Why hasn’t the federal minimum wage risen since 2009, and should it now?

[msc545]

Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour for covered nonexempt employees, a rate that has been in place since July 24, 2009. Why hasn't it been raised?

[goaded]

Just for context:

"EIon Musk’s Wealth
2009: $0.6B
2026: $984B

Jeff Bezos’s Wealth
2009: $6B
2026: $370B

Mark Zuckerberg’s Wealth
2009: $0.6B
2026: $256B

Federal Minimum Wage
2009: $7.25
2023: $7.25

Billionaire tax rate: 8.2%
Worker tax rate: 13%

Pay workers.
Tax & Abolish Billionaires.
Save our economy & country."

https://mastodon.social/@QasimRashid/117322091232765852

[DryGermanGuy]

"Slaves are made in such ways!!!"

- William Wallace, Braveheart

[Kelly6]

@DryGermanGuy are you done yet? 😆

[DryGermanGuy]

NEVARRR! ✊😤

[Kelly6]

@DryGermanGuy wrong answer lol

- I'm not done yet. 😆

[Sevenpointfive]

i've explained this many times among the years. we need a minimum wage that was around 9/hr. for kids and college kids. those jobs were never meant to pay out 20/hr. the people that try to make a living because they don't further their education should be moved up. it's not a whole lot more but it's still not supposed to be. supervisors are close but assistant manager and manager should be the only ones there that can live off their wage/salary. that's how it's supposed to be. that's how you have illegals making fair pay.

you don't raise the wage so kids and adults have to compete. that's a fuck you to those adults entire lives. they fought all their lives to move up to make the same as a 16 yr/old kid. it's pretty sad but that's a very common story.

[goaded]

"assistant manager and manager should be the only ones there that can live off their wage/salary"
So everybody else should go homeless or starve?

[Sevenpointfive]

@goaded no. they shouldn't use those jobs for paying their rent. that's supplemental income not a real job. that's a kids job. it's how they learn to manage money, grow skills, they aren't hard jobs and they aren't worth a living wage. it collapses the system. businesses can't survive. which is why tipping is so crazy here. adults have done it and survived on handouts and that's going away. but a kid can go be a waiter and make an adults salary doing barely anything. it's a stupid system. tipping should not be mandatory to survive.

[goaded]

If a business can't survive paying a living wage to its employees, it shouldn't survive.

I don't understand what you mean by "tipping is so crazy here" or "adults have done it [what?] and survived on handouts and that's going away".

[Sevenpointfive]

@goaded rent was cheaper/affordable. waitressing was a more respected job. now teenagers want a tip for repeating your order to someone else and handing you a bag or just ringing you up. it's a culture out of hand now because businesses can't function on those margins anymore. some do. if i don't want to tip someone that's a good indicator that they shouldn't be making a living wage. until that's resolved all jobs with tips will suffer. restaurants will suffer the most.

[goaded]

Let me get this straight. "teenagers want a tip" means you have to give them a tip, even if they're rubbish? Why not just complain to the manager who can decide which of you is being the asshole?

You can have an economy where servers get a living wage and a dollar or two tip from customers if they're particularly helpful.

Basically, the business can pay reasonably, ensure their customers get good food for their (slightly higher) prices, and the servers can coast or earn themselves pocket money through tips. Bad ones will still be fired.

[Sevenpointfive]

@goaded it's the manager's policy. you must not be from here. if you look up tipping culture in america you'll get a better understanding of the topic.

[goaded]

Oh, I've visited a few times. My point is that being expected to tip is not the same as being required to tip. The "manager's policy" is, presumably "we'll provide the food, you pay the people to bring it to you"? Except on Sundays, when they shouldn't be working.

Just include the service in the price, and let people complain if it's not good enough.

I feel a bit as though this is like one of those conversations about guns - Americans can't conceive of an environment not saturated with them.

[Snakeyes7]

Ask any economist or accountant worth their salt because this is Econ 101. We have seen time and time again that every time it is raised, the minimum becomes the new "unlivable" wage, the price of everything will go up and the number of available jobs for those who are just starting their careers will become more scarce. How many times do we need to do it and fail until it finally gets through to you lefties?

[goaded]

I'm sure the 2009 increase was what caused the Bush recession. Do you have ANY documentation that proves your claim, and does it include the number of people living in poverty?

Heaven forbid the general welfare of the people, sorry, General Welfare of the People, be improved significantly by government action.

[LiamS95]

The minimum wage rate where I live in Ontario, Canada is $18.00/hour and it's still not a living wage.

[MrChinaski]

I know it's circular logic... indulge me... but almost nobody is paid the federal minimum wage anyway.

[msc545]

Apparently you haven't been to Kentucky or Tennessee recently.

[SeekerOfTruth007]

Because raising minimum wage does NOTHING except drive inflation. It actually hurts the middle class.

[goaded]

What does it do to the working class?

[Kelly6]

@msc545 Why should it?

They are runner by corporations

[msc545]

Well, maybe it should be so people can eat, but I realize that's just a radical suggestion.

[888theGreat]

Because they really don't go by it anymore. Most employers know they must pay more than that or no one will take the job