Raising the minimum wage actually hurts the people that liberals hope to help. It is a HORRIBLE idea, especially at the ridiculous rate of increase that got passed in the house.

A very small percentage of people out there are economists, or have investigated this issue enough to understand what seems like a paradox, so lots of people will see my first sentence and totally disagree -- based on the fact that it "doesn't make sense."

Liberals count on people not understanding the complex issues involved, and making emotional decisions like "give more money to poor people working minimum wage".

Fortunately it will face more scrutiny in the Senate, and will hopefully be shot down there. The President would probably sign it, because it would be bad politics not to.

Yes...poor people do need all the help they can get. It took me a while to finally get this. After taking my 3rd economics class, I finally got it. It will hurt more than it will help. Another topic I had a hard time grasping was outsourcing of American jobs. But economists say that by sending our unskilled jobs oversees, it creates more higher paying skilled jobs here in the U.S. Initially, when you think of either of these topics, on the surface, they don't make sense. It just goes deeper than that.

Around the Detroit area, most jobs like McDonalds start higher than minimum wage anyway. Doesn't do a thing to raise it to $7+ when they hire at $8/hr.

Another issue for me is that I fully believe a person under 18 should be hired at way less than minimum wage. The parents should be supporting kids. They should have the opportunity to get a job to gain experience and help business keep costs down.

If they raise Social Security to minimum wage equivalent - it would make millions of people happy - but they don't. So with price of labor going up, that makes the price of products go up and SS people starve even more.

We need a MAXIMUM wage law. No one should make $20 million dollars to play a sport or make a movie!

Maximum wage laws are socialistic/communistic. Let wages be dictated by markets and keep capitalism alive through less not more regulation so this nation can thrive again. The more laws we enact to control businesses, the more they tend to leave the US in favor of nations having willing workers and fewer laws to inhibit commerce.

If you're going to cap wages then why not cap lottery wins???????????? NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, konane I think you are wrong - I know you can probably find 3 articles in a blink of a mouse click to support your point of view. But I am not going to believe the articles either. And I won't spend hours searching for articles supporting my point of view.

Uncontrolled runaway capitalism needs to be capped. No one but the rich will be able to afford a loaf of bread. Besides I don't believe for one minute business will leave en-masse.    Businesses leave for China/Mexico, etc; for price advantage BECAUSE of RIDICULOUS high labor costs in this Country! The Government is the only entity that can reign in giving a CEO severance packages of $2,000,000! NO ONE needs that much money - if they do then let them win it. Lotteries and other forms of gambling are much tougher to win than running a company. Gambling winnings should be entirely tax free because of the odds against winning. The Government gets their share of taxes with every legal $1 bet.

I agree with Konane. There is no such thing as "runaway Capitalism". That's something the socialists out there would have you believe.

Capitalism built the United States into the most powerful and giving country ever on the face of the planet. All the steps being taken to go away from Capitalism and toward Socialism are weakening the country.

Caps, as well as minimums, are a bad idea. That's a concept shared by conservatives and libertarians alike.

I have to agree with Todd's last statement. Caps as well as minimums are not a good idea and not conducive to private enterprise. If an employer is not willing to pay their employees a competitive wage then they will not be in business long. People shop for jobs just like they do for cars.

Outsourcing of our labor is more of an issue. This lowers the competitive wage. Raising our minimum wage will only get more jobs outsourced.

Throw out the current tax code on production and savings and instill a simple consumption tax. The "capitalists" will be paying their same fair share as Joe Dirt. Benefit? The more money they make, the more money added to our coffers when they spend it. The country wins, no one is exempt, and contrary to popular belief it won't hurt the poor. Joe Dirt paying 15% consumption tax on a pair of work boots vs. a CEO paying 15% consumption tax on a Lear Jet will even the field remarkably.