Raise the minimum wage - make that a central issue this year

[Hugabear]

With inflation running rampant, I'm surprised I haven't heard more calls for raising the minimum wage so far. We need to make this one of our central issues this year, and pound it hard. It's unthinkable that with prices on just about everything rising, that we should expect families to be able to survive on the paltry minimum wage as it is now. We need real, meaningful increases! Not only do we need to raise it, but we need to peg it to inflation, to make sure that poor people can keep up with the times.

Let the rethugs trot out their tired old excuses about why they're opposed to it. Let them look people directly in their faces while they're scrounging to feed their families, and tell them that not only are they not going to get a pay increase, but that they're going to give the wealthiest Americans a TAX CUT.

We have a golden opportunity for some real social advances.

[hedgehog]

1. BINGO!

[nels25]

2. I like it!

:bounce:

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Congress did pass a bill to raise the federal minimum wage last year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/25/washington/25wage.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
On May 25, President Bush signed a spending bill that, among other things, amended the FLSA to increase the federal minimum wage in three steps: to $5.85 per hour effective July 24, 2007; to $6.55 per hour effective July 24, 2008; and to $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. A separate provision of the bill brings about phased increases to the minimum wage in the CNMI and American Samoa, with the goal of bringing the minimum wage in those locations up to the general federal minimum wage over a number of years.

[Hugabear]

5. And that's already woefully outdated

$7.25 per hour wasn't even adequate before prices started rising rapidly.

[LiberalEsto]

4. We need a LIVING wage

The minimum wage has to be raised to the point that a person earning it can obtain food, housing and other basic necessities.

Pay for it by taxing the rich.

[madokie]

6. by not paying a livable wage encourages criminal behaviour

gotta feed the kids thats all there is too it.

[leftofthedial]

7. index the maximum income from all sources to the minimum wage

say, 25 times the minimum wage--anything above that is taxed at 100%.

The minimum wage will go up so fast your head will swim.