Minimum wage is a complicated issue because of differing economic areas. The cost of living in an urban area is far more expensive than in a rural area and those differ greatly from different states and regions.
Using Illinois as an example of $15.00 per hour, within the Routes 47 and I-80, rents can easily take up half of a take home check. Add higher vehicle costs including maintenance, fuel, and insurance from living within the box. The cost of food, clothing, and other normal expenses cut into the few remaining dollars. People in one of our political parties think the person earning 15 dollars should be saving for their retirement. They also say the medical expenses are paid by the employer. This is the USA, not Europe.
Now let’s go 200 miles south and 15 dollars can be stretched to a not comfortable but possible life as long as medical help isn’t needed. However, full time jobs are not as easy to find.
Four hundred miles farther south and their state legislative bodies think $7.50 is enough. In some of the rural areas it probably is.
The cost of living varies so greatly across America a Federal minimum wage of 15 dollar is unreasonable. Some state’ legislatures are dominated by their party’s tenets to the detriment of a large number of their residents. Millions of poor will never have a comfortable life because certain people never have to worry about getting enough to eat.
