explain the effectiveness of raising the federal minimum wage.

- not want an opinion on the morals of raising the minimum wage, only on whether raising the minimum wage will have the intended effect of increasing the welfare of those on the bottom end of the economic scale. Keep in mind that economic wellbeing is related to the difference between income and the cost of goods and services. It does no good to have an increase in one's wages with a commensurate increase in the cost of living.