Sanders, Dems introduce $15 minimum wage bill
Source: The Hill
Democrats are uniting behind Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in a legislative push to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Sanders will reintroduce a $15 minimum wage bill Wednesday, attracting support from some Democrats such as Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), who previously supported a smaller minimum wage increase.
Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) will drop a companion bill in the House. Ellison has previously pushed for $15 an hour, while Scott joined Murray in calling for a $12 minimum wage hike last Congress.
The $15 minimum wage bill stands little chance of passing in a Republican-controlled Congress, but could put pressure on GOP lawmakers to stand up for workers.
Read more: http://thehill.com/regulation/labor/330541-sanders-dems-introduce-15-minimum-wage-bill
Norbert9
(494 posts)Am I doing this right?
Insufficient hatred expressed. Try again.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)demmiblue
(36,898 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)"Am I doing this right?"
Opening the discourse by being divisive in a passive-aggressive manner to make the same type of point you indict others for? Yes... you're doing it very well.
Norbert9
(494 posts)ehrnst
(32,640 posts)Clearly that goes both ways now.
berksdem
(595 posts)but this gave me a good laugh this morning!
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)QC
(26,371 posts)Convulsions are good, too.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Bernie has no right to channel his inner FDR.
OnDoutside
(19,974 posts)ehrnst
(32,640 posts)The southern red states have a high tolerance for low wages, as a vestige of slavery.
One reason so many manufacturers locate there (carpet factories in rural Georgia, for instance) is that those states won't raise the minumun wage to beyond the federal minimum. The cost of living - and the quality of life - is low there, and people are used to that. Bonanza for the manufacturers.
Those manufacturers, and their congressional reps will tell their employees that if they are forced to raise wages, there will be layoffs, because BIG GOVERNMENT is once again trying to "TAKE OVER THEIR LIVES." They will promise raises to those workers who "prove themselves" with increased output and savings.
That is why even covering it in Red States won't neccesarily make them support it, and in fact may get them angry.
The problem with economic populism is that it's very dependent on fiscal viewpoints, and while someone may be an economic liberal, they may be a very fiscal conservative - and that means mistrust of government mechanisms.
Vinca
(50,310 posts)It's in their best interest, but it won't even make it to the floor for a vote because Republicans think American workers need to compete with Chinese kids making $1 a day.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)As I said in another post - they may be economically liberal about higher wages and better benefits, but fiscally conservative in their outlook.
The deep white south has attracted many factories (carpet in GA, car assembly plants) because states won't raise the minimum past the federal rate. There is a high tolerance for very low wages, and wealthy employers (left over from slavery) and cost of living is low - in part due to low standards of living like poor schools, roads, etc.
They will be told that raising the minimum wage for entry level workers means layoffs, or no raises for everyone else making above minimum. Employees will be told that those workers who "produce" more will be given higher wages, so there is no need to pay "janitors" the same as they are making now because Big Government doesn't care about what job you do, they just want to pay the people who don't work as hard as you do more.
That is the big obstacle in "economic populism." "Big Government" is their sworn enemy.
HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts). . . . in that some rights (the right to non-profit health care and a living wage) are OK to be "on the table" but on other issues (women's health and abortion) . . . apparently it's the progressive that's "moving the party to the right" . . . just latching on to anything to marginalize "teh Bernie left" without looking in a mirror.
For the record, I don't think ANY progressive position should be "on the table". It's just funny how moderates in the Democratic Party adamantly deny how conservative they are when it comes to worker's rights, a living wage, job offshoring and solutions to combat the coming automation problem. It's just funny how some moderates in the Democratic party refuse to take Capitalism and corporations to task . . . not to the point of the religious infallibility like Conservatives treat it, but close enough.
Bengus81
(6,933 posts)I would have gone for less right now and then propose another hike in 2019. Then let workers watch Republicans turn down reasonable MW increases.
Orsino
(37,428 posts)...it's still a win. A lot may depend on how Dem leaders try to sell this thing to the public.
I don't like the usual Democratic practice of pre-negotiating with ourselves, but the exact number may not be so important as an opening bid.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)disillusioned73
(2,872 posts)Let's see how much support it gets..
SunSeeker
(51,726 posts)It has been $7.25/hr. since July 2009. And inadequately adjusted for decades before that.
klook
(12,170 posts)- Sanders and 21 Democrats introduce bill to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour
Obviously it goes nowhere in this session, but this keeps the idea in circulation and lays the groundwork for eventual victory.
Saviolo
(3,283 posts)Keeping the idea in circulation and keeping it in the public discourse makes it more and more acceptable to a wider and wider field of voters, until it's policy. The GOP has attached a humvee to the Overton Window and dragged it so far to the right that rational, normal liberal or progressive policy is now practically radical thinking, whereas things that even 15 years ago would have been radically right-wing are policy. Time to take it back!
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)JudyM
(29,280 posts)contrast to this. That would be good journalism. For Sunday's shows, hopefully both will come up, at least.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)No way this stands a chance of passing but if we introduce this legislation every year we can use Republicans' refusal to support a living wage for working people against them in 2018 and 2020.
Why let them frame the debate and pretend to be the party who cares about the working class?
JudyM
(29,280 posts)Initiative helps a lot.
wasupaloopa
(4,516 posts)We need to get in power then pass bills like this.