Follow-up to June 21 Post - Big Box Retailers

A follow-up article appeared relating to what I posted about two days ago - the survey (a limited survey) that said there was overwhelming support to place minimum wage requirements on "big box" retailers if they wanted to open in the Chicago area. Mayor Daley has spoken up and has said that he feels such restrictions would send a negative message to businesses that Chicago isn't open for business.

I wrote about the minimum wage issue in that previous post - Congress defeated a minimum wage increase as happens every year - but this is interesting. The minimum wage desired in Chicago would exceed what the mandated minimum wage currently is. It's an interesting debate, no doubt.

What I would like for someone to explain to me is that if the main (or one of the main) argument against a minimum wage increase - and, again, I realize the Chicago issue is beyond just a minimum wage increase - is that it would hurt the very people it is intended to help because many would lose jobs or not get jobs because jobs simply are not created, then that argument states that it should NEVER be increased. Because if it is ever increased, then it would be hurting business. So I'd like for someone who agrees with the notion that raising the minimum wage hurts business to tell me at what point it can be acceptable to raise it. I have a feeling the answer will be explained dealing with free markets, but in any case, I'd like to hear that response somewhere. I certainly would like to learn all sides of this debate.