patrickaa317 wrote:That would be a 5.5% increase over three years, national average is 3%. Now you aren't even happy with 150% of the national average at 4.5%? Anyone making minimum should get twice the raise as those who aren't making minimum wage? Why stop at $8.50? Why not make minimum wage $17.00 like WalMart is paying employees in the booming state of ND?
No, I'm not happy with the national "average" and you shouldn't be either. A national average could be far lower than what's needed to live on in New Jersey; I don't know what the pay that's needed is, and you can find it since it's for your argument.
Besides this, the national average is below the rate of inflation, and so does the proposed increase which the article articulated, so anyone living on minimum wage would be perpetually impoverished, no matter how hard they work... and that leads to people living on welfare of various sorts.
It's reckless and ridiculous to argue that people should be kept below the national average "just because." This isn't an argument about fairness.
Meanwhile CEO pay is up more than 725% since 1978, while everyone else's wages are up 5.7%. How does that 5.7% compare to inflation since '78? You should be angry about this, and more supportive of the American worker.
New Jersey actually ranks 11th in the nation for income disparity between rich and poor.
So don't you attack or blame American workers/producers.