Sanders Proposes $15 Minimum Wage, Sets up Clinton Contrast

[Omaha Steve]

Source: ABC News-AP

By KEN THOMAS

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is pressing Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton to support a federal minimum wage of $15 an hour as he pushes legislation to boost pay.

Sanders on Wednesday joined striking contract workers on Capitol Hill who are employed as cooks and janitors in a number of federal buildings in Washington and are seeking pay raises. Many earn less than $11 an hour.

"All of our workers, from coast to coast, need at least 15 bucks an hour," said Sanders, who has emerged as Clinton's main Democratic presidential rival. "What we are saying, loudly and clearly, is $7.25 an hour, the current federal minimum wage, is a starvation wage. It's got to be raised to a living wage."

His bill would phase in increases in the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020. While it's unlikely to pass in the Republican-controlled Congress, it puts pressure on Clinton to support the bill as cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco have approved phased-in increases to $15.

FULL story at link.


Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks to reporters after speaking to federal contract workers at a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 22, 2015, to push for a raise to the minimum wage to $15 an hour. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) The Associated Press

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/sanders-proposes-15-minimum-wage-sets-clinton-contrast-32621232

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Obama told labor he "walk on that picket line". Must have slipped his mind. Bernie has been walking a long time already.

[daleanime]

1. K&R.....

[jalan48]

2. The Hillary folks on here have been telling me she already supports $15/hr.

Misinformation I guess.

[George II]

7. She's come out more than once in favor of $15/hour for fast food workers.

[Historic NY]

3. Her home state called for it...finally.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/23/nyregion/new-york-minimum-wage-fast-food-workers.html?_r=0

[WorseBeforeBetter]

4. I want DU to tell me economic justice doesn't matter.

Bernie Sanders condemns 'starvation' pay at rally to raise US minimum wage
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/22/federal-minimum-wage-rally-bernie-sanders-washington

He doesn't have a racial problem, no matter how much affluent, hipster "Black Twitter" squawks.

[marym625]

5. K&R!

Fabulous! Thanks OS!

Thank you, Bernie Sanders!

[JDPriestly]

6. Tonight there waas a discussion on KPFK about new "luxury" housing being built

in downtown Los Angeles and protests by homeless groups about the fact that the populations have lived downtown for many years are now being pushed out.

A 700 square foot (yes, 700 square feet) apartment in one of the new housing projects will cost $2,800 per month. Yes. $2,800 per month. That was on KPFK.

How can a working person afford that kind of rent unless they earn a very good salary?

The minimum wage in Los Angeles and Los Angeles county has now been raised to $15.00 per hour. That is a tiny bit over $30,000 per year.

Average Rental Price per Square Foot: $2.71 | Average Rental Price: $1,769

http://homes.trovit.com/294694/los-angeles-price-rent-property

So for a 1000 square foot apartment for a small family, you pay $21,228 per year.

That is a lot of money if you earn minimum wage of just over $30,000 minus payroll taxes, health insurance costs, etc. It's barely a living wage. If you have student loans to pay back????

People live in vans. I know a college graduate who lives in a van. He works all the time, but does not earn enough to pay for decent housing.

[4lbs]

12. $2800 monthly for luxury housing is intentional by those involved. That way,

only the "right type of people" will be living there.

[JDPriestly]

13. And that is for a fairly small apartment of 700 feet. It's not tiny, but it isn't large.

[appalachiablue]

8. CNN Covered the Rally & added to their Print Report 2 Videos on "Sanders Surging in

in Democratic Race to White House" and "Insurgent Candidate Rises in Polls"- **In NEW HAMPSHIRE, Sanders has closed the gap to just 8 points in the latest CNN-ORC poll!

The CNN article, "Bernie Sanders Minimum Wage Rally"- Clinton is quoted as not committed to an increase to $15 for the minimum wage and told Buzz Feed News last week there are different economic environments, and what you can do in L.A and New York may not be the same in other places,

CNN, "Bernie Sanders Minimum Wage Rally", July 22, 2015. *SEE VIDEOS, SANDERS SURGE, 8 POINT GAP IN NEW HAMP. POLL.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/22/politics/bernie-sanders-minimum-wage-rally/index.html



~ Sen. Sanders today at the Capitol Rally for $15 with Rep. Keith Ellison and other progressive Congress members surrounded by federal contract workers, Wed. July 22, 2015

[SoapBox]

9. K & R

Go Bernie!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. I don't CARE how this affects Hillary.

[Senator Tankerbell]

11. I wish they would schedule some debates

Maybe Bernie and the other candidates need to start demanding debates. There is no reason to wait. The more debates, the better, in my opinion.

[restorefreedom]

14. the better for bernie

the worse for hillary.

that is why dws is not scheduling them

[Senator Tankerbell]

15. That's probably true

But I don't understand why everyone seems ok with that. Just because it's expected behavior, doesn't mean people can't make a big deal about it and call out the DNC publicly. Also, is there anything stopping the other candidates organizing unofficial debates amongst themselves?