10. I can’t imagine making that decision. Sometimes injuries can seem minimal but they are underlying very serious. But if you don’t go to the doctor, you may never find out if it’s serious or not. Going to the doctor is a necessary part of life, but, if you are living on minimum wage, you don’t have access to that, even though it’s necessary. If I went to the doctor, It would depend on the injury. If my wrist was bothering me, I know that the doctor couldn’t do anything more than give me a split and I can buy one myself so I wouldn’t go. But, if I was very ill, I would. I sometimes have bad breathing problems and start wheezing when I’m sick and I have to see a doctor whenever that happens because sometimes my inhalers aren’t enough. Seeing how much that money that visit would be if I didn’t have healthcare is insane. The system is so messed up that even though my life depends on the visit, I might die from starvation in the month after because the visit would make me go into debt. If one of my children was sick, I would immediately take them. I couldn’t take the risk of hurting them and that’s the most important thing. If it was me and my health, I can decide that for myself and make that choice. But I could never take away someone else’s right and need to see a doctor. That’s not my decision to make. I would be so worried about them if I didn’t take them. If they were sick, I may buy over the counter medicine at first and then if that doesn’t work I would take them. But if they were very very sick or had a broken arm, there would be no question in my mind to take them. In other countries, health care is free. We are one of the only countries with such high health care costs. What we put our money in is in all the wrong things. In America, the capitalistic society makes an environment where everyone is only out for themselves. That's why there is so much uproar about providing equal health care, because the rich don't want taxes to be raised and insurance companies don't want to lose money. I'm fortunate enough to have health care coverage, but most people aren't that lucky. I don't have to live in fear of spending thousands of dollars on a hospital visit and going into debt. I would only go under very extreme circumstances but if I had kids, I couldn't deny them a doctor's visit if they needed it.
7. I agree with Senator Ted Kennedy’s argument that raising the minimum wage helps families. Big business owners and the rich want to keep minimum wage the same because that would mean they want to keep their workers wages low so they can get more money. That's why places such as the Gap used child labor from other countries to avoid paying workers fairly. Minimum wage is supposed to be the minimum amount you can get paid and still live. But that’s all they are doing. Just surviving. Not really living. They can’t enjoy life. If they want to go to a movie like Morgan and Alex did, they have to measure out every penny they pay with. The cost of living has risen dramatically since the minimum wage was set. It doesn’t take into account the much higher cost of living now. Time’s have changed, but the wage stays the same. Raising it not only helps families live and be able to pay for heat and rent and medical bills, but raising it would allow for families to enjoy life more and to have more fun. They wouldn’t have to live under the stress of not knowing if they’ll have to go to the hospital the next day, they may not have money for food after that. There is no freedom if you live off of a minimum wage salary. Choices are taken away from you. I understand that raising wages may affect businesses, but if people have more money, they also have more money to spend. I think that it would all balance out at some point. It may be hard at first, but it would all work out eventually. If it does affect the economy, I think that’s the price we have to pay for people to be treated like humans and be given the necessities required to not only survive, but to live. Many of these business owners such as McDonalds or Starbucks have billions of dollars to spend. They can afford to pay workers higher. They just want to keep every cent they can, even when they have more enough. I think that making sure the people who are keeping the business afloat are paid fairly and don't have to live in terror of getting sick and paying a hospital bill is more important then these business owners having five cars and a mansion.
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