In the year 2011, seven states will see an increase in minimum wage of 9-12 cents an hour. Wow, can they afford it? They act like raising minimum wage by 9-12 cents an hour is a big deal to make up for the cost of living increase. It's not even all 50 states, just seven states. I'm sorry but there is a lot people out there who used to make a whole lot more are now out there working minimum wage jobs because their unemployment has run out and they have no other option because jobs are slim pickings. You would think with the millions of Americans out of work and out of unemployment benefits, they would give all 50 states a significant increase. A minimum wage job isn't even enough money to pay rent, utilities and buy food. But, yet it is just enough to keep you from getting any welfare benefits. Think about all the crappy work people have to do for minimum wage jobs. It's ridiculous that they are even paying people minimum wage to get treated like a work horse doing shit jobs!!!! It's damn near slavery. It's just not people out there who didn't have the opportunity to go to college or teenagers working minimum wage jobs anymore. It's people with bachelors and masters degrees also, because they have no other choice if they want to put a roof over their families heads. Even if it was like it was five or six years ago where there were more jobs for people, it's no excuse for paying people lousy wages. Teenagers used to work minimum wage jobs, now it's adults trying to survive until the economy turns around. Do you really think by the time they take taxes out of their paychecks they even see that money? Think about it, if get in increase of say 10 cents an hour that is only 70 cents a day by the time they take out breaks, not even $5 a week. How is that going to help anyone in times like this? It's a joke if you ask me. You can only get about a gallon of gas after they take the taxes out and a gallon of gas isn't even enough to get most people to work. It's just enough to keep the people poor without any light at the end of the tunnel. This is what they call the "American Dream?" It's what I call a "bleepen" joke!
