the federal minimum wage increase hmmm??

so by the summer of 2009 the minimum wage will be 7.25 and that will still be chump change for the average american. the richest nation in the whole world and the poverty level is very sad on so many levels. with the national debt,etc... there never seems to be anything of balance to fully compensate the many americans in the work force. basic health care, dental,etc... you can't expect to have things fully taken care of with such so-so wages. i wonder if the people in congress who pass these wage increases truly understand what the take home pay truly is?? i mean you have to have some basic understanding what the line of surivial truly is when you pass a wage. the wage should be enough to provide food, shelter and basic health,etc... for a person and there familys. what happens after two years and will the wage stay in place for a few years before it is challenged again??