These statements are not supported by the facts.
Minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation as defined by the CPI
1977 Min - $2.30
1977 Adjusted for inflation- $11.05
2022 Min - Federal $7.25, Montana $9.20
$25 today = $5.20 in 1977
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Being a millionaire ain't what it use to be...
1977 - $1,000,000
2022 - $4,805,948.72
1977- $208,075.46
2022- $1,000,000
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Median Price of homes in 1977 ~ $47,750
Adjusted for inflation that would be $229,484.05
Median Price of homes in 2021 - $453,700
So in the last 45 years, inflation has far outstripped the minimum wage. In the last 45 years the cost of housing has outstripped inflation.
Point being in 1977 got you a lot more for your money, you had far more buying power as far as goods and services. Houses also cost far less in proportion to your wage.
Today if you're 16 and working your first job, even at Wendy's making $18/hr you are a lot further away from owning your own home than if you were at 16 in 1977 getting paid minimum wage.
$47,750/2.3 = 20760
$453,700/18= 25205
It would take you 1.21X times longer at more than double the federal min today than it would have taken you at min wage in 1977. For the federal min wage to have the same house buying power now as it did in 1977 it would need to be $22/hr, if you look at it through that lens then the $25/hr at Big O is only marginally over adjusted 1977 min wage.
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Further my point about requiring college, is the pretty ridiculous requirements in todays job market. No one in 1977 would say you needed 2 years of college to be a cashier at Walmart. The 'college' requirement in many jobs has gotten insane given the price change of college over the last 45 years.
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I'm not pointing finger at any, I'm not trying to be political I'm just pointing out what the data shows.
There is absolutely an argument to be made that the price of gadgets? have dropped at the same time so the average house is better equipped now than it was in 1977. Which is to say there is a lot of nuance to even the arguments I'm presenting.