still don't think it is enough money. I know there are a bunce of other states out there that are getting paid alot less than my states but I live in New York City. The cost of living in this city is very. High I thin a minimum wage of $10 will be much better forthe people that live here.

In my state it was just raised to $6. something. It is rediculous. But, if the min. rate goes up, then it will just be a cycle. The employers will need to make more porfit, so inventory items will increase, and then we all will be in the same place again. Spending more, needing more.

No one (especially in America) should have to even attempt to survive off of minimum wage (what $5.15 hr?) that's utterly ridiculous. Let the decision makers in the the government offices try to survive off that and see how they feel. They probably would all end up going insane in less than 60 days. The way I see it, no one should get paid less than $8hr in America (unless it was some form of punishment).

Here in Florida it's still $5.15 per hour and most employers only pay that amount or a few cents more. It means most cannot survive on just that. They have to try and share expenses with others. I've seen where two or three families will live together because of it. It's crazy and I don't see how they expect people to survive on that let alone get past mere survival.

I have no idea what it is now, but I think President Bush was shamed into finally raising the minimum wage in the next few years. I know that here in NJ, employers often pay $10 or less for jobs and many people working FT are forced to get a second job to pay for housing. I was and I had what would have been considered a 'skilled' job. Sadly, children are left as latch-key kids or worse, totally unsupervised and running rampant. Now kids are forced to go to college to get a great job at tremendous expense to the parents, or forced to join the military to get the money to pay for college. Government doesn't seem to realize that there is no way that someone bringing home so little (ie, $15k or less) cannot live in adequate housing, eat, pay utilties, pay for a phone and the zillion other things necessary...PLUS if you have a child? Forget, you're in hock forever! The minimum wage (according to my daughter) should be no less than $10 an hour!

I do agree that it is very hard to live on a minimum wage. And I for one am glad to see it is going up even if just a little. What makes me mad is all of the companies that are raising their prices because oh no they have to pay their employees more. I'm originally from Washington state and they have one of the highest minimum wages already I do believe it is $7.35. All of those business seem to do okay paying their employees and keeping their prices the same as ours here in Colorado. I think that business owners need to wake up and realize it's not a bad thing to give their employees just a little more money to survive. I mean do they realize if it wasn't for all of them they wouldn't even exist. If they really had to do all of the work you bet they would be paying themselves much more money than they are paying their employees now! So I am all for this raise! Every little bit helps!!!

I agree. How can a person even try to support themselves on that salary. The cost of living has gone up so much, but minimum wage has stayed the same for years.

In Alabama minimum wage is $5.15. I personally think wages should be based on the area, not the state. It's nice that some states have a higher set minimum wage, but what about the different variations in living costs in different cities?? In north Alabama you can rent a house for under $500 a month, but in south Alabama (Mobile bay area) you're lucky to rent a small studio for that price.