The majority of Americans would like to see the minimum wage increase from $7.25 an hour to $10.10, which represents a nearly forty percent increase in the hourly rate . A decision of such magnitude, which will affect the entire country, must be discussed and debated intensively before being implemented. In an economy characterized by unemployment rates at their highest levels in decades, one would think this would be a good step to take, but the consequences of such a step show otherwise. President Obama and the Democratic Party are the main supporters of the idea of ​​increasing the unemployment rate. minimum wage to help families living below the poverty line, but it will do as much harm as good. “President Obama's call to raise the federal minimum wage could help lift 900,000 workers out of poverty, but at the cost of up to 500,000 jobs” (Davis). Research has shown that raising the minimum wage would greatly help those who keep their jobs, but at the cost of a whopping loss of half a million jobs. This will cause more people to rely on the government to meet their daily needs. Since the government is already heavily in debt, this is the last thing we need as a country. More and more citizens will resort to crime to provide for their families in times of great need. People will find it even more difficult to provide for their loved ones and will resort to alternatives to meet their needs. Although raising the minimum wage to $10.10 will tremendously help 900,000 people, it will severely devastate citizens and their families who lose their jobs to help pay for the wage increase. This is not the first time the federal minimum wage has been proposed to be increased. From 2007 to 2009, the minimum wage increased from $5.15 to $7.25, where it still stands... middle of paper ......ect all Americans, those earning minimum wage and those who have a salaried job earning above the strict minimum. Even if people earn more money, they will spend more on the necessities of life. Raising the minimum wage to the proposed level would cripple the American economy. Research shows it would greatly help many people, but would rid many more Americans of jobs, leaving them with no way to support themselves and their families. The same scenario would happen again, as with the previous increase in the minimum wage: jobs would be lost. Prices would rise dramatically, citizens would lose their jobs, and more people would depend on the government if the minimum wage was increased. None of these things are good for an economy, especially if it's already struggling. The consequences of increasing the minimum wage rate are very serious.