John McDermott

In 1996, Congress approved an increase in the minimum wage, from $4.25 to $5.15 per hour. In the following viewpoint, written in 1995, John McDermott argues in favor of that wage hike. He contends that an increase in the minimum wage would increase employment and could help raise the bottom quarter of the workforce above the poverty line. However, McDermott asserts, the minimum wage can only be truly effective if it is large enough for families to live on comfortably. McDermott is an editor of Socialism and Democracy and the author of Corporate Society.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is the "ripple" effect of increasing the minimum wage, according to McDermott?
2. In the author's view, what is one harmful effect of the current wage structure?
3. According to the National Welfare Rights...