Introduction: Alyana: Imagine working multiple shifts each day, only to return to your run-down home and starving children. Unfortunately, this is the reality many parents face throughout this country. Alyssa: More than half the workers in the US on average have the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, and that money is used as their primary income. These workers depend on their salary to pay their monthly bills, their children’s needs, and other basic necessities. Lauren: According to Robert Reich, a former Labor Secretary, he states, “With a higher minimum wage, moreover, we'd all end up paying less for Medicaid, food stamps and other assistance the working poor now need in order to have a minimally decent standard of living.” Raising …show more content…
The basic building block for a prosperous economy starts with people getting jobs. The more people with jobs, the more successful the economy. Sydney: People with more money can buy more goods and help faster growth, creating more jobs which in turn directly or indirectly impacts hundreds of people. For instance, if a family cancels a trip to Yosemite, then the airline, restaurants, food suppliers, pilots, chefs, and many others are affected. Just think about how many more people are negatively affected . {PAUSE} Alyssa: A higher minimum wage wouldn’t cause any significant impact on prices and would instead help businesses and the government. In fact, “The government would save forty-six billion dollars over ten years since people would earn enough to no longer qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.” (Cap Action War Room/ Think Progress 1). Lauren: In addition, “60% of small business owners recognize that their businesses would benefit if we raise the wage.” (Cap Action War Room/ Think Progress 1). “A study by the Center for American Progress found that raising the minimum wage to $10.10 would help 3.5 million Americans get off food stamps.” (Cap Action War Room/ Think Progress