Hillary Clinton Suggests the Minimum Wage Is a Local Issue

[abakan]

Source: Truthdig

Though she has declined to say what she thinks is the ideal national minimum wage, the Democratic presidential candidate has implied that it might differ from place to place—and thus she would not push for an increase if she were president.

The Guardian reports:

“I support the local efforts that are going on that are making it possible for people working in certain localities to actually earn $15,” Clinton said in a response to a question from a BuzzFeed News reporter on Thursday while campaigning in New Hampshire.

“I think part of the reason that the Congress and very strong Democratic supporters of increasing the minimum wage are trying to debate and determine what’s the national floor is because there are different economic environments. And what you can do in Los Angeles or in New York may not work in other places.”

Democrats in Congress have put forward proposals in the House and the Senate to raise the federally mandated minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020. The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since July 2009. While she has previously said that US wages need to be higher, Clinton has not yet revealed whether she is more inclined to support a national minimum wage of $12 an hour that of $15 an hour.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/17/hillary-clinton-minimum-wage-cities-states-small-businesses

[WorseBeforeBetter]

1. Southerners will be fucked again. Like with the ACA. (n/t)

[Adrahil]

5. Not necessarily...

I think a national "nominal minimum wage" could be used as a baseline, with locality adjustments based on local cost of living. It would still be a federal minimum wage, but vary by local cost of living.

[Hoyt]

37. Exactly. Medicare pays physicians around the country using a similar cost of living

adjustment. Physicians in NYC get more than Mississippi for the same service. Interestingly, Congress decided not to recognize the entire difference in CIL so as to add a little boost to rural states.

In any event, we need to do something that can pass our GOP dominated Congress.

[London Lover Man]

2. Bad call.

$15 should be a minimum wage everywhere. Clinton supporters cannot support her if their issues is minimum wage increase. Clinton has failed MASSIVELY.

[Adrahil]

6. Don't agree...

$15 dollars/ hr in the city is peanuts. Where i live? It'not really bad at all.

I think a minimum wage that reflects local cost of livign is NOT bad idea.

[London Lover Man]

11. Who said it should remain minimum wage for bigger cities?

I didn't say that.

I agree that big cities needs adjusted living wage to reflect the cost of living - I support $25/hour (as mentioned elsewhere) for bigger cities like LA, NY, Chicago, DC...

[Adrahil]

18. Umm.. You said, $15/hr everywhere....

You didn't qualify it, and I'm not a mind reader.

The government already calculates cost of living for localities. It would be fairly easy to index the wage to the local cost of living, and index increases to the CPI, so we don't go through this mess regularly.

If it makes a BiG Mac cost $8, then so be it. No corporate subsidies for starvation wages.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Take a freaking stand. 15 is the right thing to do.

[peacebird]

4. Of course she does. That way she doesn't have to go on the record. Coward!

[eridani]

7. $15 is an acceptable nationwide minimum for the time being

It will have to be higher in areas with higher COLAs.

[DURHAM D]

8. Last I knew Obama was pushing $10.10 for

federally mandated wages. Hopefully many states will go higher but most would not even like the $10.10 let alone more.

[Smarmie Doofus]

9. The minimum wage in Chappaqua is 8.75 per hr. as we speak.

Clinton should show us some apartments in Chappaqua... or in neighboring Edgemont, Scarsdale, White Plains, Eastchester, Ardsley.... ( Yes. I think I've got it all ... i.e. all four corners....covered) where someone ( or some WORKING COUPLE ) making 8.75 can afford to live.

Your move, Madame Secretary.

[DURHAM D]

12. The federal minimum wage is only $7.25

so you have just proven her point.

[elehhhhna]

47. whatevs. Chelsea made 600k working part time for abc

They have theirs screw us.

[diabeticman]

10. By having a national min wage it helps keep the country on an even keel. We see certain states

and cities raising wages and other nearby cities and states not doing that. How soon are we going to see people moving to where the higher wages are. What happens to the cities that slowly abandon? What happens to those who can't follow the hire pay.


Sorry call me old fashion but this is something I expect to hear from a republican candidate NOT a democratic candidate.

[hedda_foil]

13. What an appalling cop out.

I can't wait for her to do the"all lives matter tap dance" again. She and her innumerable consultants are all about political tactics first, last and always.
[Center]

[wyldwolf]

14. I happen to disagree but, hell, why not? Sanders thinks guns are a local issue

[HereSince1628]

20. I think what he's said is gun issues are different in urban and rural areas

I'm not sure that's quite the same as saying there shouldn't be national policies that regulate firearms to deal with different firearms issues of urban and rural areas or that gun ownership, use etc should only be local.

Statistics from the DOJ certainly back Sanders on the notion that urban vs rural issues with rates and types of gun deaths, gun violence and accidents are different between those areas.

[beam me up scottie]

15. Do you have any idea how many women would be lifted out of poverty if they could make $15/hr?

While Bernie is doing everything he can to help women, Hillary is once again reminding us that just being one is not enough.

[abakan]

17. I believe the national minimum wage should be $15 an hour

and adjusted up for areas where it is still not a living wage. The government adjusts wages up for many places where the cost of living is high. If they can do it for their workers they can do it for everybody.

[beam me up scottie]

19. Why doesn't Hillary?

Not Good Enough, Hillary.

[abakan]

21. Don't know why she doesn't

There are many things she isn't full throatily in favor of, that I don't understand.

I didn't like Hillary last time and I don't like her any more this time. Bernie is my choice.

[beam me up scottie]

23. Good on you for posting the op, abakan.

I don't understand it either.

[NorthCarolina]

28. Because

she's just a mouthpiece for the well-to-do, and even the thought of a $15/hr minimum wage gives them heartburn. They would rather eliminate federal minimum wage requirements altogether and leave it up to the individual states as to whether or not they want to enact a state level minimum wage. Then businesses can move to those states where there is no minimum wage and pay the locals on par with their Vietnamese counterparts.

[beam me up scottie]

29. The mere mention of it is giving some of them the vapours.

Someone get the smelling salts!

They're on to the 'you just want a pony from Bernie' meme again.

So transparent.

[NorthCarolina]

30. They're only hope is

to discourage Bernie supporters in any way they can. I think they will not achieve their goal though and probably should start looking into tinkering with the Diebold equipment early as I doubt they're currently programmed to shift a sufficient percentage of votes to swing a landslide election.

[abakan]

33. I don't want a pony!

I want a president that hasn't been bought and paid for. Besides, I don't have any place to put a pony.

[beam me up scottie]

34. I have two already, don't need another mouth to feed.

I want a president that hasn't been bought and paid for.

The folks downthread don't seem to have a problem with the idea.

They want to give up now because fighting is TOO HARD.

Going to the mat for working people is "pandering", you know.


I guess the haves really don't give a shit about the have nots.

[abakan]

35. Oh I refuse to let them rent any space in my brain!

I do not care what they say or do. I have no time for the hair on fire bs that sometimes passes for serious discussion.

[libdem4life]

42. Yes...this. ..the base should be the state median. Even that varies

from rural to urban but it's a big step.

[peacebird]

16. Of course she does. It means she does not have to take a stand. Coward.

[OKNancy]

22. $15.00 an hour nationwide is ridiculous

Sure, in San Francisco, NYC or LA or other high cost of living places, that is reasonable.
But places like where I live, where a nice home costs $150,000, where skilled craftsmen make $17-$20 and hour and
an EMT makes $13.50 an hour...
It needs to be based on the cost of living of where you live.

But it really doesn't matter what Sanders wants. It will never happen in the near future. Just another of his pandering promises to people who actually think wanting something is the same as doing.

[DURHAM D]

24. Exactly. Obama can't even get it to $9 so

anyone promising to raise the federal minimum to over twice what it is now is just blowin' smoke.

[NanceGreggs]

26. But, but, but ...

Bernie would be able to do it, no problemo. He's willing to "use the bully pulpit" and "threaten the Republicans" who don't go along with his plans with "ousting them from office" if they don't comply.

Surely you can see how that would work. It's ALL so simple in Bernie-world.

[libdem4life]

43. Were he elected I believe he could speak with more authority

to we little people to back him up..and not be as cowed...that's when local politics become more powerful. JMO

[NanceGreggs]

25. "pandering promises to people ...

... who actually think wanting something is the same as doing."

Right on!

[YOHABLO]

27. I'm worried about small businesses. Walmart has all but driven them out now.

On the other hand, if we're all in, we all stand to gain (?)

[cherokeeprogressive]

31. Cut her some slack; the wind isn't blowing hard enough yet. She's got her finger in the air...

but the wind just isn't blowing hard enough at the moment for her to figure out which way it's coming from. When it does, we'll be the first to know how she really feels and has felt all along.

[mikehiggins]

32. Later down the thread people accuse Sanders of "pandering"

I think laying out the kind of world someone wants to work to see is preferable to "realism" that implies nothing can be done.

[Indepatriot]

36. Another BOLD an unequivical stand for the Working Class!

You Go Girl!

[beam me up scottie]

38. !

[azmom]

39. $15 should be the minimum no matter what

State you are in. Have you seen the price of meat lately?

[jwirr]

40. Since by and large it is that way right now this means she will do nothing regarding minimum

wage. The federal minimum wage has not changed for many years.

[juxtaposed]

41. Spoken like a true Champion

[99Forever]

44. How dare you bring facts into the discussion.

There's hollrin' at your friends to do.

[libdem4life]

45. Every other President has been accountable to the global group.

Did not have their permission. That is why I think Bernie can at least a bit more done. He'll be more accountable to the people. There is a lot more to this than just a political platform.

We've never known a president who was not bought and paid for.

[aspirant]

46. I thought Obama raised the minimum wage

for government employees?

Why can't a President put in all government contracts a specified minimal wage?

Unions bargain for wages and benefits, why can't the government,"We The People" negotiate with these Greedy corporations feeding at the public trough?

[Hoyt]

48. I think it applies to federal contractors, not just federal employees.

[Scuba]

49. She wants to be the champion of those who don't want the national minimum wage raised!