Minimum/Living Wage

This is an opinion piece.... MINE! Since this is my blog, and we still have a 1st Amendment, I'm going to use it. I keep hearing about raising the minimum wage to a "living wage". What most of those who are in favor of this action don't seem to consider, is that the minimum wage isn't suppose to be a "living wage". When a high school kid goes for his/her first job, they shouldn't expect to earn $10 an hour, plus benefits. Unfortunately, this is what has been happening, thanks in great part to the liberals who whine and cry about the fact that Wal Mart (and fast food places, etc.) doesn't pay enough. Well, they aren't suppose to. These are entry level jobs. If you have no experience in anything, why on earth should you expect to earn as much as someone who has been working for a year, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years? When the minimum wage is increase, the cost of everything goes UP! It rather defeats the purpose actually. Example: A young single mother has to go to work. She has no high school diploma, has no work experience, yet she has to pay for child care in order to work. She applies for a job that pays the minimum wage with no benefits. This is a "learning" job, that if she sticks with it and learns her duties well, can increase in pay and position. She is eligible for the "earned income credit", child care assistance, things like Badger Care in Wisconsin, and food stamps. She pays little to no income tax at all, due to her tax bracket. IF, the minimum wage is increased, the cost of child care goes up, the cost of food goes up there by reducing her "buying" power in the grocery store, and her tax bracket goes UP, and she may no longer qualify for the "earned income credit". I understand that the persons who are encouraging this increase are only trying to help, but they are not helping at all. They are, as a matter of fact, making things more difficult for that young mother, who may have to go back on "welfare" because she can no longer afford child care. It's an ugly cycle! One that needs to be stopped in it's tracks. Perhaps the company she gets that first job with, provides "continuing adult education". If not, she can earn her GED, at home, and advance in that way. How do I know this? My daughter was that young woman, and she is now attending nursing school. If a person doesn't want to advance in life, better themselves, then they won't, but should the rest of us have to pay higher prices because they expect a "living wage". I say NO!