(May 10) -- Campaigns to raise the minimum wage are gaining ground in a dozen states during an election year in which some political activists say the issue could help swell Democratic voter turnout.

Seven state legislatures have raised the wage this year, and efforts are underway in six states to put similar proposals on the November ballot.

States are using legislation and ballot initiatives to do what Congress has not done since 1997, when it last increased the federal minimum wage to $5.15 an hour.

Twenty-one states have minimum wages above $5.15. Joining the list this year are Maryland, Rhode Island, Michigan, Arkansas and Maine. West Virginia hiked wages, but only for a limited set of workers. Ohio raised its minimum to match the federal wage.

Nevada voters will decide in November whether to raise the state wage to $6.15 an hour. Drives for similar initiatives are taking place in Arizona, Ohio, Colorado, Missouri and Montana.

As campaigns for governorships and congressional seats heat up, the issue could attract liberal voters in November, just as measures outlawing gay marriage galvanized conservative voters in 2004.

"That kind of effort can really draw voters out to not only support the minimum wage but to support the candidates who support the minimum wage," says Oliver Griswold of the liberal Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, an advocacy group based in Washington.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says raising the federal minimum wage will be a top priority for Democrats if they regain control of the House of Representatives in November.

Last year, 1.9 million workers - 2.5% of hourly earners - earned $5.15 or less, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay for millions of others is influenced by the wage.

Some opponents of a wage hike say it would force up wages for all workers, straining businesses. "I think it will cause some people to actually lose their jobs," says Thom Coffman, vice president of the Ohio Restaurant Association.

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060510081009990031&cid=1976

If the minimum wage is such a great thing, why stop at $6.15 an hour? Why not make it $100.00 an hour? Wouldn't that make everyone rich?

Well, without some kind of regulation as to the minimum amount you can pay workers, there would be such a low standard of living in this country it would boggle the mind.
Businesses, understandably, make decisions based on their bottom line, not the welfare of their workers. The government, when it bothers to do its job, should try to find a balance between the two. Therefore I think a minimum wage is a great idea.

What a crappy article...

Did they also write "Republicans have introduced ballot initiatives to ban gay marriage in states where gay marriage is not currently allowed as a way to attract conservative voters?"

Nope - didn't happen. And now it's written as if it's entirely strategy, even though these minimum wage bills actually do something.

Money, oh money

miminum wage is a crime. How can the cost of living be so high but yet we pay people not even aenough to afford these set prices? No wonder people resort to stealing and drug dealing. its ****ing hell. what happend to this country taking care of it people. maybe they wouldn't need welfare if they could make enough to live on?

miminum wage is a crime. How can the cost of living be so high but yet we pay people not even aenough to afford these set prices? No wonder people resort to stealing and drug dealing. its ****ing hell. what happend to this country taking care of it people. maybe they wouldn't need welfare if they could make enough to live on?Minimum wage does
several things, first it helps keep the cost of burgers down so
poor or lazy people like me can eat fairly cheap. It also set's a
standard, or a set wage enforced by law, unless your a illegal,
which is racist?? It is not meant to live on by any means, but
alot of people live on minimum wage. Also let's look at a great
example of why this works. You misspelled a few words, minimum
wage, now if I was to hire a reporter for the newspaper, it would
not be fair to pay you more than say a person that spelled it correctly.
I am no scholar either, so thats why I am not a reporter, I cut freaking
grass. But it works, because it forces you to go to school, and then
get a degree, then make more money. Or you may win the lottery too.

Well, without some kind of regulation as to the minimum amount you can pay workers, there would be such a low standard of living in this country it would boggle the mind.
Businesses, understandably, make decisions based on their bottom line, not the welfare of their workers. The government, when it bothers to do its job, should try to find a balance between the two. Therefore I think a minimum wage is a great idea.

What percent of the population makes minimum wage?

You don't know do you?

Minimum wage just increases unemployment.

What a crappy article...

Did they also write "Republicans have introduced ballot initiatives to ban gay marriage in states where gay marriage is not currently allowed as a way to attract conservative voters?"

Nope - didn't happen. And now it's written as if it's entirely strategy, even though these minimum wage bills actually do something.

Man (or woman) you are so negative.

Minimum wage does
several things, first it helps keep the cost of burgers down so
poor or lazy people like me can eat fairly cheap.

How incredibly elitist!!!

I made minimum wage when I first started out. It was $2.85/hr for a dishwashing/bussing job. I was 15 and had to work to help support my family. When I left the hospitality industry I was making a quarter million (adding in the bonuses).

Flipping burgers can be lucrative.


It also set's a
standard, or a set wage enforced by law, unless your a illegal,
which is racist??

The minimum wage law is racist???? Or are you saying a lack of one is racist?

It is not meant to live on by any means, but
alot of people live on minimum wage.

Really what percentage of the people live on minimum wage?

Actually what percentage of the population PERIOD makes min wage?

do you know?


Also let's look at a great
example of why this works.


What works? You bring this up and then talk about spelling. Do you make minimum wage?


You misspelled a few words, minimum
wage,

pedant!!!!

now if I was to hire a reporter for the newspaper, it would
not be fair to pay you more than say a person that spelled it correctly.

Excuse me, but what the heck are you talking about?



I am no scholar either,

clearly.

so thats why I am not a reporter, I cut freaking
grass.

What? Landscaping can also be very lucrative. My cousin started his own landscaping biz in Phoenix in the late 80's and now he is a multimillionaire. He never even finished high school, like myself.



But it works, because it forces you to go to school, and then
get a degree, then make more money. Or you may win the lottery too.

Lottery. Laughable.


Do you know why you would get paid more if you had a degree?

Another faux pretense of 'helping workers and the little guy' by Democrats. If they were really concerned, they would index it to inflation and put it where it should be, at around $11 an hour at the Federal level, and in places like NYC and California at around $18 to $20 an hour.

Wages have little effect on inflation, just as the 'savings' from hiring illegals, or moving plants overseas to take advantage of slave labor, are not passed on to consumers, but instead are merely divided up by CEO's and stockholders.

these plans are as laughable as their views on 'border control' ...

Minimum wage just increases unemployment.

So did the Emancipation Proclaimation and the 13th Amendent, but don't let that bother you ... after all, you're related to a Millionare Lawnmower! ...

What percent of the population makes minimum wage?

You don't know do you?

Minimum wage just increases unemployment.
I know the statistics for 2004: http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2004.htm
I made minimum wage back when it was less that $5 per hour. So, I know for a fact it isn't enough for the cost of living. But abandoning regulations so that 74 million people make less than they do would not help anything I'm sure.

If the minimum wage is such a great thing, why stop at $6.15 an hour? Why not make it $100.00 an hour? Wouldn't that make everyone rich?

The business community bring these kinds of regulations and support for such controls on entirely by themselves. They have no reason to whine about it, really. They've pretty much cut their own throats by their abuses of people over the last two centuries in the U.S.

So did the Emancipation Proclaimation and the 13th Amendent, but don't let that bother you ... after all, you're related to a Millionare Lawnmower! ...

You are the KING of irrelevant posts.

Comparing freeing slaves to min wage is stupd at best.

So did the Emancipation Proclaimation and the 13th Amendent, but don't let that bother you ... after all, you're related to a Millionare Lawnmower! ...

fenian also said that he/she made a quarter-million $ flipping burgers. It runs in the family.

I know the statistics for 2004: http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2004.htm
I made minimum wage back when it was less that $5 per hour. So, I know for a fact it isn't enough for the cost of living. But abandoning regulations so that 74 million people make less than they do would not help anything I'm sure.

You linked to a study about how people SELF-REOPORT. haha.

http://www.bls.gov

the percetage of the population involved in minimum wage work is less than 3%.

In fact there is an interesting article there:

Majority of working 15- to 17-year olds earn above minimum wage

full story @ bls.gov:


http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2000/aug/wk3/art03.htm



Now, how am I supposed to believe that a 15-17 year old is qualified enough to get a job paying above min wage but that some old guy with a family can't find that kind of a job?

The living wage argument is completely bs>

fenian also said that he/she made a quarter-million $ flipping burgers. It runs in the family.

Now what I said was that starting out at minimum wage, working hard, making sacrifices, moving to a place where I could take an apprenticeship, then working for two decades I ended up making big bucks.

This is implicit. But socialist commies don't understand the value of hard work.

They want to put down the people who mow lawns and "flip burgers" because if they didn't it would be an admission that the government doesn't owe them a million dollar a year job.

fenian also said that he/she made a quarter-million $ flipping burgers. It runs in the family.

Yes, 'The Power Of Positive Thinking' is truly wondrous ...