What are the positions on a minimum wage?

The minimum wage doesn't address underemployment.

Question: What are the positions on a minimum wage?
Position‹5 of 5: A minimum wage is ineffective at reducing poverty
Argument‹4 of 4: The minimum wage doesn't address underemployment.

Underemployment is a far larger driver of poverty. A minimum wage does nothing to address underemployment.

The argument

Only 7% of families living in conditions of poverty in the US have a family member that works full time. This means that policies affecting a minimum wage have limited impact on 93% of the families living below the national poverty line.

Context

For many families, it is not low wages that contribute to conditions of poverty, but underemployment.

Premises

[P1]Only 7% of US families living in poverty have a member who works full time, so minimum-wage policy can reach only that small share. [P2] This means changes to the minimum wage have limited impact on the other 93% of families below the poverty line, whose problem is underemployment rather than low full-time pay. [C] Therefore, because it fails to address underemployment, a minimum wage is ineffective at reducing poverty.

Counter-arguments

Implementing or increasing a legal minimum wage spurs job creation through increased demand. This might bring more adults into the workforce and allow for more families living in poverty to secure full-time work. Therefore, the assertion that policies governing a minimum wage would do little to lift families out of unemployment is incorrect.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] Policies affecting a minimum wage create jobs, reducing unemployment and underemployment.

Framing

Underemployment is a larger driver of poverty than low wages.