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This R&D provides resources on the minimum wage debate in the United States.  Progressives argue that the minimum wage needs to be raised in order to keep up with inflation and better compensate American workers, while conservatives warn that increasing the minimum wage will reduce the number of entry-level jobs available to American youth and may serve as a deterrent to employers to hire.  States such as Alabama are moving to prohibit localities from establishing their own minimum wage, creating yet another nuance to the ongoing debate.  The U.S. minimum wage currently stands at $7.25 per hour.  It was last changed in 2009.