Proponents of a minimum wage increase say it will not affect jobs, corporations or small businesses adversely. Well, I suppose that a slight increase in minimum wage wouldn't and it might keep the masses happy, but it won't be a net positive, every little increase will affect businesses, profits, capital investment and jobs. Let's talk a little bit about economics 101 and then let me light a fire under your rear with a robotic future reality if minimum wage increases are too drastic.

First, when you raise the cost of labor for small entry level jobs, there will be fewer of them as businesses raise their prices and clientele evaporates, some businesses will close, fewer jobs. The businesses and business models that survive will absorb those costs with rate and price increases to customers - this results in inflation therefore your 18moa will be worth a little less, how much is hard to say; 10%, maybe 20%, which is about how much the minimum wage increase would be from what it is now if it went up to let's say $10.00.

Some have suggested - Hillary Clinton, The DNC, President Obama, Bernie Sanders, that it ought to be raised to $15.00 per hour, ouch, this will close car washes, retail stores, small businesses, fast food restaurants and it will cause companies to automate and ditch their labor costs all together - you think I am blowing smoke - Nope! Let me give you an example of where this is happening right now.

You see, there was an interesting article in Business Insider Tech News titled "Foreign robotics companies find success in China," written by Jonathan Camhi published on September 22, 2015 which stated:

"So robots will have to take on a bigger role in the assembly line. Many of those robots deployed on Chinese factory floors will be foreign-made though, according to Reuters. Despite government efforts to push the country's robotics industry forward, foreign robot manufacturers still have a significant lead in the market for manufacturing robots in China. Foreign companies built 41,000 of the 56,000 industrial robots currently deployed in China, according to statistics from the International Federation of Robotics cited by Reuters."

Notice the use of "deployed" instead of "employed" and consider how that might change in the near future. Remember China's labor costs are only a few dollars a day and they are rising ever so slightly, and they already see how they can save money, you think that wouldn't happen here if we get a 40% increase in minimum wage overnight by Federal Government decree usurping our personal right to free contract? Think about it.