Biden Needs to Raise Worker Wages

Joe Biden ran on raising the federal minimum wage to 15 dollars yet it still hasn’t happened. Biden and his fellow democrats held all three sections of legislation for a period of time creating the perfect opportunity to raise the minimum wage. However, even when the Democrats had the president’s office, the House, and the Senate nothing happened. If one isn’t aware Biden himself can’t simply raise the minimum raise with something like an executive order. It must first be proposed by the House and then passed all the way up to the president. The problem now is that Republicans hold Congress and continue to engage in political shenanigans every day.

The Bare Minimum

The minimum wage is one of those societal markers that if increased in the slightest instantly improves the quality of life for millions. It is not dissimilar to investing in affordable housing across the country or securing a fixed affordable price for diabetes medicine. The minimum wage is an extremely important facet of any modern economy. The reason why is that the closer the minimum wage is to a living wage the greater quality of life millions of Americans have. What is meant here is that since the minimum wage in most cities is almost always a few dollars short or sometimes even many dollars short of the living wage, most people in those cities end up needing a second job. “Some 44% of Americans are working at least one extra job to make ends meet each month” according to CNBC

Hustle To Live

This problem has become so prevalent that there are entire industries that are essentially just second jobs. People shouldn’t have to get a side hustle just to make rent, and families shouldn’t have to tell their children they can’t have things because the parents don’t make enough money. Everyone should be able to enjoy a vibrant life with joy and happiness and love. Yet, most people are stuck doing double shifts because the American government refuses to raise the minimum wage to a living one.

Liberal Democracy

Democracies are supposed to work a certain way. When people want something, and when that thing is good for society, that thing should become policy. It is the politician’s job to make sure that when they interpret, legislate, or vote on policy, it is with the people in mind. The minimum wage is one of the most talked about issues in American politics and has a lot of scientific backing behind it. Why then, one may ask, has the minimum wage not moved in literal decades? The answer to this question is that the Democrats and the Republicans are of the same party truly. The iconic red and blue parties are of the same party. This party’s color is green, and it is green not because they care about the environment, but because they are funded by billionaires.

Big Money

What this means is that policies that favor the working class over the one percent are stifled and lobbied with no regard for the livelihood of the average American. President Joe Biden is responsible for the livelihood of not only the wealthiest Americans but the poorest as well. To take care of the poorest Americans is to take care of their economic health, and to take care of their economic health is to raise the minimum wage. Joe Biden needs to take care of the millions of Americans who go without because their job doesn’t pay enough. Finally, if the minimum wage kept up with worker productivity, the federal minimum wage would be 21.50 dollars. 21.50 dollars is enough to truly make a difference in the average American household. All it takes is a little cooperation and millions of Americans could never go hungry again.

Written by Kenneth Mazerat

Sources

Berkeley: Even in small businesses, minimum wage hikes don’t cause job losses, study finds by Edward Lempinen

Cepr: CORRECTION: This is What Minimum Wage Would Be If It Kept Pace with Productivity by dean baker 

First Inset Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License