Is Minimum Wage High Enough

The minimum wage in the United States stands at $5.15 an hour. That means if you worked 40 hours a week, and did not take any time off, because most minimum wage jobs do not offer vacation you would make $10712 a year. That is all fine and good of you have no bills or no one else to support. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services the 2005 poverty threshold for a family of two is $12,830. The minimum wage would have to rise to $6.75 an hour. The debate of the minimum wage increases has come up again. Minimum wage has not increased since 1996. Two bills have recently come before the Senate. The first wanted to raise the minimum wage $2.10 over 26 months, the second $1.10 over 18 months. Both bills failed to receive enough votes. There is a great worry about what effect a raise in the minimum wage will have on the rest of the economy. A raise in the minimum wage will cause other wages to rise; it will also cause prices to increase because of businesses being forced to pay high wages. Is a minimum wage increase good for the economy has a whole? Is it good for anyone? Will it really increase purchasing power, or will price increases offset this. It seems there is no easy answer to these questions.
The Marietta Times March 25 A1, A8