This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In his recent State of the Union address, President Barack Obama proposed increasing the minimum wage so that the people who put in a 40-hour work week (and those who are dependent upon them) aren't living below the poverty threshold. Criticism of the proposal has been that it will cripple our small businesses or that during our current economic turmoil is not the right time.
In other words, the United States of America, the strongest economic force in the world, depends upon poverty to succeed. Since its inception, this great nation was built upon the bent back of indigenous poverty — slave poverty, immigrant poverty, uneducated poverty and disenfranchised poverty. It is perhaps the most important commodity Congress, corporations and small businesses can control.
Why are these people willing to work hard and long hours for too little compensation and little respect? Why does profit obtained through such means equal success?
We don't need to be concerned about becoming crippled by decadency. Greed has already accomplished that.
Artelle Gleason
North Salt Lake