If minimum wage had merely kept pace with inflation since 1970, it would be $26/hr today.
The last increase in the federal minimum wage was in 1992 to $7.25/hr. If it had simply received the same COLA increases as Social Security since that time, it would be $14.02 today.
40% of jobs posted are offering less than $15/hr. Is it any wonder why they're not being filled? The argument that it's only teens or college students who are expected to work at these low paying jobs is ludicrous. 40% of the workforce is not made up of high school and college students. The problem is not that “nobody wants to work.” It's that nobody wants to work for slave wages and live in poverty.
From 1975 to 1982, Social Security was increased anywhere from 6.4% to 14.3% EVERY YEAR. Boomers are great at paying themselves. They just don't want to pay anyone who comes after them!
All 2 MILLION of us should be writing to every legislator that represents us in state and federal government with these stats, demanding an increase in the minimum wage AND annual COLA increases that match Social Security's. We should ALL also write directly to the President's and the VP's offices via their websites. If they don't want the midterm election to be a complete disaster, they'll listen. They can't ignore 2 MILLION letters!