It might be especially important to note that the last dozen years have featured relatively low inflation rates. Even so, the real wages of people being paid the federal minimum wage have gone down significantly.

But it looks like inflation is about to tick up as the economy recovers from the covid-19 crisis. Prices have already been rising significantly, and I think economists are saying that’s probably going to continue for a while.

This makes doing something about a minimum wage that guarantees poverty even more important.