The argument made is that minimum wage is really welfare to corporate America. This is nonsense. Welfare and other government programs are aid for people. The base of that argument lies in the belief that wages and economic factors should be determined by social issues, rather than the market....that concept never works.
Slow down....28 million workers DO NOT earn minimum wage. The Bureau of Labor statistics (The data charts begin on page 4) puts the total number at 2.9 million. It further breaks it down by age. So if you look at those age 25 and over making minimum wage (people probably less likely to live at home or be in school), you are left with 1.5 million workers.
If the labor force is 156 million, then we are talking about roughly 1% of the workforce.
I was going to immediately ask if this included Social Security and Medicare, but was pleasantly surprised when the article addressed that the 49% figure does include those. It notes this figure drops to 35% when those are removed. Still a higher number than I would like to see, but what is the path out of this? I would argue education.
Look again at the BLS charts on minimum wage workers. Page 9 breaks out education levels for all minimum wage workers in the country. Take a look at the sharp declines from "High School" to "Associate Degree" or "Occupational Program." This idea that we all have to get 4 year degrees is absurd. I think there should be a major emphasis placed on job training programs as well as technical certification programs. College is not for everyone, but the idea that college is the only way out of poverty is absurd. Vocational programs, dual credit programs to speed qualified students up in the process, and technical certification programs should get much more support.
But again we include Social Security and Medicare. I am prepared to say that people that paid into social security their entire lives wouldn't view it as an entitlement. When they are removed, the article indicates the figure shrinks to 28% or so. I'd be interested in that break down. I would wager it tells a different story.
Well are we suddenly talking about "low pay" or are we talking about "minimum wage"? They are drastically different things. Increasing the minimum wage is not going to solve "low pay" problems. I'll agree that the perception of welfare queens is overblown (but not unfounded).
