---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The value of the minimum wage shouldn't…"
description: "\"The value of the minimum wage shouldn't be eroded, and it has been.\" — Robert J. Garagiola"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/robert-j-garagiola-82111_been_the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t_209274.jpg"
---

#  The value of the minimum wage shouldn't be eroded, and it…

![“The value of the minimum wage shouldn't be eroded, and it has been.” quote by Robert J. Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/robert-j-garagiola-82111_been_the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t_209274.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/robert-j-garagiola-82111_been_the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t_209274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/robert-j-garagiola-82111_been_the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t_209274.jpg)

> “The value of the minimum wage shouldn't be eroded, and it has been.”

[Robert J. Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-garagiola/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Eroding the minimum wage harms workers’ purchasing power and widens inequality, undermining economic stability.

**In simple terms:** Lowering wages hurts workers and increases inequality.

Key Takeaway

Support policies that protect wage standards.

Themes

economics labor inequality policy

Mood

analytical concerned

Type

economic political

When to use this quote

- political debates
- business negotiations
- community budgeting
- advocacy campaigns

Key Concepts

minimum wage living standards

Questions to Reflect On

- How does wage policy affect local economies?
- What alternatives exist to protect workers without harming businesses?

A Different Perspective

Higher wages may impact small business profits.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Eroded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eroded/) [Minimum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimum/) [Minimum wage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimum-wage/) [Shouldn Eroded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shouldn-eroded-2164603/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) [Value Minimum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-minimum-2164602/) [Wage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wage/) [Wage Shouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wage-shouldn-2164601/)

## Related quotes

> [A minimum wage leads to higher levels of unemployment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/a-minimum-wage-leads-to-higher-levels-of-unemployment/)

[Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/)

> [Raising the minimum wage isn't just pro-worker; it's pro-economic growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/raising-the-minimum-wage-isn-t-just-pro-worker-it-s-pro-economic/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [So what are the effects of increasing minimum wages? Any Econ 101 student can tell you the answer: The higher wage reduces the quantity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/so-what-are-the-effects-of-increasing-minimum-wages-any-econ-101/)

[Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/)

> [I spent almost all my life in poverty, raised by a single mother who had to raise three children on minimum wage, which in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-spent-almost-all-my-life-in-poverty-raised-by-a-single-mother-who/)

[Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/)

> [There's this notion out there - and it's a categorically false notion - that the only business model in the service industry is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/there-s-this-notion-out-there-and-it-s-a-categorically-false-notion/)

[Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/)

> [Yet it ought to be clear that a minimum wage law is, at best, a limited weapon for combatting the evil of low wages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/yet-it-ought-to-be-clear-that-a-minimum-wage-law-is-at-best-a-limited/)

[Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/)

> [I used to work at McDonald's making minimum wage. You know what that means when someone pays you minimum wage? You know what your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-used-to-work-at-mcdonald-s-making-minimum-wage-you-know-what-that/)

[Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/)

> [Those of us in the Congress must confront and overcome Republican intransigence to increasing the minimum wage, extending unemployment insurance and protecting food stamps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/those-of-us-in-the-congress-must-confront-and-overcome-republican/)

[Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/)

> [“Adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage today is lower than it was in 1965—about 24 percent lower. That job at Sears allowed my mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/adjusted-for-inflation-the-minimum-wage-today-is-lower-than-it-was-in/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [Barack Obama and Kay Hagan think that the minimum wage needs to be the same in the mountains of North Carolina and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-tillis/barack-obama-and-kay-hagan-think-that-the-minimum-wage-needs-to-be/)

[Thom Tillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-tillis/)

> [“The eugenics roots of minimum wage laws. Excerpt from \*Principles of Economics\*(1911) by Frank Taussig: "We have not reached the stage where we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-taussig/the-eugenics-roots-of-minimum-wage-laws-excerpt-from-principles-of/)

[Frank Taussig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-taussig/)

> [“My mother wasn’t much into politics, but I’m sure she would have assumed that fifty years later, the minimum wage would be a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/my-mother-wasn-t-much-into-politics-but-i-m-sure-she-would-have/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [“Lamar Alexander, the senator from Tennessee and the most senior Republican on the committee, was asking his last questions when a witness interrupted him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/lamar-alexander-the-senator-from-tennessee-and-the-most-senior/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [Obama's gonna play Santa Claus with the minimum wage. He's got no successes to brag about. He cannot talk about a robust job market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/obama-s-gonna-play-santa-claus-with-the-minimum-wage-he-s-got-no/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I think the minimum wage outght to keep pace with inflation. I think the minimum wage is a good thing to have in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-think-the-minimum-wage-outght-to-keep-pace-with-inflation-i-think/)

[Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/)

## More by Robert J. Garagiola

> [Professional politicians are busy looking out for their jobs. Send me to Congress so I can look out for your job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-garagiola/professional-politicians-are-busy-looking-out-for-their-jobs-send-me/)

[Robert J. Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-garagiola/)

> [I'm an active and involved senator. It's very difficult to do the job I want to do and spend as much time as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-garagiola/i-m-an-active-and-involved-senator-it-s-very-difficult-to-do-the-job/)

[Robert J. Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-garagiola/)

[Explore all 3 Robert J. Garagiola quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-garagiola/)

## More Been quotes

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

> [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/)

[Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

> [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/)

[Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/)

> [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/)

[Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/)

[Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/)

[Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/)

[Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The value of the minimum wage shouldn't be eroded, and it has been.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert J. Garagiola"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-garagiola/the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t-be-eroded-and-it-has-been/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Been"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-garagiola/the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t-be-eroded-and-it-has-been/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/robert-j-garagiola-82111_been_the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t_209274.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/robert-j-garagiola-82111_been_the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t_209274.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/robert-j-garagiola-82111_been_the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t_209274.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The value of the minimum wage shouldn't be eroded, and it has been.” — Robert J. Garagiola",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Robert J. Garagiola",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-garagiola/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The value of the minimum wage...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-garagiola/the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t-be-eroded-and-it-has-been/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-garagiola/the-value-of-the-minimum-wage-shouldn-t-be-eroded-and-it-has-been/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
