With the current economic market still reeling from the effects left by the recession that has consumed the United States for eighteen months, we should take the time to weigh the benefits against the possible outcomes that the increase in the minimum wage could cause. Statistics show that an increase in current wages would do more harm to an already unstable market than the good many government officials would like you to believe. The misinformation that is fed to the ever-growing population of poor individuals gives them false hope that the extra money they will receive in their paychecks will lift them out of poverty and save them. The Truth About Why the Minimum Wage Should Not Be Increased The minimum wage debate has been ongoing since its inception, when it was signed into law by Franklin Roosevelt on June 25, 1938. This bill has been widely criticized by its opponents, spawning countless studies on the effects that any forced increase would have caused. While this seemingly innocuous legislation was intended to help economically disadvantaged people. It subsequently damaged the economy as a whole, causing financial ruin for some and a wave of job losses and debt accumulation for others. When nearly all minimum wage jobs were found in restaurants, retail, nursing homes, and office buildings; the solution should not be to impose a wage increase. The main emphasis should be on helping the poor improve themselves through education and training, not on gaining a better political position. We believe that this goal cannot be achieved when the agenda pursued is not to help the poor but to ensure a government victory. Just as a major election year fast approaches, a minimum wage increase is… middle of paper… ultimately benefiting the poor, for example. For people who live in areas where the cost of living exceeds the earnings of a minimum wage employee working 40 hours a week. This additional income could be the help needed to escape the dependence on government that so many American citizens would appreciate. With everyone still feeling the effects of the recession, it's nice to think that a little more pay will fix the world. But given the negative effects associated with a wage increase we need to focus on the important issues. Are mandatory raises really intended to benefit the poor, or is there another reason fueling the push to change wages? The lack of accurate facts and understanding associated with the outstanding bill will inevitably leave us all with a thinner wallet and a colossal bout of sticker shock every time we go to McDonalds..