Arguments

Job loss
Reduce employment among low- skilled workers
Higher prices for consumers, some of which are the people who need more money
Small businesses cannot pay 15$ minimum wage
Minimum wage should be based on local wages and prices
Country of 50 states, living costs vary from state to state, city to city. In some areas when wage
is raised to 12$ for instance, the employees dont need that much money and the local
businesses cannot pay the min wage
Many states already have a higher minimum wage than federal, states that need the wage to be
higher and can handle it
Reduce motivation to get better education and higher paying job
People of different skill levels get paid the same, unfair
Specific example:
Seattle city council passed 15$ min wage law, over course of few years. April 1, 2015, minimum
wage increased to 11$/hour. 1,300 people job loss to June, largest since Great Recession in
2009
New York raised min wage from $5.15 to $6.75 caused 20.2% 21.8% employment loss in
younger, less educated
From 2007 to 2010, the minimum wage was raised from $5.85 to $7.25. There was no overall
job growth; employment actually went down from 137,984 to 130,395 (in thousands of jobs)
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/nov/06/ben-cardin/does-raisingminimum-wage-result-job-growth/
Only about 2.6 percent of all wage and salaried workers in the United States are paid at or
below federal minimum wage,according to 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Additionally, 23
states (and some municipalities) have minimum wages higher than the federal minimum wage.
Detail: Rome fell because of the government fix of prices of services and commodities
The Fair Labor Standards Act set 25 cents as min wage in 1938, caused great loss of jobs
In Montana, bare min income necessity is $13.92/hour. In New York City, its $22.66. Living
costs are very different. Alliance for a Just Society

1st Affirmative Constructive Speech (1AC)

The 1AC is a unique speech in a round. It is the only entirely scripted speech, in that it is
composed almost entirely of expert quotations, clearly organized into solid positions. In the
speech, the affirmative team sets forth a case and stakes out how it will choose to defend the
topic.
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Will improve living conditions

More income will result in more money in the economy
1st Negative Constructive Speech (1NC)
In the 1NC, the negative team lays out its choices for how it will attack the affirmative. It is
important to remember that the negative team attacks the affirmative plan, not the topic. For this
reason, the 1NC can never be completely scripted. The 1NC must adapt to each and every plan

differently. However, the negative can prepare in advance many different positions, and wait to
see which positions will apply.
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Poverty is higher among the unemployed. In 2010, 30 percent of the long-term unemployed
were poor,and 66 percent of single parents unemployed more than 26 weeks were poor.
Income and Benefits Policy Center
If minimum wage is raised, unemployment will rise
From 2007 to 2010, the minimum wage was raised from $5.85 to $7.25. There was no overall
job growth; employment actually went down from 137,984 to 130,395 (in thousands of jobs)
Lauren Carroll, Pew Research Center
Businesses of less than 500 workers is 99.7% of business in america. Less than 20 is 89.8%
US Census Bureau.
Especially unemployment rates among low skill workers
The businesses that need to pay higher income will increase prices for consumers, and the
people who wont be able to pay that raised price will be low income workers
29 out of 50 states have higher than federal minimum wage. National Conference of State
Legislatures
2nd Negative Constructive Speech (2NC) through 1st Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR)
In these speeches, the argumentation continues to be advanced. Each speaker should have
narrowed down the number of arguments, focusing on the most important. These speeches are
about solid line-by-line debating and excellent argumentation. These speeches you should use
a declining amount of quotations.

The Fair Labor Standards Act set 25 cents as min wage in 1938, caused great loss of jobs.
Mike Patton, Forbes
Seattle city council passed 15$ min wage law, over course of few years. April 1, 2015, minimum
wage increased to 11$/hour. 1,300 people job loss to June, largest since Great Recession in
2009 Mark Perry, American Enterprise Institute
The job loss was mostly from restaurant and other small businesses in Seattle. Small
businesses are important for creating more jobs in the market.
Small firms accounted for 63 percent of the net new jobs created between 1993 and 2013, or
14.3 million. US Census Bureau
Continuing on a smaller scale of thought, 29/50 states. States are managing their own
economies as best suits the specific states issues.
Currently $8.25 in Maryland. 2016, $8.75. In 2017=$9.25. 2018=$10.10. National Conference of
State Legislatures
These states have plans to increase wages over next few years, gradually improving the
economy so that businesses can adjust, rather than a sudden federal mandate. Alaska,
Arkansas, California, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska,
New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia. National Conference of State Legislatures
In Montana, bare min income necessity is $13.92/hour. In New York City, its $22.66. Living
costs are very different, as noted, Montana was not part of the above list and New York was.
Willilam Finnegan, Alliance for a Just Society

In places where living costs are lower, businesses are unable to pay their workers such high
wages and they will either fire employees or raise consumer prices, both of these negatively
affecting the low income group that the minimum wage is trying to help.
Another scenario that shows that minimum wage will harm and not help the lowest income
group is when New York raised min wage from $5.15 to $6.75 caused 20.2%- 21.8%
employment loss in younger, less educated. Cato Institute
In conclusion, although we acknowledge that many people in the U.S. are struggling to get by
on the current minimum wage, raising the minimum wage will not help solve the problem.

1st Negative Rebuttal (2NR)

The 2NR sums up all the reason to vote against the plan, and provides clear summaries and
plenty of comparisons. The negative should have narrowed down to one or two key positions.
No new quotations may be read.
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Hurt the low income people through raised consumer prices and rise of unemployment and job
competition
2nd Negative Rebuttal (2AR)
The 2AR sums up all the reason to vote for the plan, and provides clear summaries and plenty
of comparisons. The affirmative should have narrowed down to one or two key positions. No
new quotations may be read. When youre the one being cross-examined, be honest and
provide the most thorough answers that you can. Feigning ignorance looks bad. However, if you
genuinely dont know, then dont be afraid to admit it--maybe the question makes no sense.

States already handling the problem without federal help

Federal economy cannot handle wage increase of almost 5$/hour
Small businesses will go bankrupt