Our government needs to increase the minimum wage as this would create economic stimulus. By increasing the minimum wage it would assist the low income worker lift themselves out of the poverty level, create more jobs and give incentive to the lower income worker. Economy Agree Higher the wages would give the lower income family more spending power and in return help the overall economy. The more money earned the more money spent. With more financial security the wage earner would purchase more products and services from businesses thus bringing in more money and more jobs. Disagree The raising of the minimum wage would mean the Business owners would have to pay more for each worker. This would not create a greater strain on the companies and they would be forced to hire less employees which would impose a hiring freeze and force them to layoff the lower income employee. The business owner would have to increase the prices for products and services and this would put our economy in a worse place. Poverty Agree Our government should increase the minimum wage, it is right to raise the minimum wage to pay workers enough to live on. Many American workers who have lost their higher paying employment have re-entered the job market taking the lower paying jobs to support themselves and their families. By increasing the lower wage earner take home pay families would gain financial security and raise themselves out of poverty. This would increase their ability to pay more to support themselves and assist some of them get off of government assistance. Disagree By increasing the minimum wage it would not give the lower income employee enough money to live on and it would not relieve the government from paying for assisting these individuals. However the more income they earn the more their taxes will increase. The minimum wage worker would have their hours cut and possibly lose their job all together. Therefore, the lower income worker