US President Barack Obama pumps his fist as he is cheered by workers prior to signing an Executive Order requiring federal contracts to pay a minimum wage of $10.10 during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, February 12, 2014, in Washington, DC. Obama called on Congress to extend the wage to all by passing the Harkin-Miller Bill. UPI/Mike Theiler |
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COLLEGE PARK, Md., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- The recent Congressional Budget Office Report confirms raising the minimum wage in line with inflation to $8.25 is the best course. It would likely not create much additional unemployment, still put billions of dollars in the pockets of the working poor and does less damage to the economy.
The CBO analysis finds raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour as U.S. President Barack Obama proposes would likely kill 500,000 jobs. It found even a more moderate increase to $9 would increase the jobless figure by 100,000.
The minimum wage was last adjusted to $7.25 in 2009 and adjusting it now for inflation to $8.25 wouldn't further raise the cost of labor relative to labor-saving machinery. Hence, it comes as no surprise that the CBO findings infer that such an increase wouldn't appreciably increase unemployment and would still provide benefits of additional income to the working poor.
Any floor for wages -- or increase in that floor -- reduces overall productivity and economic welfare by distorting markets. In particular, the minimum wage encourages the overuse of labor-saving machinery in low-skilled activities at the expense of other investments in more promising pursuits -- and destroys jobs.
Still as most Americans seem supportive of additional measures to support the earning power of low-skilled workers, raising the minimum wage to $8.25 is the best compromise.
Earlier this month, I argued that raising the minimum wage to $10.10 as Obama proposes would be terribly harmful and a more modest increase to $8.25 is the best course. (https://www.upi.com/12741391490180/)
The CBO study confirms my analysis.
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(Peter Morici is an economist and professor at the Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, and a widely published columnist. Follow him on Twitter: @pmorici1)
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(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)
