Why does the cost of movie tickets continue to increase, but the minimum wage stay the same?
91407
The minimum wage in this country hasn't changed at all since 1997. During that time, we can assume that on average there was an increase in over-all costs of around 3% per year due to inflation. This is actually a healthy inflation rate if you look at growth historically. Alan Greenspan, the recently retired chairman of the federal reserve, was a bulldog when it came to fighting inflation. \n\nDuring this time, however, the congress has not voted to increase minimum wage. This has been voted down numerous times. The rational for this is that the Republican majority who are now in control believe that wages should be set by the market. Therefore, if market conditions warrant paying individuals more money then they will get it due to the invisible hand of market force. The claim is that minimum wage hikes will cost businesses too much money and they will be put out of business and it actually will depress the economy. Many cities and states, however, have a higher minimum wage than the federally mandated minimum and their economies do not seem to have been hindered in the way in which supply-side economist project. This is a never ending debate between classical and keynsian economist and unfortunately for those making minimum wage, the people in charge currently, are of the classical persuasion and are not fans of regulation. They think the market should be allowed to control all aspects of the economy.
986996
The simple answer is: because they can!  Something happens to people who go to Washington DC that makes them greedy.  They (usually) are making less money than they would if they were CEOs or private-practice lawyers, so they keep increasing their salaries.  They seem to forget that the average working person does not get nearly the benefits that they do, yet must pay for all of the "pork" in the spending budgets.  Their salaries must be kept separate from the minimum wage, though:  The minimum wage was put in place to maintain a floor for people beginning to work.  It was considered a starting point.  The minimum wage was never intended to be the "living wage" that we hear about from those who want it raised.
187138
they are trying to get minimum wage changed, but it is by state.  a lot of states are trying to raise minimum wage to $6 (right now, in my state, it's $5.15).  your state has to pass the bill before it will go up, though.
135152
This is a hard question to answer. As the minimum wage increases so also does the cost of living. Those people paying minimum wages often raise the cost of the product to compensate for the increase of the cost of manufaturing it. After all they are in business to make money. I think we should look at better ways to decrease the cost of living for those that need it such as no tax on food, keeping the cost of gas lower, better and cheaper medical. These would actually increase the persons potential to survive in a heathier state and not have to work 2 or three jobs to make ends meet.
768701
Definitely raise in minimum wage.\nDon't ask for an explanation because that is self-evident .
826124
Case in point MN raised minimum wage to 6.15 an hour (with soc, and medicare and other taxes that is 7.08 an hour.  I had 104 employees of which 68 were minimum wage wait staff.  Their take home pay was about $150 a night in tips plus the $30 in wages for a total of $46,800 a year on average.  The 20% increase in the minimum wage cost all 104 employees their jobs.\n\n(note: this was a upscale restaurant and bar.  Two weeks before they passed the mim wage the Democratic also passed a smoking ban for the city, my daily bar business drove or walked five blocks away across city lines to be able to drink and smoke.\nIn addition my clientele was not minimum wage earners so the wage increase did not effect them.)
887758
No\n\nThe point your trying to make is that a price floor actually creates a shortage.  That is classic economic principles at work.  Lets let go of the emotion and think.  For all of those who think that those earning minimum wage would be better off if we raised minimum wage, consider this:\n\nWhat if, due to the higher cost of labor, businesses hired less people and those people who had the jobs get fired in an attempt by the business to cut costs.  Then their lives would get a lot harder.  Other companies would be doing the same thing.  They may not be able to get any job.  What then?  How are they going to feed their families.  \n\nIts a hard decision to make.  but it is a fact.  Price floors create shortages. To help the unfortunate... what do you do.\n\nThe deeper concepts are that the market sets the price that labor is worth.  If a business cant find any people to do the job that it needs done they raise wages.  The law of supply and demand.  Lots of fast food places don't even pay min wage.  The harsh truth is that if the job that these people were doing was worth more to the business they would be paid more.  When you force a business to pay someone more than they are worth (whether that arbitrary price keeps up with inflation or not) they will take certain steps to require less help from labor.  Mechanize or whatever they need to do.  Jobs will decrease.  \n\nAnyone who is in desperate need of higher min wage should think about moving to New Mexico.  Their min wage is like 9 bucks an hour.  Why are people not stumbling over themselves to go there?  Because there aren't enough jobs to go around.  The price floor of wages has created a shortage and has slowed economic growth.  This is a real life example.
791868
Simple. Because Ticketmaster will not be getting their cut of your profits. And we all know Ticketmaster is omnipresent and omnipotent. ;)
490542
Would everyone like to earn more money?  Sure thing, from that standpoint it sounds great.\n\nBut the problem is this, when you raise the minimum wage, prices will go up in the market, reducing the effect of the wage increase.  Job availibily will go down, because the USA will become less competitive on the international market from a price standpoint.  The same people who received the "raise" will have the highest potential to lose their job.\n\nIf you look at the minimum wage as what you're going to earn, then you need to wake up, start learning some new things, find a new way to earn, find a better job, do something different.\n\nIf you're living in the USA and making minimum wage, it's your choice, opportunity is available, you just have to pursue it everyday!!
1178859
The living wage law didn't pass (I think they were trying for $7.50, not $9.50 if I recall properly).  \n\nBut here's what I can find on the new minimum wage laws for Albuquerque next year:\n\nhttp://www.cabq.gov/planning/nbrcoord/councilmessage.html\n\nSanta Fe does have a living wage for larger employers, but I'm not sure what the numbers are...
1148783
It is all about supply and demand. The demand is there and the supply gets cut back so the price increases.
1175660
I think it is because they tend to be more greedy, they just voted themselves a pay raise but it don't look like they will pass a raise in the minimum wage. It has been a decade since the minimum wage has been raised.
797945
The price of goods are increasing steadily without a minimum wage increase.  If it cost $4 for a gallon of milk and the minimum wage is $5.15 then, yes, I think the minimum wage increase would help those people making minimum wage.  Oh, and it's not just teenagers making minimum wage. \n\nHere's an except from an article on the people making minimum wage. \n\n"One reason even some Republicans are mulling the wage hike is that the number of single mothers making minimum wage has nearly doubled in the last 10 years. Of Americans making less than $7.25 an hour, half are over 24 years old, and about half are primary household earners. Sixty-two percent are white, 16 percent are black, and 17 percent are Hispanic. Nearly twice as many are women than men.
957432
I used to work for McDonald's when minimum wage was $3.35 an hour.  We were supposedly entitled to an evaluation every so often with an accompanying raise.  When minimum wage went up a dollar more and we employees were up for our yearly evaluation and raise, we got a raise all right ... the cheapskate gave us a buck raise to meet minimum wage!  Believe me, if no one is willing to report management to the Board of Labor for whatever reason, they can get away with anything.
882627
Well, in a nut shell:\nThe minimum wage will raise in September 07 to 6.85\nEvery year the minimum wage will be raised in accordance with inflation\nThe employer must keep a record of all employee wages for the time of their employment and three years after\nAny employee or someone working on behalf of the employee can obtain these records without charge to them\nSmall business's that have a prophet of less then 250K are not subject to the law...neither are family members or household employees, and servers.\n\n\nIf you have any more questions edit your post, I'll be back and try to answer.
534351
I'm not sure what minimum wage is now.
478975
If you want a good answer to this, it is sad but truthful one. It is what is called supply and demand. If American's (the biggest consumer nation in the world) would put as much money as they do one buying movies, concert tickets, or anything of that stature and used it to help te poor it would be a different situation. So next time you buy a movie ticket, cd or go to a sporting event think about that.