The minimum wage is an ongoing problem that doesn’t seem to have a solution. Whether people believe in raising it or not, the minimum wage is not living up to the standard it is supposed to.

Many people face financial complications when their salary is based solely on a minimum-wage job. Many are not able to pay the bills necessary for a comfortable living lifestyle. People have to rely on multiple jobs and work more than the typical 40-hour week.

Many people work between 50 and 60 hours a week, and this leads to a day revolved around 16 hours of work, which should be unnecessary. Not only does this lead to overworked people, but many families suffer emotionally and financially.

Whether it be a single parent or a couple, if parents are constantly working and not able to spend time with their kids, it leads to family separation and higher percentages of kids dropping out of school and abusing drugs.

The low income that these parents bring in causes lack of resources for kids, as well, which only contributes to kids dropping out of school. If the majority of the working force of America cannot live sufficiently off of the income they bring in, then there is a serious problem with our economy.

I do not believe that our founders would be proud to see that a large portion of America’s population cannot make ends meet and have to rely on welfare to make a living.

We, as a society, need to find a solution that does not involve government programs, so that families and hard workers can have a comfortable income they can live off of.

Michael Kirsch

Senior, Bayfield High School