Very simple
Robert Reich is making quite the case that he should be PBS's economic equivalent of Mr. Wizard. In this video he takes two minutes and 30 seconds to break down why raising the minimum wage is a no-brainer issue.
First he points out:
A basic moral principle that the majority of Americans, whether Democrats, Republicans or Independents agree on is that no one who works full-time should be in poverty, nor should their family.
He points out that over the past few decades we have watched the "working-poor" grow as a demographic—people working for very low wages upwards of 60 hours a week.
Big picture, if the minimum wage in 1968 would have simply kept up with inflation it would be more than $10 today. If it also kept up with the added productivity of American workers since then it would be more than $21 an hour today.
He holds your conservative friend's hand to explain that when you give more money to the adults that work hard for it, they turn around and spend that money—creating demand and jobs. Reich then, with one minute and 30 seconds left to go, gives his opinion on what our country should do to fix this inequity.
One step is to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. This is winnable. A powerful movement is fighting for $15 an hour and they're wining new laws in cities and states and forcing companies to raise wages.
He points out that about half of minimum-wage workers are 35 years old or older, predominantly women, and also breadwinners in their families. He explains that while $15 an hour is not enough, it is a start, and it is getting traction. This video will preach mostly to the converted; but if you need a succinct explanation for that upcoming dinner party, or that phone call with an elder, more conservative relative, it's worth watching and passing along.
Watch the video below the fold.