John Cornyn on Minimum Wage

[John Cornyn-SAC]

John Cornyn plays a huge part on the issue of minimum wage; it was first set in 1938 at $0.25 an hour. The nominal values range from $0.25/hr in 1938 to $5.85/hr as of July 24, 2007. This however, just gives the illusion that minimum wage has steadily been going up over the past years. If you adjust these wages to 2007 dollars, it shows the real value of that time period’s minimum wage. The 1968 minimum wage was the highest at $9.47, Minimum wage rates start falling drastically during periods where congress doesn't raise it to keep up with inflation. Recently, “The federal minimum wage during 1997 to 2005 was $5.15 an hour” (Peter). “Since then, minimum wage earners have lost 17 percent of their purchasing power to inflation” (Peter).
John Cornyn supports minimum wage, he wants to increase minimum wage to $7.25. To do this, it would increase the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour, over a two-year time period, in three incremental stages. This would improve small businesses and families when it comes to finding jobs, hiring and making money. The increase for minimum wage started in 2005 but, has only been increased up to $6.25. He holds this position because he believes that the improvement of small businesses will open up more jobs. Multiplying the minimum wage by a work year of 50, 40-hour weeks gives the annual earnings that can be expected from a minimum wage job. Minimum wages have never been sufficient enough to raise a family out of poverty, if only one member of the family works. The closest it came to actually passing the poverty level was in 1968. However, after this year it quickly makes a drastic fall downwards. It sounds fair, just raise the minimum wage and everything will be fixed, but it’s not that easy. Business groups still say an increase would hurt the working poor because it would cause companies to lay off low-wage workers (Peter).

Work Cited:

Katel, Peter. “Abstract.” Minimum Wage (2005)

“http://www.ontheissues.org/Domestic/John_Cornyn_Jobs.htm” John Cornyn on Jobs. (2002)

Ryscavage, Paul. "A Perspective on Low-Wage Workers." Current Population Reports (1996): 57-70. Census Bureau. 13 Nov. 2007.

Padfield, Harland. "Water and Culture; New Decision Rules for Old Institutions." Rocky Mountain Social Science Journal 5(2):23-32.

Written By: Tramell Tennyson

[Cristina Blangiardo]

Over the years, many family’s have been struggling and try to make it by on minimum wage. With this wage increase I believe that American families will become more independent and not have to depend on government help. John Cornyn has suggested the minimum wage increase into our society, hopefully this will not only help small business but all of America.

[Brandon Cruz]

I to agree with Senator Cornyn, raising the minimum wage in jobs will help a lot of people. I really do not know how some people can live off of $5.15 an hour. Especially when you have a family, minimum wage is an issue for many Americans and I support Cornyn for his efforts to raise it to $7.25.

[Michelle Garcia]

In the way that that the increase of gas and food prices are rising i do believe that the minimum wage needs to increase. How are people going to eat and even feed their children. This is an issue that needs to become active immidiately. I believe that if you have a family and bills to pay you need to be earning more that $5.15 an hour to make ends meet. Hopefully Senator Cornyn can make this happen.

[Vanessa Valdez]

Minimum wage should be increased. People who work at $5.15/hr to suppor their family sometimes isn't enough. With the prices that are shooting up, minimum wage workers will never be able to move up for proverty. I support Cornyn on this. Higher wages means better opportunities.

[Teresa Sorola]

I think that minimum wage should be increased. The cost of living is getting more and more expensive and it is becoming harder for people who earn minimum wage to make a living.

[Tramell Tennyson]

After researching John Cornyn’s positions on minimum wage I can only say he makes many good points. An increase of minimum wage would only help those less fortunate then others. I can’t see how much it would really hurt, in reality it would make it easier for poor families to keep stability in their lives. I believe that we should all support minimum wage. You can see why supporters say, “increasing the rate of it [Minimum Wage] would lift many Americans out of poverty” (Peter). The United States spends millions of dollars a week on the war in Iraq. With all this money going to waste, the government still fights over raising it a few cents.