Time for a Raise? { non-fiction }

       The article titled "Time for a Raise?" by Patricia Smith discusses "the battle over minimum wage." This article caught my eye because I have always wondered how much the minimum was, what kind of jobs are paid that, and if it varies between city or state (not to mention there is a teenager in a chicken suit on the front cover of the magazine--that's pretty intriguing). There are two very clear sides to the debate: raise minimum wage or keep it as it is. President Obama, and most other Democrats, believe in raising it while most Republicans argue to keep it at $7.25 an hour. There are positive and negative effects to both ideas.

       The two arguments about minimum wage seem to have the good of the people in mind, which is probably why there is such a debate. Democrats want minimum wage to be raised--to $8.75 by 2015 to be exact--simply because it is difficult to live off minimum wage, not to mention supporting a family. President Obama says, "No one who works full-time in America should have to live in poverty." Also, the economy will strengthen if people have more money to spend. Republicans, on the other hand, believe minimum wage should not be raised. Their logic is that businesses will lay off workers if the have to pay their employees more. So while some people will be earning more money, others will have none. Personally, I agree with both sides. 

       Statistics and numerical amounts are very important in this article because it lets the reader begin to picture the numbers being dealt with. Numbers can also be a little deceptive and get the reader to lean to one side if the readers don't process the information carefully. For example, Smith includes the information that the Congress first established minimum wage in 1938, at 25 cents an hour. This makes the $7.25 today seem like so much! But what we have to remember is that with the inflation that occurred in the past 70-some years, it evens out. Another example of this deception is when Smith includes the fact that with the new minimum wage the president want to pass, people working full time will earn $6,000 more each year. This is an estimation made by the Economic Policy Institute so it is most likely mathematically sound, but what readers probably won't infer is that the additional $6,000 paycheck will only go to the people who still have jobs, assuming some workers are laid off after minimum wage goes up. This shows how important it is to process the information you are reading.

        I really enjoyed reading this article because I wanted to know both sides of the debate before I chose one side. I learned a lot, but unfortunately I have not decided who I agree with. Both arguments are solid and have the people of American in mind. Patricia Smith shows how important and informational statistics can be and keep an open mind when writing about minimum wage.