"Minimum Wage" is our wedge issue? WTF?

[johnaries]

I'm all for increasing the minimum wage, and most of America is for increasing the minimum wage.

But as a "get out the vote" issue? How many people do you know can get emotionally excited and motivated beyond the norm to campaign for raising the minimum wage?

OK, yeah, it's better than flag burning or the Pledge of Allegiance,

but SERIOUSLY!

[blonndee]

1. I think it's an important issue and would go well as part of

a "save the middle class" campaign, personally.

[Broken_Hero]

18. Agreed nt

[conflictgirl]

29. Yep, I completely agree

I think the Democrats absolutely have to become the party whose platform is saving the middle class. Extend it to healthcare, minimum wage, outsourcing, tax cuts for the wealthy. The Dems have to stop being afraid of discussing the Iraq war for fear of alienating the people who still think it has something to do with 9/11. The majority of people (who don't watch Faux news) don't believe Iraq had anything to do with 9/11 anyway. Paint the Iraq war as yet another issue of the disappearing middle class by pointing out how few children of wealthy families are fighting and dying for this war.

Even going beyond that, I'd say that the Dems should be the party of restoring the middle class AND the party of personal liberties. Highlight the loss of freedoms under the Bush administration. Almost every issue we face could fall under these two categories.

[and-justice-for-all]

36. I think all issues at hand are important...

I cant see one more deserving over the other...Someone needs to come out and say:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are fucked. The world is a mess and we need to be realistic with all the problems at hand, look them right in the eye and conquer those issues. Since 2001, you the American people as well as the world, have been lied too and severly mislead. It is our platform to not put one of these major issues above an other, why? because all of them need immediate attent and resolution before we all pay a tremendous price that will ripple through generations. The time to get back on the road of prosperity and progress is now and not tomorrow, playing fool into the face of flame is ignorant and out right denial. Favoritism too organiztions and coperations is not part of what we, this true Democratic Party, are not about. We are for all and no one is above another, all we share in the responsibilty to bring the world back to its feet in utmost harmony and peace for the better of the inhabintants of this global society. There is only one home for us at the moment so until we are capable of moving beyond the boundrias of Earthly blue orb, we must take responsiblity for the posions and death we place upon it. Errors need corrected and when we do step beyond the Earthly global, we will know that we are a society of progress and will shake the hand of our destiny with a clear conscious."

Thats my speech and I am sticking to it.

[KingFlorez]

2. The workers aren't energized enough for it

You could ask any minimum wage worker should it be increased, they'd say yes but not have enough enthusiasm to get out and campaign for it. They key is to stir things up a little and get people more serious about it.

[johnaries]

23. Thank you! That was my point, exactly. n/t

[conflictgirl]

28. The minimum wage workers don't have TIME to campaign for it

That doesn't make it a bad choice for a "wedge issue". If you want to get people energized to just get out and vote (to hell with campaigning) you need to have issues they care about.

[Monkeyman]

3. There are issues that are bring smoke

You got to see the 38 million veterans anger growing. With his veto today he slaped veterans in the face. Plus they are watching their jobs be outsourced. They are watching kids coming home not being taken care of. No we have wedge issues they just have to bring them out.

[Bill McBlueState]

4. what do you think are good wedge issues?

I think it's essential for the Democratic party to be seen as the one that cares about the real problems facing the working class.

[longship]

5. My thinking, too.

It's important and it may work out fine. But if I were the one defining the campaign for this Fall I would not be pinning my hopes on minimum wage increase.

Instead, I would be focussing on bigger issues. Painting with a larger brush, as it were. The messages I would want to get out to the masses are ones like "leadership", "responsibility", "accountability", "competence", etc.

[Sapphire Blue]

14. What is more important than earning enough money to put food on the table

... & a roof over your family's head? This CANNOT be done on minimum wage... and millions of Americans are earning minimum wage.

[longship]

31. You are oh so correct.

That's another reason not to tie Dems future to a minimum wage increase.
It just seems to be not important enough.

Actually, if I were to pick *one* single framing it would be that the USA has nothing to fear with the Democratic Party in power.

[Sapphire Blue]

32. "Not important enough"??? OH, I disagree. Boy, do I disagree!!!

Minimum wage MUST be increased, and Dems need to have the guts to take a stand on the issue... and keep their word by raising it when they regain Congress. Lives depend on sufficient income... current minimum wage is not sufficient.

[tkadmin]

44. Raise the Minimum Wage

OK, everyone agrees that the MW should be increased.

(I have an ox that's being gored here.)

The numbers I have heard the most for MW are "enough for
one or two full-time workers to meed the needs of a family of
four or five."

Let's pretend that $15 is the number that works out.

(Now here is where my poor ox is wounded.)

My son is 18.  He lives at home, attends college (that I pay
for), drives the family cars (which I make the payments on). 
I also pay for his car insurance, room and board.

Should my son get paid as much as the folks trying to care for
their family on that wage?

I say no.

In Arizona, you are not going to find any grocery stores that
are going to pay someone $15 (to start) to push carts back
into the store. What's available for starting labor is about
$8 to $10.

What we are trying to do is pay the parents of the family
above, not my son.  

Am I right about that?  Then how do we do that?

[dpbrown]

6. It's a nonissue. Of course it has to be raised

Iraq, endless war, fake Christianity, death and destruction...those are the Republican values. If Democrats can't run against that, we're fucked.

[tkadmin]

45. It's a nonissue. Of course it has to be raised

Y'now, as an old-timer, I can remember that lots and lots of
Democrats supported JFK.  Hell, even more recently than that
people voted for John Anderson and H. Ross Perot.  All of them
would be called Repubs or Moderates today.

It ain't as simple as finding out what you think is right and
make everyone agree with you.

If the approach is to always stick to your principles, then
you will pay the price for that.  You'll lose the moderates
and you will win nothing valuable.

You will be able to look at yourself in the mirror with pride,
but Jeb Bush will be president.

I've told a lot of people to "shut the hell up" and
I've had plenty tell me the same.  Take my opinion for what
it's worth.  Pick out whatever sounds good to you and throw
the rest away.

[dpbrown]

48. The point was that the minimum wage is a common sense issue

The war, and all the other Republican disasters that they've visited upon us are the issues that the Democrats should be winning on.

[TheFarseer]

7. I agree

who thinks they will be working for minimum wage? Even if you are working for minimum wage, you think it won't be for long. Good idea, but not a good issue. Stick to outsourcing as a job related issue. Why are we not talking about that anymore, btw? I guess it was actually working and we just can't stand prosperity.

[TahitiNut]

8. Make the connection between minimum wage and Social Security

... and the motivation might double or triple. After all, every additional dollar paid to a low-wage worker is another $0.15 in the Social Security Trust Fund. It's the oppression of the lowest-paid (bottom 90%) workers in this country that has had the worst impact on the long-term health of Social Security - in terms of unemployment and depressed wages.

[johnaries]

24. Unfortunately, that takes too much thinking for most people. nt

[blogslut]

9. Wedge issue is a horrid term

Campaign strategist: "Let's make this an issue so it will divide the people!"

Minimum wage is not a wedge issue. It's a civil rights issue. The only people against the minimum wage are employers and assholes.

[NotGivingUp]

10. Seriously? Well, seriously people work hard and deserve to eat...

well and have a good nights rest. Do you think that's not an issue? I seriously do not understand how you can compare it to flag burning or pledge of allegiance. please....explain.

[Sapphire Blue]

15. VERY well said!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Warpy]

11. WAGES are the wedge issue. "Where's MINE?" is a question

a lot of people are asking while they watch CEO salaries go up by double digits every year while their own pay has been eaten up by inflation. Most people KNOW they're not doing well. The right has been able to blame welfare queens, shifless people who don't WANT to work, and a host of other fantasy people because the Democrats took kitchen table issues like wages off the table in 1969.

Well, they've lost all 3 branches of government by doing so. It's high time to put those issues back and the best way to do that is with WAGES. 87% of people out there think the minimum wage needs to rise--a lot--and that, my friends, is where the MIDDLE is.

The right has NO WAY to counter this issue. The GOP has been hostile to labor since the day it was organized. It is not going to change now.

Sticking with a pro corporate agenda that ignores the beating the traditional party base has taken over the last 30 years is not going to win an election.

[skipos]

12. I used to earn minimum wage. And even if I didn't, it is an important

issue.

[Czolgosz]

13. It is a GREAT issue that motivates the base and peels off moderates

Here is a great article: <http://pewresearch.org/obdeck/?ObDeckID=18>

Here's an excerpt:

"By an overwhelming margin (83% to 14%), the American public favors raising the federal minimum wage to $7.15 per hour -- a hefty $2.00 an hour increase. And nearly half (49%) say they strongly support such an increase. While there are differences in the extent of support across political and socioeconomic lines, raising the minimum wage receives widespread support from both Republicans and Democrats, wealthy and poor.

... In the 30 states where the federal $5.15 minimum applies, 82% say they support a $2-increase to $7.15, while just 16% are opposed. In states where a minimum wage of $7.15 or more has already been passed, 88% are in favor, a difference that is not statistically significant.

Democrats express more support for minimum wage hikes, but the gap between Democrats and Republicans is relatively small in this era of intense partisanship. Raising the minimum wage by two dollars to $7.15 is nearly universally supported among Democrats – 91% favor the idea and just 8% are opposed. Independents agree by an 87%-to-11% margin. A larger proportion of Republicans (24%) opposes an increase to $7.15, yet still 72% are in favor."

Here's a graph:



This issue is wildly popular with everyone but the corporatist chamber of commerce shills.

[Czolgosz]

16. Also, if you doubt this will get out the vote, you don't make minimum wage

[bobbolink]

42. TADA! Right on target, Czolgosz!

Obviously the effort to make poor folk invisible has succeeded.

Dems will continue to let it succeed at their own peril.

Where's that emoticon for sadly shaking my head???

[jbm]

17. $23.00 an hour..

I heard one of the sirius talk left show hosts speaking about this last week. He said if the CEO to worker pay and the divisions of wealth ratios were the same today as they were in the 60s, minimum wage would have to be $23.00 an hour. I live in a poor area where people really can't afford (and don't have) things like healthcare, and heat in the winter. People here work everyday..and still can't afford basic necessities. I see it, and it fills me with a white hot rage.

Minimum wage shouldn't be a 'wedge' issue..it should be a 'real' issue.

Just for the record, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with a $23.00 minimum wage. I'd rather see lower profits on top result in lower costs of living for the rest of us. I'm no economist though, so maybe that's not practical.

[ecstatic]

19. Would the people most affected vote? Or could they if they wanted to?

Minimum wage workers do not typically get the day off to stand several hours in line to vote. And better earners, while most would get behind the issue, its not the one thing that would compel us to go to the polls. I don't know. I think you're right.

[Mojambo]

20. Raising the minimum wage will raise wages for a LOT of people

Not just the people who are currently at the minimum wage.

It's not a wedge issue, it's a moral issue.

Improving people's lives is supposed to be what we're getting at here.

[OwnedByFerrets]

22. Our "wedge" issue had better be

the right wing NOT caring for your mother/father/sister/brother/aunt...fill in a human being.....by vetoing the stem cell research. Everyone knows someone who needs help/hope. They took the hope away today and we had BETTER capitalize on it.

[Sir Jeffrey]

21. Minimum wage sucks as a campaign issue...

Universal Health Care is the way to go.

Think about it:

"I can't afford to pay my rent. I have no health care. I work three jobs to pay the bills. I live with my mother. But I'm really going to change my life by getting a dollar an hour raise?"

No. We need to push UHC as THE MAIN ISSUE this time around. No more of this "My plan will cover 20 percent of the uninsured" bullshit. We have to say, with conviction, that we will get every single American health insurance coverage. Draw the battle lines between those who want to stay in the 1850s and those who want to join every other industrialized country on Earth.

Then after we win we can raise the minimum wage anyway. :)

[johnaries]

I'm just saying that minimum wage is not a "Get out and Vote"

Issue. I agree that as someone put it)it's a no-brainer", but there are so many more issues that would motivate people so much better! How about the *1 issue in polls - the Iraq Quagmire? Granted we can't decide on any one solution, but atleast we have alternatives to "let's just stay there until we HAVE to leave".

What about Health Care and the mess Repubs made with their bill?
What about the Budget?
What about Tax Cuts for the Rich? Sure, Kerry got Swift-boated on that, but people are starting to see the truth for what it is, now.

Yes, I believe that the minimum wage is a serious issue. I just don't believe it's the best choice for trying to motivate voters to actually get out and vote for Dems.

It should be part of the platform, not the Top Issue.

[NotGivingUp]

30. It's not the top issue...but it rates up there with all the other...

issues you have mentioned. We just have many SEVERE problems facing us...that truthfully I see it as the 'administration' has NO INTENTION WHATSOEVER of addressing.

[NotGivingUp]

25. Minimum wage is NOT a wedge issue!

[LSK]

26. please! it is not the only issue we are running on

[conflictgirl]

27. I totally disagree

It's every bit as relevant as gay marriage, which the Repubs thought was a fine cornerstone issue for the last election!

Where I live, there are a lot of people who are making minimum wage. Maybe minimum wage isn't an issue that will bring out the wealthy voters, but I'm willing to bet it would bring out a lot of lower-income and younger voters who otherwise do not feel like they are represented by either party. A lot of people around here have said that lower-income and younger people are less likely to vote, but perhaps they just feel that both parties represent the interests of the middle class and the wealthy? I know it's true where I live. Most people I know are too busy worrying about how they're going to keep food on their table to care about voting for people whose concerns are tax cuts (which lower-income people won't benefit from) or abolishing the estate tax (ditto). They want living wages and health insurance. It takes commitment to the *idea* of voting to be willing to do it when neither party represents any of your interests.

[B Calm]

33. If the minimum wage had kept up with inflation it would be $15.00

[datasuspect]

34. 15.00/hour would provide many people with a decent enough

lifestyle.

in many parts of the country this is barely enough to get by.

but i always feel the cultural assumption that one should be fucking grateful for simply not being homeless.

let alone having a little extra to take a short trip or maybe a long drive.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

35. Do you realize how many "Average Joe's" would get out to vote for that ?

I know it doesn't sound like much to many people. However, if you're a single mom working two jobs just to earn the equivalent of 1 full-time $15 an hour job, well, then it's a dream come true.


The problem is the people making the decisions are out of touch with the people scraping to make a living.

[Zhade]

39. Try $23.00/hour.

NT!

[tkadmin]

47. Is there something wrong with this picture?

What is so special about $15 or $23 an hour?  $40 an hour. 
Now your talkin'.

Is there a number where the benefit of raising MW stops
helping low-income earners?    I could figger' out ways to
live better with a 20% pay raise.

OK, so I went a bit far there.  How can we figure out what the
right number is?  Is it like pornography (I'll know it when I
see it.)  Do we have to implement this thing before we find
the right number?  And no test cases.  If you set this deal up
in New Mexico you are going to have low-paid workers coming
from everywhere to get their deal.  

Now I'm scaring myself.  What are the executives going to do
when they have to raise a lot of people's wage?  Sounds like
more jobs goin' offshore.

I need to take it easy.  My doctor thinks that gettin' all
worked up over politics is raisin' my stress and lowering my
memory.  "Hell," I told him.  "I've been
noticin' that for a long time.

[B Calm]

37. If the minimum wage had simply kept up with the price of gas since 2000

the federal minimum wage would be about $12.50 per hour. Would Bush and company consider that stable pricing for labor, or runaway inflation of labor costs?

[bobbolink]

38. "How many people do you know can (sic) get emotionally excited...."

How 'bout... ALL THE PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE ON MINIMUM WAGE?????

Do they count?

Maybe the problem is that USians have become so fat and happy that they don't know many poor folk, so out of sight, out of mind.

Suppose that could be part of the problem?

[PaDem]

40. I hesitate to call stem-cells a wedge issue..........

but that's ours, or should be from now until November.

[6000eliot]

41. Too bad it can't be the war!

[DanCa]

43. It may not be as excitting as some other campaign issues

but it's an important one. It also lets the poor know whose side your on.

[areo64]

46. They are extremely afraid of the Jingo Wing of the country

The wing that will attack you for anything that doesn't line up with the extreme right wing views. So they have to go as noncontroversial as possible.