Why work if you don't make any more than welfare pays?

 

Emory Burton of Dallas argues that the minimum wage should be raised. He says he'd like to see a proposed budget for a family of three living on one minimum-wage salary.

 

First, Mr. Burton, if we assume that the family of three is a father, a mother, and a child, then there should be at least two minimum wage salaries coming in. If that's not possible, then there shouldn't have been a child in the family until there was more than minimum wage coming in. If the family consists of a single parent and two children, then the missing parent should certainly be contributing to the living expenses of the children. If the missing parent is deceased, then we can assume that the children are drawing Social Security survivor benefits

 

Second, Mr. Burton, we can assume that the minimum wage earner will not always be a minimum wage earner. If he is performing well in his job, then he most certainly will receive raises and/or promotions.

 

Third, Mr. Burton, suppose the minimum wage earner is mopping floors for a living or loading garbage into a truck. There is absolutely nothing wrong with those jobs, but just how much are they worth? Would you pay the floor mopper, a pimply-faced 16-year-old who doesn't know up from down, $12.50 an hour? Is that enough? If you pay the floor mopper $12.50, what about the cashier who is responsible for making sure the money balances at the end of the day? Surely he would be worth $15 an hour. Let's assume the floor mopper and the cashier work at a fast food restaurant. How much are you willing to pay for an order of fries so that the teenage floor mopper can make more money? Is $3 too much? $5?

 

Mr. Burton sums up by asking, "Why work if you don't make any more than welfare pays." I guess Mr. Burton, like 47% of the people in this country, has never heard of strength of character, self-reliance, self-respect, pride in a job well-done, ambition, goal-setting, and consideration of others.

 

"Wage gives workers a chance." The Dallas Morning News; August 2, 2008; p. 18A.