I think that when the minimum wage means that merkins live in poverty, then we are better than that. Purists from the right want the market (rather than the government) to regulate the min wage. Do you really think that they can be trusted not to force the great divide between the haves and have nots ? The USA don't have much or any min hourly rates and look where that has gotten them.
I think if someone is getting paid the minimum wage in this country there is probably a reason......obviously there would be exceptions.
In saying that though, raise the minimum wage and they will whinge they are paying more tax, generally the people on minimum wage like to think they are the biggest victims of all even though once they start having kids they end up not paying any tax because they get it all back from the government. In my opinion those are the people we should discourage having children because they get caught in the cycle......
What they really want is to get paid $80 an hour but not pay any tax and they don't want to earn it, just give it to them, they are victims after all and what victims usually get? Compensated........