TAMPA, Florida  People like Shaneeka Rainer are often told that they shouldnt try to get the minimum wage increased because it only really applies to teenagers working entry-level jobs. That indeed may have described Rainer 10 years ago, when he first entered the workforce. But a decade after he got his first job in fast food, Rainer still finds himself working at Arbys for minimum wage.



In other words, Rainer has worked an entire decade receiving only one raise: when Congress increased the minimum wage in 2007.



And so he showed up at his congressmans public forum on Tuesday to ask Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL) to finally give him and millions of other low-income Americans a raise.



Ross, who is seeking a third term representing Tampas northwest suburbs, was unmoved by Rainers plea. Its not right, the Florida Republican said. If we are going to make it a living wage, whos going to pay for it?



An audience member declared that hed gladly pay slightly more for a hamburger in order to increase the minimum wage, prompting applause from the crowd.



Rainer asked the congressman whether he would be willing to come work at Arbys with him for one day so he can see how difficult minimum wage work is, but Ross demurred. Instead, he railed against the very notion of a minimum wage and even the concept of labor laws in general. If the governments going to tell me how much I can get paid and when I can work and when I cant work, then we have a serious problem in this country, Ross said.



RAINER: Would you support the Obama act of raising the federal minimum wage?



ROSS: No. [...] I think it would do more harm to our economy than anything. You work at Arbys, the cost of products, the cost of services are going to go up. [...] If we are going to make it a living wage, whos going to pay for it? Whos going to pay for it?



AUDIENCEMEMBER: I will. Ill pay 20 cents extra for a hamburger. [Applause]



RAINER: He said hell pay. So if hell pay, Im going to work every day busting my butt. I want to know, would you take a walk in my shoes? Lay your tie and your suit down, just for a day, 24 hours, and take a walk in my shoes. The people that I work with, were keeping the economy floating and going in the cycle. But the people that hire, theyre just paying money, just throwing money. But Im actually working every day. So why wouldnt you support it?



ROSS: Because its not right. Economically, its not right. It does more harm to our economy. [...] If the governments going to tell me how much I can get paid and when I can work and when I cant work, then we have a serious problem in this country