I believe that everyone should be paid in wages and benefits to be able to live on it. I just know that raising the minimum wage doesn't accomplish that. The greed and sucking up of profits and bonuses by those at the "top" of corporate ladders far outweighs any concern and loyalties to the workers.
There was a time when companies felt a responsibility to their workers and the workers to the company. The workers' loyalty lasted far longer than the companies' did. Now the only loyalty a company seems to have is to the bottom line. Granted, there must be some exceptions to this out there somewhere. Danged if I know of any, tho. As so many have said, there must be a better way. I have been interested in employee owned businesses, and wonder how those work out in the long run.

Years ago, I worked for this nice little company -- at least I thought so at first. NO insurance was offered, NO sick days were given and only ONE week of vacation per year no matter how many years you had worked there and NO cost of living raises. Each Christmas we were "encouraged" to attend a free dinner. At my last one, they honored an elderly man who was in his 80's who was retiring and who had worked for this company most of his life. He had no pension from this company but did receive a GOLD watch -- Well, whoopeee -- I'm sure he had to work this long in order to make ends meet. When I asked for a raise after a couple of years (with excellent job reviews), I was turned down because my position wasn't worth any more than what they paid me. They figured that if I didn't like my pay, I could quit and they'd hire someone else for less. I did.... :D

LOL You go girl!!

That's true. They need to raise minimum wage to a livable amount. If they don't, you can be sure there will always be people - good people - who won't be able to earn enough to live on.

Yes, companies will react by raising their prices, but if consumers would respond by refusing to pay, they'd find other ways (paying less at the top, for example) to stay afloat. Most of us feel they have us over a barrel.

Notice these past few years that prices rose for necessities and things people don't like doing without, but they stayed the same or went down for things we're willing to put off buying or do without. Laptops are way down, IMO mostly because people so hated Vista that they stayed with the computers they had. The tough economy also contributed, of course.

IMO, consumers refusing to buy leads to layoffs, cutbacks and bankruptcy filings/business closings, not less pay at the top. Less pay at the top and less toploading of employees would make way too much sense.
Prices generally drop considerably in technology based items such as laptops, computers, tvs, etc. after a new product has been on the market a few years. Being married to a technophile, it always killed me that he had to get the newest, even tho it was way overpriced. Nowdays tho, we make do with what we have like most others do. We live on his SSI and my SSD, so our days of buying new toys is long gone. LOL