Raising the minimal wage

I guess I'll just get right to disputing your arguments :)Dying Middle ClassFirst of all, I believe that we agreed upon an average of $10/hr across North America to be the "current average minimum wage." There is a common misconception that the "middle class" is making less money... that isn't the case, as the middle class stays the middle class, the only difference is more people are applying for entry-level jobs, like McDonald's, gas stations, etc. Jobs like this don't require an education, past experience, any money to put into bettering yourself for the job, etc. You don't need to buy a $2,000 Canali suit to work at your local Esso, nor do you need to spend $30,000 on student loans. The thing that validates paying minimum wage is the type of work done. There is next to no hard work done by fast food workers, there are next to no problem solving skills required - it's a basic job that doesn't require a hell of a lot of work put into it.Employers pay their employers for the level of work. Someone working in a lawfirm for a hard eight hours 9-5 without a lunch break in order to close a big case should be compensated for their time, and paid accordingly to the work done. Most of the time that person has gone to get some sort of post-secondary education, so their time put into that job is incredibly valuable and helps the company immensely.Someone working at a gas station, sitting on a chair behind the till playing Angry Birds on their phone for six of eight hours of the day, occasionally ringing in a purchase, doesn't require $15/hr, as the level of work is incredibly low. This person also most likely does not have a post-secondary education, and doesn't have very much to offer the company, other than their time.The positive thing about a "low" minimum wage is it gives people incentive to get a better, higher paying job, and contribute more to the economy. Like I said in my previous round, the livable wage hovers around $10/hr in most areas of North America. Someone working a minimum wage job most likely lives at home with their parents, and doesn't have a lot of expenses to take care of. The person working a minimum wage job most likely hasn't gone to post-secondary to enhance their knowledge and education, and doesn't have a hell of a lot to offer the economy.I'll need a source for that claim about the 60's, but even then, that was a long time ago. The times have changed. I'm not suggesting we crumble into anarchy, I'm simply saying if employers are paying employees more, they'll want the best employee for a job. If I was paying people $10/hr for doing next to nothing at a Chevron, I wouldn't look too much into education or experience, as I'm not running a Hospital - I'm running a gas station. If I had to pay 50% more, I'd want someone who's a little more fit for the job, and I'd want someone who's able to go above and beyond (although not by a hell of a lot) the call of duty. I'd find someone with either experience in other gas stations, or either a major in high school for marketing or sales.The bottom line is if an employer is paying 50%+ more to their employees, they will want the best possible person for the job, making it harder for inexperienced or uneducated people to get jobs, as it makes sense that a person with an education will be hired over someone without one.Income inequality I never really liked the "we are the 99%" movements, so I'm glad you brought this point up.In your whole argument, I haven't seen any real reason why rich people making lots of money is actually a bad thing. The main point I see is that rich people have lots of money, so it's unfair that they don't give it away to their employees, who do next to nothing. Much like my previous point, people are paid according to the type of work they do. Someone who puts clothes back where they belong isn't doing very much to benefit the economy and society.Paying $15/hr to people who do very little is actually detrimental to the economy. Take a look at the jobs that currently pay around that much [1] - these are demanding jobs that either require some sort of post secondary education, are somewhat dangerous, or have a hard learning curve. However, they are beneficial to society - there are a lot of jobs in the health industry that pay around that much, which aren't easy jobs to do. If a job that involves putting clothes away pays the same as a job that requires a post secondary education, which involves writing up extensive medical reports on accident victims to ensure they get the proper treatment... a lot of people will choose the easier job, as it pays the same, meaning there will be less workers that are actually extremely beneficial to society and the well being of others.Because someone makes millions of dollars a year doesn't mean they have to give it away. It's their money, and they earned it. And with that attitude, people that make minimum wage should donate to kids in India who get paid $.15 a day making shirts. Not everything can be fair to everybody. The guys who make millions also create jobs. Without these guys who have invented something or founded a corporation, there wouldn't be as many jobs. They earn what society wants to pay for their product, to want them to pay their employees more simply because they make a lot isn't quite fair to them. And like I said before, paying people that much will cause others to leave other harder, more important, fields of work to earn more by doing next to nothing.Sure, speaking strictly from an economical standpoint, there are a couple good things about raising the minimum wage, as it will allow people to earn more than enough to live happily off of, but looking at the demographics of most people who work minimum wage jobs, these are kids that live at home, or people without an education. It's not necessary to pay these people as much as workers that are in fields which are beneficial to the whole of society. If they want to get paid more, they can get an education or build up their experience and apply to more demanding jobs.Thanks, on to you!Sources[1] http://www.wsbtv.com...