Why can't they index the minimum wage to either the rate of inflation or the CPI?

[Selatius]

Is that not possible to do? Or is it because it would put it off the table as a political football?

[SharonAnn]

1. Of course it's possible to do. Many things like this are, like the AMT.

But Congress hasn't wanted to do that.

[Selatius]

5. That's what bothers me

If they raised it to 7.50 or even 8.00 and ensured it would float with inflation from that point into an indefinite amount of time, it would naturally make the issue even less political, as it automatically resolves itself without anybody politicking with it unless somebody proposes it needs to be higher.

[WindRavenX]

2. "Class warfare!111111111111!!!!"

That's what it would be called.

A shame.

[blurp]

12. Minimum wage increases unemployment of low-skill workers.

Much better would be to create a government subsidy for those making the lowest wages. That way those that employ low-skill or no-skill workers would have more incentive to hire.

[TahitiNut]

25. Nonsense.

First, the chart depicts a 20-year post-Reagan time-frame which is hardly 'fair and balanced' when the history of the minimum wage spans seventy years.

Next, it's almost laughable that the cheap-labor advocates who're almost exclusively in the camp of commoditizing human labor under a "free market" pretense would employ a chart that seemingly decries very "free market" presumptions they pretend to favor. Notice that the "Average Hourly Wage," under "free market" presumptions, would increase as unemployment decreases according to that dogma. To the degree this is true, then, the minimum wage would NATURALLY become smaller in relation to the AHW as unemployment decreases. In a sense, the chart should, if "free market" prevailed, show a far greater slope, even in a limited period 'conveniently' selected to show an a priori perspective. It doesn't.

That chart is a great example of how "figures don't lie but liars figure."

There is, in fact, no valid argument against maintaining a minimum wage that reflects a livable wage ... neither an economic nor ethical argument.

The greatest error in even THINKING about it is the specious hidden assumption that somehow the dollars disappear or get eaten when paid ... instead of an assessment of WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE SPENT by minimum wage workers. Increased minimum wages ALWAYS result in increased employment in those basic industries having to do with fundamental living needs: food, clothing, shelter, health care, and ... when something is left over ... EDUCATION.

[wakeme2008]

3. Index it to Congressional Salary Percentages...

IMHO this is more important than what it is raised too. INDEX it and we will not have these 10 year periods without raises.

:) :)

[sandnsea]

10. This is the exact solution

If Congress needs a raise, so do the lowest paid workers in the country. It's intuitive.

[KSU Wildcat]

19. Why not let the states

set what their minimum wage should be. The economies of the states are all different. The state governments are in a better situation to judge what the what the minimum wage for their state should be.

[RedRocco]

21. because, in states like

South Carolina you would have no minimum if it wasn't for federal law.

[KSU Wildcat]

22. Dupe deleted

[KSU Wildcat]

23. If that is the case it

is up to the citizens of South Carolina to vote their legislators out that do not represent their best interests. That is what democracy is all about. The minimum wage law may not be needed in South Carolina. I do not live there so I am willing to let them, the people of South Carolina, decide what is best for them.

[Vanje]

24. What if the good citizens of South Carolina...

vote to enslave a portion of their population?

That alright with you?

The business climate in South Carolina would really be great under slavery.

[RedRocco]

20. I would rather see congressional salaries linked to the median wage of their home district.

[evlbstrd]

4. The Minimum Wage Law we passed in MO

does exactly that.

[sandnsea]

6. Some states have

We did it here in Oregon, so far, so good. Some other states did that this year, Colorado I think. The theory is that wages drives inflation, more money in the economy pushes prices up. But low foreign wages haven't pushed prices down, so I don't think there's much validity to that argument anymore. Price is based on a lot of things these days, including high prices for pure exclusivity purposes like designer clothes. Tying it to inflation would make it harder to pass, tying it to Congressional raises would probably be a snap.

[CountAllVotes]

7. I wish they'd index inflation to the CPI

and they don't of course. It makes I-bonds a loser of an investment right now.

As for making the minimum wage matching the CPI, this might not be a good idea, especially right now, when you take into account what the CPI is. Here is a link to the CPI with historical data:

http://inflationdata.com/inflation/Consumer_Price_Index/HistoricalCPI.aspx

As you can see, it went down in the month of September (they claim it was due to lower gasoline prices ... HA! :grr: ).

I wish I had a better answer for you. Perhaps having minimum wage tied to another formula (like actual for real inflation) would be a far better idea I think.

:dem:

[splat]

8. I wish my wage was indexed to something! n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Not only possible its been done.

For example, vermont:
http://www.vtlivablewage.org/FinalNarrativeVote.htm

I believe other states have done similar things.

[Rosemary2205]

11. Index it to Carlyle group/Halliburton profits

If Halliburton profits go up 380% in one year so should min wage.

LOL

[peanutbrittle]

13. IMO...it should be based on the poverty level statistics

Family of 4 = 29,000 + If I'm not mistaken

2000 hours per year x 6.00 = $12,000 - taxes x 2 (parents) = $24,000

And they wonder why crime levels are so high

[Ediacara]

14. I think it's a GREAT idea, and easily doable

In fact, in "red state" Montana, we just passed a minimum wage increase of $6.15/hr with an annual increase linked to inflation. This was passed by a 75/25 margin!

[Joe Chi Minh]

15. It's all together too fair and just. The market apparently demands

that you ensure that there are always millions, maybe tens of millions of innocent souls, American citizens, homeless, and living on the streets and in the subways, etc.

It seems they think Christ was kidding them about Christians worshipping God, and not money - that they were mutually exclusive. Apparently, greed is indeed good; in fact the sovereign virtue. They never found Love to be all it was cracked up to be in the Scriptures. Vastly over-rated. Affects the bottom line.

[librechik]

16. we just voted for that in Colorado

it's the bottom line unless we want to revisit this issue in another decade.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

17. They can. Oregon did

Beginning January 1, 2004, and annually thereafter, the rate will be adjusted for inflation by a calculation using the U.S. City Average Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for All Items. The wage amount established will be rounded to the nearest five cents.
http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm#Oregon

It's $7.50 this year.

Jan. 1st it goes up to $7.80 :)

[leftofthedial]

18. because the mega-wealthy financiers told them not to