People want cheap because they can't afford expensive.
Companies want cheap labor because they want more net.
The truth is that if a company spent 5% of their net on payroll, they could afford to pay $15.00/hr., but they're greedy and want the 5%.
They're greedy, but the American consumer isn't?
Ever go to a Walmart and see some of the cars those "poor" shoppers are driving?
No, companies don't want more net--companies want more growth. The better the growth of their company, the more investors they can attract.
You think it's about what companies can afford. It's not about that. It's about paying labor what labor is worth. It's about what your competition is paying their employees so you can compete against them.