Raising the Minimum Wage is a Political Goldmine

[eridani]

http://www.nationofchange.org/raising-minimum-wage-political-goldmine-1377440865

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an issue that was hugely popular with the public, fit perfectly into the progressive agenda, appealed to the white working class, and split the Republican Party right in half? Sounds to be good to be true, right? Actually, it’s hiding in plain sight: raising the minimum wage.

Start with overall public opinion. The public’s views on many policy issues can be very complicated; there are nuances to the nuances, so to speak. The polling on the minimum wage, however, is about as unnuanced as it comes. People just think it’s the right thing to do and decades of attempts by conservatives to convince the public otherwise have been an abject failure. Take, for instance, this Pew Research poll from early 2013. By a thumping 71-26 margin, the public said it favored increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.00 an hour.

Moreover, there was astonishingly strong support across demographic groups. Blacks and Hispanics supported the proposal by 91-8 and 83-14, respectively, and whites felt similarly by a not-as-large-but-still-strong 64-33 margin. Those with family incomes below $30,000 supported raising the minimum wage by 79-20, but so did those with incomes above $75,000, who were also on board by a high (65-32) margin:

[steve2470]

1. it's a winning issue for everyone

F*k Neal Boortz and his libertarian rants.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. Livable Minimum Wage. NOW.

[LuvNewcastle]

3. We need to have a hell of a raise to make up for

the fact that everyone seems to be working part-time these days.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Myrlie Evers-Williams mentioned the fast food workers strike scheduled for 8/29/13

where she indicated that strikers will demand a $15/hour minimum - equivalent (in current value) to the $2/hr minimum wage demanded by protestors back in the early '60s.

[silvershadow]

5. Funny you posted this. I was just about to say they'd have to make it about $15 or so an hour

just to make up for how they really put the brakes on the raises over these last few decades now. I think it should be tied to the actual cost of living, and be automatic.

[marew]

6. But, but Bachmann says its socialism...

BACHMANN CLAIMED ABOLISHING THE MINIMUM WAGE WOULD CREATE JOBS: While testifying in front of the Minnesota Senate in 2005, Bachmann said, “Literally, if we took away the minimum wage — if conceivably it was gone — we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment completely because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level.”

Yet Bachmann's family farm received $251,973 in federal subsidies between 1995 and 2006.

Question: How do these people sleep at night? How?

[LuvNewcastle]

8. Everybody would be able to afford a maid for a buck an hour.

That's much cheaper than having to care for slaves.

[warrant46]

10. They sleep VERY SOUNDLY on heated water beds

While visions of sugar plums dance in their heads

[Cosmocat]

14. YEP

they sleep well

[Dawgs]

16. .."means when someone pays you minimum wage?" .."if I could pay you less, I would", Chris Rock

“I used to work at McDonald's making minimum wage. You know what that means when someone pays you minimum wage? You know what your boos was trying to say? "Hey if I could pay you less, I would, but it's against the law.”, Chris Rock

[marew]

19. So sad but so true... n/t

[tclambert]

7. Yes, but Wal-Mart doesn't want it.

They like the business model where their employees need food stamps to supplement their wages. So the Republican-run, or Republican-stalled House of Representatives will never go for it.

[Half-Century Man]

9. Play both sides

A $15.00 an hour minimum wage and a $5,000,000.00 a year maximum. To clarify, I mean a 5 million dollar total increase of wealth per year per person is to be legal; via salary, investments, overseas speculation, or whatever means.

[KharmaTrain]

11. It's A Winning Issue In November...Unfortunately...

...it's not a winning issue with the big money donors who ALL candidates need to suck up to unless they live in a very safe district. It's gonna cost nearly $2 million or more to hold a house seat and $10 million and upward to do the same in the senate. Thanks to citizen's united, the little guy means little as they can't provide the cash the way the big rollers do...and be assured that money comes with strings attached.

I'm firmly in favor of raising the minimum wage to upwards of $15 an hour...make it more than just living wage. Corporate spite their face to try to shortcut workers on pay and benefits while the more money that is put out in the economy means the more money that will be spent in their stores and on their products.

The only way a raise in the minimum wage goes through is if the Democrats retake the House and hold the Senate. There's no way rushpublicans will ever support the worker...especially those on the lowest rungs. They got theirs, screw you...

[NewJeffCT]

12. Wasn't this part of Howard Dean's 50 state strategy?

back in 2006?

It certainly worked then.

[darkangel218]

13. Even $11 per hour minimum would make a huge difference.

[Chisox08]

15. Raising the minimum wage is popular amoung the people but

their donors hate it and wants to get rid of it. If politicians actually listened to the people we would be out of Iraq and Afghanistan and banging the war drums in Syria, weed would be legal and we would have a single payer health care system.

[mopinko]

18. tru dat

it would straighten out the budget woes of many of the states, tho.

[Dawgs]

17. Should be the only thing Democrats work to pass. A LIVING WAGE NOW would be a big winner.

[nashville_brook]

20. paid sick time is another -- Grayson is introducing the bill

[PETRUS]

21. Yeah, well...

Large majorities also want a much more progressive tax code, more social security and medicare (and are willing to pay for it), and various other things. Funny, that.

[arely staircase]

22. yes yes

Fucking hell yes.