I signed U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison's MoveOn.org petition to increase the Minimum Wage with addinng this message...

#93627	Alan Maki	Dec 3, 2013	Warroad, MN
There is only one way to assure the Minimum Wage becomes a real living--- non-poverty--- wage; this can be accomplished by legislatively tying the Minimum Wage to all the cost of living factors as monitored by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics indexed for inflation and increased periodically to provide an increased standard-of-living. Along with this we need a guaranteed annual income for all Americans that would correspond to a living Minimum Wage. All of this should become part of a package extending the New Deal reforms which must include making the President and Congress legislatively responsible for attaining and maintaining Full Employment. What we need is a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" which would include all of this and real job creation programs. Kathleen Blake of TakeActionMinnesota has stated: "The wages of low- and middle-income working Minnesotans continue to stagnate, while the cost of housing, utilities, food, childcare, transportation and health care continue to increase. It costs a family of three (one adult and two children) approximately $46,000 a year to meet basic needs" If this reflects the actual and true cost-of-living then this is what the Minimum Wage should be based on. Besides, what is with you politicians talking about everything under the sun except for two things: "cost-of-living" and "standard of living?" You politicians should be willing to make whatever you establish the Minimum Wage at as your own pay... and most people in this country are so fed up with the whole darn bunch of you that they probably think this would be far too generous. Alan L. Maki Director of Organizing, Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council