The minimum wage is the biggest debate the United States has faced over the last century. But recently our leaders are arguing about whether or not we should raise the minimum wage for hard working people. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin faces calls to raise the state's minimum wage higher than it recently was at $7.25. There are many concerns among business owners about whether the government intends to increase the minimum wage. In 2014, Gov. Mary Fallin signed a bill that would ban Oklahoma cities from creating mandatory minimum wage and employee benefits. The minimum wage issue is a microeconomic issue because it primarily affects a single individual in a family, a group of consumers and businesses. According to the United States Department of Labor, the State of Oklahoma is among the states with minimum wage rates equal to those of the federal. Oklahoma has employers with ten or more full-time employees at any location and employers with annual gross sales greater than $100,000 regardless of the number of full-time employees with the minimum base rate of $7.25 and $2.00 for all other employers (U.S. Department of Labor). When I was younger I worked at a grocery store stocking items for future customers to purchase. At that time the minimum wage was $5.85. I was living at home at the time and didn't have to deal with bills. So I was thinking to myself that I could make a living on this salary because my cost of living wasn't high. But as I work through the months, under the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act, the minimum wage will be increased from $5.85 to $6.55 an hour starting July 24, 2008. Then, a year later, the wage minimum was increased from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour and this would no longer be possible. ...... middle of paper ......T - Oklahoma governor signs bill blocking minimum wage increase." JURIST - Oklahoma governor signs bill blocking blocks minimum wage increase. JURIST Legal News, April 16, 2014. Web. April 18, 2014. Franklin, Dallas. 'This is disappointing,' state leaders split on bill banning cities from setting the own minimum wage." "Study: Minimum Wage Workers Must Work How Many Hours They Can Afford Apartment KFORcom, March 5, 2014. Web. 2014.