I agree that the minimum wage has not kept up with the costs of living and by the inaction of the politicians over the years.  I read another opinion that if the minimum wage kept up since it's creation in the 1930's it would be 28. an hour. Poverty has decreased in this nation since President Johnson has waged the war on poverty but the safety net is necessary to keep people from being poor. Experts say the poor are those who are working minimum wage jobs so until the minimum wages are increased there will be no way to change that.  Workers being threatened to be replaced by machines if they ask for a living wage and benefits sounds more like a scene  out of a  George Orwell book. It is not new, if employers want to have machines do the work loyal employees will not stop them. There has to be a ladder up to the middle class and better paying jobs and that includes low college tuition and on the job training for technical jobs. Same as in my day.