VH,
As you see states do have wages that are LOWER than the federal level! 

Federal Minimum Wage is the default and it was not an issue until the economy has tanked. Why now?  Are the states that are hurting going to burden the lower wage earners?

The federal minimum wage was supposed to make the states bring forth their own wage levels that are above the federal level.  Federal is the DEFAULT minimum level.  Each state can enact at their own level that is higher or lower than the federal minimum wage (default level). 

I feel that the time to influence the federal minimum wage is when the planned INCREASE to minimum wage kick in or are due for review/vote. I don't think increase is warranted at every increase point.  To cave in and increase wage federal wage at the national level is wrong.

All legislations of this type are sent to the State Governor's office for vetting, and the State Governors are supposed to give input to their House Reps and their State Senators so they can vote on this type of matter in the best interest of the state as a whole.  So, why would they blindly vote YES on increasing the minimum wages?   It is wrong and irresponsible to do that.

But to take the minimum wage is definitely wrong.  A safety net is necessary, especially in a sliding economy.  I can tell you how fast wages can go down.  It is very easy to say bye to an employee regardless of which state they are working in in the U.S... and hire someone else at a lower wage level, especially for exempt workers.  And for that matter, even for non-exempt.  The entire wage-level can slide down quite fast if the safety net is lifted.

-- Edited by Sanders on Wednesday 27th of October 2010 09:51:17 PM

Edit: clarified "DEFAULT"


-- Edited by Sanders on Wednesday 27th of October 2010 10:42:35 PM