Over time, the federal minimum wage hasn't really kept up with inflation. The graph shows the nominal minimum wage as a blue line and the real minimum wage (adjusted for inflation) as a red line. In 1990, the nominal minimum wage might've been higher than the real one because inflation ate into its value. Today, the gap between the two might be even wider due to prices rising faster than wages. As a policymaker, I'd try to bridge this gap by regularly bumping up the minimum wage to match inflation. Also, taking into account different living costs across regions could help. Investing in education and training could also boost folks into better-paying gigs, easing the reliance on minimum wage jobs. Lastly, boosting economic growth could let businesses pay more without hurting their bottom line