To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Raise the Minimum Wage
It's time to raise the minimum wage for every state in America.
Why is this important?
Imagine living on only two-thirds of the income of fifty years ago. Every day you stretch each dollar further and further for life’s basic necessities. What do you choose? Do you buy food, pay the rent, replace worn clothing, repair the car, or pay your insurance? Decisions no one likes to make.
Today’s $7.25 Federal minimum wage is also South Carolina’s minimum wage, and it’s worth only two-thirds of the purchasing power of the 1968 minimum wage. Working a full 40 hours work week for 52 weeks at the minimum wage pays $15,080. That’s $100 below the poverty level for a family of one. If there are two in the family, it’s $5,500 below the poverty level.
If the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation over the past 50 years it would be $11.53 per hour. That’s almost 60% more to pay for food, rent, clothes, and medicine. More money for consumers is good for everyone. The money doesn’t end up stashed in some off-shore account; it goes to work directly in the economy. Increased economic activity means more jobs.
Increasing the minimum wage is an investment in workers, in the economy, in job creation. I support raising the minimum wage to a livable wage because I believe that no one working full time should find themselves living in poverty. If you agree that the Federal minimum wage must be increased and you want to make a difference, join me by signing my petition.
Today’s $7.25 Federal minimum wage is also South Carolina’s minimum wage, and it’s worth only two-thirds of the purchasing power of the 1968 minimum wage. Working a full 40 hours work week for 52 weeks at the minimum wage pays $15,080. That’s $100 below the poverty level for a family of one. If there are two in the family, it’s $5,500 below the poverty level.
If the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation over the past 50 years it would be $11.53 per hour. That’s almost 60% more to pay for food, rent, clothes, and medicine. More money for consumers is good for everyone. The money doesn’t end up stashed in some off-shore account; it goes to work directly in the economy. Increased economic activity means more jobs.
Increasing the minimum wage is an investment in workers, in the economy, in job creation. I support raising the minimum wage to a livable wage because I believe that no one working full time should find themselves living in poverty. If you agree that the Federal minimum wage must be increased and you want to make a difference, join me by signing my petition.