Intended Purpose: To convince the audience that the minimum wage in the US is not enough and that it should be raised.
Central Idea: Raising the minimum wage in the US
Introduction
Attention Getter: How many people can honestly confess how much they are paid at their jobs? Very few people because they are receiving petite earnings and am sure that no one will say no to being paid a few more dollars, right.
Thesis: Raising the minimum wage in the US has been one of the most frequent asked questions. Scholars have different arguments on the topic, but it is important to note that, raising the minimum wage is the only way to improve the economy. We should advocate for the raising of the minimum wage in the US because it is beneficial to the economy, to the workers, and to the society. It will improve the living standards by lifting Americans out of poverty. Therefore, America needs higher minimum wages and nothing less.
Body
Raising the minimum wage will benefit several workers in the US, especially those from low-income families.
The cost of living is considerably high starting with the cost of education, health insurance, and living conditions. It has become almost impossible to survive on a minimum wage job because the expenses exceed the salary (Arindrajit, William, and Michael 960). Therefore, the government should increase the minimum wage and give employees what they deserve to improve their standards of living. Moreover, with the growth in the minimum wage, many low-income families will be able to afford the cost of education and other essential needs (Hall and Mary 2).
II. Raising the minimum wage is important because it will help boost the economy. According to Schmitt, many educated, experienced, and over qualified Americans are out of work because of the low wages (14). If the wages are increased, they will be more workers meaning more taxes, and this will help to get the economy back on track (Addison, McKinley, and Chad 400). Therefore, raising the minimum wage would be an advantage to the American economy, as it will increase the employees, their earnings and reduces turnover as the economy gains. An increase of some dollars per hour or per month can bring a vast improvement to the economy.
III. Raising the minimum wage will help increase the earnings of many workers and assist them to get out of debts.
According to Neumark and William, raising the US minimum wage will help escalate the incomes of millions of Americans (37). In fact, it will be more beneficial to women who are forced to take on many jobs because of low wages they receive compared to their male counterparts. Minimum wage increase is family friendly, and it will help the working poor to walk out of the debt treadmill and get a chance of rising to the middle class.
IV. Raising the minimum wage will be a reparation or justice to the working American people.
There are separate class differences in the US with the distinction between the poor and the rich growing. Therefore, raising the minimum wage would be the least that could be done to the working poor who have suffered from the economic crisis for so many years (Hall and David 3). It will help reduce the gap between the rich and the poor
Need
There is the need to increase the US minimum wage because of its economic benefits. Opponents contend that raising the minimum wage would result in job losses, and this will hurt the American economy. Nonetheless, this is far-fetched because many people are out of employment because of the minimum wage, and if it is raised, they will be more workers meaning more taxes, which is beneficial to the economy. Therefore, increasing the minimum wage would increase employment, boost the economy, and improve the standards of living of the employees (Sabia and Burkhauser 601).
Conclusion
The minimum wage is supposed to be increased to improve the citizens’ living standards. According to Sylvia, Arindrajit, and Michael, the cost of living has grown tremendously from food, medicine, and education (220). Many low-income families are forced to rely on the small earnings making thus struggling to survive in a country that can give them a better pay. Besides, many qualified individuals have opted out of jobs because of the minimum wage, which is crashing the economy even more. However, with the rise of the minimum wage, there would be a reduction of poverty, improved living standards, and an improved economy. In essence, the minimum wage should be increased in the US because this will be beneficial to the economy and the society. America has no other option but to raise the minimum wages.
Works Cited
Addison, John T., McKinley L. Blackburn, and Chad D. Cotti. "Do Minimum Wages Raise Employment? Evidence from the US Retail-Trade Sector." Labor Economics 16.4 (2009): 397-408. Print.
Arindrajit Dube, T. William Lester, and Michael Reich, “Minimum Wage Effects Across State Borders: Estimates Using Contiguous Counties,” The Review of Economics and Statistics 92 (4) (2010): 945–964. Print.
Hall, Doug, and David Cooper. "How Raising the Federal Minimum Wage Would Help Working Families and Give the Economy a Boost." Issue Brief 341 (2012):1-19. Print.
Hall, Doug, and Mary Gable. The Benefits of Raising Illinois’ Minimum Wage: An Increase Would Help Working Families and the State Economy. Economic Policy Institute, Issue Brief #321, (2012). http://www.epi.org/publication/ib321-illinois-minimum-wage/
Neumark, David, and William Wascher. "The Effects of Minimum Wages on Employment." FRBSF Economic Letter 2015 (2015): 37. Print.
Sabia, Joseph J., and Richard V. Burkhauser. "Minimum Wages and Poverty: will a $9.50 Federal Minimum Wage really help the Working Poor?" Southern Economic Journal 76.3 (2010): 592-623. Print.
Schmitt, John. "Why does the Minimum Wage have no Discernible Effect on Employment?" Center for Economic and Policy Research 22 (2013): 1-28. Print.
Sylvia A. Allegretto, Arindrajit Dube, and Michael Reich, “Do Minimum Wages Really Reduce Teen Employment? Accounting for Heterogeneity and Selectivity in State Panel Data,” Industrial Relations 50 (2) (2011): 205–240. Print.
