That is what I heard as I listened to the President of the United States speak at the University of Michigan. Think about these words one more time: Everyone – you, your mom, your brother, sister, your neighbor down the street – all of us deserve a living wage if we work hard. With over two-thirds of the country in favor of raising the minimum wage it would seem that now is the time for us to act.

It just makes sense. I am not asking to be able to buy a mansion, or a new Jaguar, I am just hoping to land a job that allows me to pay for rent and utilities and if I am lucky, take my girlfriend out to dinner for her birthday. But if we have to work two or more jobs to barely make ends meet then there is no possibility of living a decent life.

Our founders believed in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and I think we should start believing in this again too. Raise the minimum wage because everyone deserves to earn a decent wage.

Joshua Lowenthal

Ann Arbor, MI