I'm all for people getting out of poverty, but US President Barack Obama thinks that raising the minimum wage will get people out of poverty. What economics classes did he take? Raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour won't get anyone out of poverty!

Companies are already scaling back on hiring and instead of employing full-time workers they are hiring part-time help instead so they don't have to pay healthcare benefits. Millions of people who had health benefits are losing them. The minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage for anyone. The only thing that will get people out of poverty is an education and skills that mean they don't have to take minimum wage entry-level jobs.

Unfortunately, President Obama's "great ideas" are fantasy at best and will only slow down our struggling economy even more. Great intentions do not always equal great results.

The only way to help people is to put policies in place that help small businesses, the engine of the US economy.

Barb Adams, via e-mail

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(China Daily 02/25/2013 page9)