A minimum wage is an arbitrary line in the sand that says anyone who cannot produce that minimum amount of value for their employer is now unemployable. This is a terrible thing to do to the youth and most vulnerable in our society. It's better for someone to have a low paying job, and helping themselves the best they can, than to be unemployed because they can't meet the productivity bar set by the minimum wage. With a job there is opportunity for growth, learning and increase in ones job market value. Without a job, opportunities are much more limited.