I understand your point and in fairness I do not run a biz that pays out minimum wage, however I did explain in a post that a guy begged me for work and was willing to accept 12 dollars an hour but I gave him 15 because i have a conscious and roofing is a tough gig, 15 is where I start from..
Truth is, almost no one pays out minimum wage anyway with the exception of fast food joints, small businesses, etc so this is almost a moot point. But there are small businesses that have no choice, then tack on higher taxes, insurances, obamacare there is no choice but to pass on the added expenses to the consumer. We got into business to make more money, that's the goal and not to give away or have our livelihood stolen from is. Again, I got into business to make money and of course help others. But it comes at a premium as it should.
Even I now, I could easily get back into the roofing industry without missing a beat making very good living but why take a pay cut when I could have my own business making more?