Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Congratulations San Francisco, California

Congratulations are in order for the City of San Francisco, California for stepping up to lead the nation in having the highest minimum wage in the country at $8.50 per hour despite the California state minimum wage of $6.75 and the national minimum wage which has remained $5.15 per hour for almost 10 years now.

Eighteen states have stepped up to establish minimum wage amounts that exceed the national minimum wage rate and they all should be applauded. These states include Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusettes, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Thirty two states either have no minimum wage defaulting to the federal minimum wage, have established the federal minimum wage as the state minimum wage, and then there is Kansas which has a lower minimum wage level than the federal minimum wage but still defaults to the federal minimum wage.

Republicans control all three branches of the federal government and they have effectively froze the federal minimum wage for almost 10 years. We all have been affected by inflation and know that we can purchase much less today then in 1997. Eighteen states have stepped up and increased the minimum wage in their states. Thirty two states have ignored increasing the minimum wage in their states.

What is the purpose of the minimum wage? Who are the people most affected by the minimum wage? How should we calculate the minimum wage? Should we maintain a level of purchasing power at the minimum wage level despite increases in the cost of living or inflation? What is the cost of living? What is inflation? What is the difference between the cost of living and inflation? Should America be fair with people that have to earn their living at the minimum wage level?

How does your state stack up? Is the minimum wage in your state higher than the federal minimum wage or not? Do you think the federal government should increase the minimum wage and that the increase is overdue? Do you think that since the federal representatives have not increased the national minimum wage that your state representatives should increase it? Go to the link of this article and find out what the minimum wage is in your state. Do you think it is satisfactory or should be increased or lowered? What do you think about President Bush, your federal senators and representative, and your state representatives about the minimum wage issue? Have you written to your representatives recently and told them what you thought about this issue? What can be their motivation? Are your representatives performing their job as you would like on the minimum wage issue?

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