the minimum wage¶

Increasing the minimum wage to $25/hr would give 100 million Americans a raise, and add $500,000,000 annually to the federal government's income tax revenue.

That money could be used to subsidize the higher wage for small businesses and co-ops that couldn't otherwise afford it. The added income means minimum wage workers can spend more on things beyond housing and other necessities. This stimulates the local economy, meaning businesses make more profit and need fewer wage subsidies.

The additional sales tax revenue would help local governments. We also would have FAR fewer people who need federal assistance, like SNAP and welfare. This frees up more money for bigger and better government services, like schools. Everyone's standard of living would increase, businesses would flourish, and we can even do it in an equitable and deficit-neutral--even deficit-negative--way.