Your value in the economy is not what the government says it is, it is what the economy says it is. We don't pay the guys and gals who assemble sandwiches $20/hr because their economic value is not worth that. Even if they are a single parent with 10 kids, they are simply not contributing an economic value greater than minimum wage ($8/hr?). The answer to why is simple, no one will pay $15 for a sandwich (at least no one outside of major metropolitan areas, but COL is greater there anyway). However, we do pay owners of large corporations large sums of money because if that person made a poor decision a multi-billion dollar company (like Meijer for example) might fold thus forcing tens of thousands of people out of work and probably taking a lot of West Michigan with it (such as food distribution, food suppliers, and all the other stuff Meijer carries that we've come to love). Where would West Michigan be if we didn't have Meijer? There is no such thing as economic equality because we don't each contribute equally to the economy. So why should the guy who makes billion dollar decisions not get paid millions of dollars and the guy that makes sandwiches get his equal economic value in wages. We're getting lazy America. While I do believe we have seen wage stagnation, many companies have not seen too much growth. Where growth does exist, new federal laws (such as the Health Care Law) has put added financial burdens on companies. To maintain profits, which is why they are in business in the first place, they cut wages, cut hours, cut benefits, and cut bonuses. The government will never be able to take enough money from the rich to satisfy the middle class and the lower class unless the government owns all of the jobs and eliminates the private sector entirely. There is no such thing as "trickle down economics". There is however supply and demand. If there is only one person out there capable of making a sandwich (or willing to) you can bet that person will get paid a large sum of money to do that every day. If you CHOOSE to work at a company that pays lower wages, they will continue to thrive while paying lower wages. However, you could go to another company that pays higher wages for the same job. Then that other company will get the picture that without employees I don't have a business so they will raise wages to bring back their skilled workers. So, you have a choice today. Are you good enough at what you do that you think you deserve more money? Ask for the raise. If you're denied, maybe it's time to move to that company that DOES pay more for your skills. If the other company won't hire you, or pay you what you want, maybe you're already getting a fair wage for the skill level you are at. Let's get off our butts and DO SOMETHING FOR OURSELVES! Stop blaming the business owners, the government, your parents or anyone else. Think for yourself and get up and DO something about it!