Bob Greene asks : What would life in U.S. be like if there were no minimum wage . For most of U.S. history , there was no minimum wage ; it started in 1938 under FDR . Obama wants to raise it . Others , like Speaker Boehner , oppose it as costly to business . Greene : How do you feel about raising the minimum wage?
Bob Greene asks : What would life in U.S. be like if there were no minimum wage . For most of U.S. history , there was no minimum wage ; it started in 1938 under FDR . Obama wants to raise it . Others , like Speaker Boehner , oppose it as costly to business . Greene : With minimum wage nation tells workers : What you do has value worth protecting .