Recently we noted how Democratic efforts to raise the minimum wage had failed in Congress. Ted Kennedy and fellow leftists, sought to enact legislation that would raise the minimum wage from $5.15/hr to $7.25/hr. Leftists argued such an increase was warranted as the cost of living had increased significantly since the last increase in 1997. They also noted that it was becoming increasingly difficult to raise a family on minimum wage. Minimum wage, however, should not be used to raise a family in the first place. Only the most selfish among us, would knowingly raise children, with such a paltry income. People must accept responsibility for their actions, anyone other than a teenager or college student earning minimum wage, should consider themselves a failure, as they have clearly squared life’s opportunities in choosing the path of least resistance. America’s businesses, many of which are small businesses, cannot afford to keep making such unwarranted adjustments. Like any other product or service, the value of a person’s labor is determined by its worth to the purchaser, in this case the employer. A person with specialized skills and abilities (such as a doctor, fireman, welder, carpenter, or truck driver), can demand higher wages because of the expertise they bring. A person earning minimum wage, by definition has few skills and should not expect a particularly high wage as their skills are a dime a dozen. Now Wal-Mart, who has been under fire for the wages it pays its lowest skilled workers is attempting to pull a Mussolini and cast itself as a champion of the so-called “working poor” by urging Congress to increase the minimum wage. Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott recently said the minimum wage "is out of date with the times.” If Scott is so interested in raising the wages for his employees, why not simply raise the wage? It doesn’t take an act of Congress to compel Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retailer, to take action on any issue. Scott’s position is not only detrimental to the economy, especially small business, but will do nothing to raise families out of poverty. If someone is truly interested in improving their lot in life, they will take the initiation first through education and then through hard work. Minimum wage is nothing more than a handout for the least productive among us.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2005-10-25-walmart_x.htm