Obama And Democrats Raise Their Minimum Wage Proposal To $12

[Eugene]

Source: Huffington Post

Dave Jamieson

Obama And Democrats Raise Their Minimum Wage Proposal To $12

Posted: 04/30/2015 4:55 pm EDT Updated: 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON -- With fast-food workers going on strike and local governments raising their wage floors, Democrats in Congress have decided their stalled proposal to hike the minimum from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour needs to be revised. On Thursday, they introduced a bill that would boost it to $12 per hour by 2020.

The new bill is no more likely than its predecessor to garner support from congressional Republicans, who control both chambers and have so far staunchly opposed raising the federal wage floor. But the proposal made Thursday shows Democrats' desire to put the wage issue front and center heading into the 2016 election season, and their willingness to wager that Americans will like the idea of a more robust minimum wage hike.

"This is a key piece of our work to grow the economy from the middle out, not the top down," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who introduced the bill in the Senate, said at a press conference Thursday. "The truth is, for most Americans, wages have been stagnant for decades."

Asked why Republicans might support $12 when they wouldn't give a vote to $10.10, Murray said the proposal is a challenge to her colleagues across the aisle.

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Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/30/12-minimum-wage_n_7183780.html

[Gothmog]

1. Good, the new higher amount is necessary

[Politicalboi]

2. In 5 years????????

I know it's a start, but what are we supposed to do until then? If anything go with the $10.10 right NOW and up it a dollar every year is a better solution. In 5 years we'll need more. Do it NOW!!!!!!

[AtomicKitten]

6. Agreed.

That is such a bullshit, cowardly way to legislate. It gives the opposition plenty of time to shoot it out of the water before it ever takes effect.

[rock]

3. Pitiful

Does that come with a kick in the groin?

[Downwinder]

4. Better but not $15 now.

I want people handling my food to be happy.

[RiverLover]

11. +1

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/22/life-on-a-15-minimum-wage_n_7107792.html

[qwlauren35]

5. Not sure how I feel about this...

Unless pushing for $15 leads to $10 as a compromise, this is just playing politics and dangling a carrot over the masses.

I wish wages were tied to profits. If you're not turning a profit, then EVERYONE makes minimum wage. If you're making a profit, then everyone gets a percentage of it on top of their wage.

I worry that increasing the minimum wage will put mom & pop shops out of business. Or push companies to decrease staff and put more work on fewer people.

I want the major corporations to stop paying minimum wage. I think any company traded on the stock exchange that pays minimum wage should be campaigned against and petitioned and EMBARRASSED into raising their wages.

But I also think that companies employing 10 people or less should be exempt from the minimum wage law and held to a profit sharing requirement.

[swilton]

7. The Liberal Centerists' Chant

What Do We Want?
Change!
When Do We Want It?
Eventually!

[woo me with science]

10. +1 Pandering liars.

The Third Way will always find a way of pretending they stand for something while ensuring that they really won't have to.

[RiverLover]

12. LOL That just nails it!

[Daniel537]

8. All theoretical until we have a Democratic congress once again. n/t

[StrongBad]

9. Counterproductive

Higher minimum wage incentivizes sociopathic businesses to find other ways to screw workers.

Examples of this are automation, outsourcing and reduction of workforce while forcing more productivity into one hour of work for remaining employees.