One of the most curious political phenomena is how the general public embraces the idea that the minimum wage undoubtedly helps the poor. The transformation of a policy, which originally was intended to keep minorities out of the labor force, to one aimed at protecting marginalized workers has been a stunning political magic trick.
Such confusion is partly caused by how minimum-wage rhetoric frames the topic. People often argue that businesses can afford to pay higher wages to workers, that a law mandating a minimum wage is philosophically moral, and even that increasing the minimum wage boosts employment.