Originally Posted by KMA-628

Um, no.

Fact: a side-effect of raising the minimum wage is a decrease in the demand for labor. i.e. an increase in unemployment. That means less taxes going to the "social programs".

Forcing a system out of equilibrium will most always have negative side effects.

The other problem is that no one will ever agree on exactly what a "living wage" is. $6.50? $7.00? $8.00? $10.00? or even higher.