The map above is from mentalfloss.com. Using MIT's Living Wage Calculator, it shows the income necessary in each state to provide a livable income for a family of three. The lowest livable wage is in Kentucky, Arkansas, and West Virginia (about $45,000 a year). The highest livable wage is in New York state ($68,000 a year).
The current minimum wage is $7.25 an hour -- a wage that would put a family of three in abject poverty in any state. Why won't Congress raise the minimum wage to a livable wage (like it once was)? Could it be because it is ruled by rich Republicans, who have never had to work for a poverty wage? Could it be that those congressional Republicans don't care about poor people -- but only care about the rich (who fill their campaign coffers)?
Here are some hourly wages, and their yearly equivalent:
$7.25 hour = $15,080
$8.00 hour = $16,640
$9.00 hour = $18,720
$10.00 hour = $20,800
$11.00 hour = $22,880
$12.00 hour = $24,960
$13.00 hour = $27,040
$14.00 hour = $29,120
$15.00 hour = $31,200
$16.00 hour = $33,280
$17.00 hour = $35,360
$18.00 hour = $37,440
$19.00 hour = $39,520
$20.00 hour = $41,600
$21.00 hour = $43,680
$22.00 hour = $45,760
$23.00 hour = $47,840
$24.00 hour = $49,920
$25.00 hour = $52,000
The figures are for a 40 hour week with pay for 52 weeks. I provided them for those of you who think $15.00 an hour is too high for a minimum wage. Note that $15.00 an hour is only $31,200 a year -- still far below the $48,000 a year needed for a comfortable living wage in the cheapest states.
$7.25 an hour is a disgrace. The minimum wage must be raised -- and not just a little. It needs to be raised to at least $15.00 an hour. And then it must be tied to the rate of inflation (so minimum wage workers don't immediately start sliding back into poverty).
The Republicans don't care about workers, especially minimum wage workers. They want to leave the minimum wage at $7.25 an hour, and many of them would like to eliminate the minimum wage altogether. It's just one more reason (among many) why they must be voted out of power in the coming November election.
