This is in reply to a Jan. 22 letter. Republicans have done more to get people past minimum wage than Democrats have over the years. Go to this website to verify my data (http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2012tbls.htm). During Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, more people were making minimum wage than when Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush were in office. Why? When Democrats are in power, they want to take money from the private sector and move it to the government to control. When Republicans are in power, they do everything they can to strengthen the private sector and let them use their money to create jobs and a strong economy. This is supported by the lower number of people working for minimum wage during Republican control. The letter writer asked: What have Republicans done? They help people get better-paying jobs every single time they are in office.

Here are some facts from the government website above: 4.7 percent of the 75 million people earning an hourly wage make minimum wage. That is 3.5 million people. Of those people 2.6 million are between 16 and 19 years old. These are part-time, entry-level jobs. Full-time workers 2.3 percent or 1.2 million people make minimum wage. Part-time workers, 11.2 percent, or 2.3 million people make minimum wage. Most minimum-wage jobs are in the service industry (food service) 22.3 percent make minimum, or 2.2 million people. No high school diploma 10.3 percent, high school diploma 3.9 percent, some kind of degree 2.1 percent.

Point: Common sense says most are part-time, entry-level jobs and most are in food service, which means a good portion of them earn tips and commission. Based on these numbers, common sense says you want Republicans in control. More people make more money when they are.

 

Jeffery Ramsley
Minnesota Lake