Minimum Wage Law Only Increases the Gap Between the Haves and the Have Nots

An increase in the minimum wage will not releaseenough money to pay the taxes on the farm.
the working poor from their economic constraints.Even when my grandmother died in the mid
To achieve economic prosperity means making1960's, she only had cold running water. The
good choices and hard decisions.bathroom was an outhouse and the bath tub was
A Real Life Storya metal tub filled with heated rain water. Did she
As a child growing up in the 50's and 60's in theconsider herself poor, absolutely not. She
Midwest, my parents understood the differenceunderstood the difference between needs and
between needs and wants or having and notwants. Her life was filled with peace and
having. We lived in a small, modest 3 bedroomabundance. You could come into her simple home
house with only one television (black and white),and there was always cake, bread, cookies or
one car, no air conditioning, no dishwasher andsome sort of pastry on the table. During summer,
very few extras. Yes, my parents took an annualthere was a fruit bowl filled with apples from the
vacation to Florida with the neighbors. Our familyapples trees just outside. Her 2 room main house
was considered to be middle class just like ourhad a small black and white TV along with a radio.
neighbors who also lived in modest homes withThe wood burning stove served as the source of
only one television, one car, no dishwasher and noheat for 2 small rooms. The sleeping cabin about
air conditioning.30 feet away contained two bedrooms heated
Recent statistics from the Bureau of Labor andby an oil stove. In today's world, my grandparents
the U.S. Census suggest that many who arewould be definitely considered poor.
considered to be poor live as well if not betterYet, many Americans' performance has suffered
than my parents and neighbors did in the 1950'sdue to government interference. Needs have
and 1960's. For example:been replaced by wants. Fewer and fewer
- 46% of all poor households owned their ownAmericans are making the good choices and
home which was classified as a 3 bedroom withtough decisions necessary for long term
1.5 baths and a garageprosperity. As long as the government continues
- 73% own microwave ovens, more than 50%to redistribute (taxation) the results of the
have a stereo and 33% have an automaticperformance efforts by those who make good
dishwasherchoices and tough decisions, our society will
- 75% of the poor households own a car withcontinue to confuse needs with wants. The
30% owning 2 more or more carsminimum wage law is just the most recent
- 76% of all poor households have air conditioningexample of another obstacle to improved
- 78% have a VCR or DVD with 62% havingperformance for all Americans.
cable or satellite TVFor those individuals who work hard, who
- 97% of poor households have a color TV withseparate needs from wants, who value the family
over 50% having 2 or more color televisionsand support their children, they will continue to
What these figures suggest is that today's poorgrow economically while those individuals who
are not truly as poor as many think anddon't work hard, who confuse wants with needs,
demonstrates how wants have surpassed needs.who fail their families, they will continue to lose
The Story Continueseconomic ground. Increasing the minimum wage
My father's family immigrated from Sweden inwill not increase their economic wealth, but will
the 1920's and homestead 40 acres in northernonly continue to widen the divide between those
Wisconsin. During the depression, my grandparentswho haven't made good choices (the have nots)
and their children moved to Chicago to earnand those who have.