Democrats see benefits from Obama's long-shot minimum wage push
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama's push to raise the minimum wage will almost certainly fail due to stiff Republican opposition, but analysts and Democratic strategists say the issue could help Democratic Congressional candidates in the 2014 midterm elections.
Focusing on an apparently quixotic effort to raise the minimum wage in 2014 allows the president to show support for working people and could help Democratic candidates change the subject from the disastrous rollout of the Affordable Care Act.
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The issue may also help unite liberals in the Democratic party base with more centrist party members. "On any number of issues, the Democratic base thinks he's moved too far to the center and the center thinks he's moved too far to the left," said Dan Schnur at the University of Southern California. "The minimum wage is one of those rare issues where he gets support from both."
Polls show strong support for raising the minimum wage, something administration officials cite in justifying the current push. A Washington Post-ABC news poll released last Wednesday showed support for raising the minimum wage from $7.25 has support among 85 percent of Democrats and 50 percent of Republicans.
Continued at Link Including claims of effects on jobs and number of workers affected.
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