IntroductionOne of the most discussed topics in the US economy is the topic of the minimum wage. With President Obama committed to raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, economists and politicians alike have debated whether or not raising the level is a smart idea. At a time when inflation continues to rise at a steady pace and Americans are constantly working to feed their families, some economists know that raising the minimum wage would help alleviate some of the hardship. The last time the federal minimum wage was increased was in July 2009, when it went from $6.55 to $7.25. However there are many reasons why wages should be increased. Some may not think so, but raising the federal wage could very well help the United States address some of its biggest economic problems; the rising standard of living in the United States, the economic recession, and even the ever-increasing US national debt. For the Good of Americans Today, the United States is home to nearly 317 million people, nearly 50% of whom work minimum wage jobs. These are a lot of people working long hours every day at jobs that don't pay them or barely pay them enough to feed themselves and their families. However, raising the minimum wage would create many jobs. The current unemployment rate in the United States is 6.7%; the lowest level since President Obama took office. The majority of this 6.7% are teenagers and middle-aged people looking for a second job to support their family. This is a demographic that won't settle for 7.50 an hour, even for part-time jobs, and the low pay discourages other groups of new workers from staying away from those jobs. Some of these... half of the paper... t. This is known as “trickle-down” economics, which is “an economic idea that states that decreasing marginal and capital gains – especially for corporations, investors and entrepreneurs – can stimulate production in the overall economy. According to proponents of the trickle-down theory, this stimulus leads to economic growth and wealth creation that benefits everyone, not just those who pay the lowest tax rates. ://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2013/12/31/us-population-2014-317-million-and-71-billion-in-the-world• http://www .bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf• ​​​​http://www.learnvest.com/2012/10/how-raising-the-minimum-wage-would-help-the-economy-123 /• http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/great-patriotic-war/pdf/economy.pdf• ​​​​http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/trickledowntheory.asp