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Forum Post: America Deserves a Raise

Posted 11 years ago on Sept. 1, 2012, 1:27 a.m. EST by TrevorMnemonic (5827)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

Legislation to increase minimum wage - Catching Up To 1968 Act of 2012

Dennis Kucinich writes about minimum wage and this bill

Presently $7.25 per hour, the federal minimum wage is inadequate. The purchasing power of a worker earning minimum wage in 1968 is equal to $10-11 today. That means, at $7.25 an hour, workers today have less wage power than workers in 1968.

Consider that an individual working full-time and taking no vacation or sick time will earn only $1,160 per month. Housing costs alone in a neighborhood in my hometown of Cleveland can easily approach most of the income of a full-time employee earning minimum wage. What about food? What about transportation? What about health care? What about providing for children?

The minimum wage is not a living wage. Taxpayers, through financing a range of social programs, end up subsidizing corporations who do not pay a living wage. Every worker should be paid enough to meet the essential needs of his or her family. Economically secure families make stronger communities which in turn strengthens our nation. This Labor Day let's show that our nation values families by increasing the minimum wage to $10 an hour.

We know that some corporations won't like it. If corporations don't place value on the dignity, happiness or well being of the American workers, then government must step in to protect workers' economic well being. Workers are more than a line item in a corporate budget. The United States of America must be more than a profit-seeking machine. I am not suggesting a government handout, but a hand-up, enabling workers to climb out of a fiscal ditch.

The wealth in this nation has been accelerating upwards, leaving behind too many people who helped build America. The wealth that is produced by working Americans must be accessible to working Americans through an increase in the minimum wage. The Federal Reserve is incapable of stirring the economy, which is another reason to act. With unemployment at at least 8.3 percent, an increase in the minimum wage will stimulate the overall economy

Labor Day 2012. There can be no better way to honor the American worker then to support an increase in the minimum wage to a living wage of at least $10 per hour. Workers deserve a raise. America deserves a raise. The President can show his recognition of workers by supporting H.R. 5901, Catching Up To 1968 Act of 2012, which would increase the minimum wage to $10 per hour. That would be one Happy Labor Day.

-Dennis Kucinich

33 Comments

33 Comments


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[-] 3 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

An increase to the minimum wage is a step in the right direction but we need more. We need a living wage or a basic income guarantee. We need an economic system that values labor differently and that works for all people.

[-] 3 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

we need a system that doesn't just accelerate wealth to the top 1%

No single parent should be forced to work 3 jobs/excessive hours to pay for rent and for food.

When all you do is work and then go to sleep before going back to work... that's called wage slavery.

[-] 3 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

At the Republican convention, I think it was Marco Rubio, praising people who work so hard at 2 and 3 jobs to raise their families and all I could think was well, how do they raise their families under those conditions? Why should some people have to work 2 and 3 jobs to put food on the table while others run off with all the cash. What kind of an economic system allows that to happen?

[-] 2 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

Marco Rubio is the best at making wrong sound good.

I remember seeing him in an interview where everything he said was wrong but people were all about it. He's a great liar.

People like Marco scare the shit out of me

[-] 1 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

Me too. Let's out them here.

[-] -1 points by brudlo (-454) 11 years ago

the great liar is obama .

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

tweeted.

[-] 1 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

Nice.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Is a great comment - though someone didn't like it - You had at one time like a +7.

[-] 1 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

Interesting. Wouldn't want to out these guys for being the creeps that they are.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Yeah - some peoples kids - Hey?

Wonder if their parents ever dream of retroactive Birth Control.

[-] 1 points by beautifulworld (23769) 11 years ago

Too funny.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

{:-])

[-] 2 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago

Good post. This graph shows it in detail over the last 40 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:History_of_US_federal_minimum_wage_increases.svg

[-] 2 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 11 years ago

I don't think rent went into the calculated inflation here

[-] 0 points by Area51 (31) from Alamo, NV 11 years ago

I bet congress doesn't pay for rent or any other expenses. They just take it out of the big cookie jar known as our social security trust fund.

[-] 2 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

I thought my SS was kept in a seperate account, away from the war mongers? haha.

[-] 2 points by richardkentgates (3269) 11 years ago

;.)

[-] 2 points by Area51 (31) from Alamo, NV 11 years ago

Congress always votes to give themselves raises. Why not us?

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

Great point.

They voted themselves a raise during a financial collapse, a huge deficit, and multiple wars all at the same time.

[-] 0 points by TheRazor (-329) 11 years ago

Out of curiousity, who works at minimum wage?

[-] 3 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago
[-] -3 points by TheRazor (-329) 11 years ago

I dont want a number, i want the types of jobs. I have owned several businesses and never hired anyone at MW. I hire unskilled high grads at $11. I know waiters get less than minmum but they supposedly get tips.

[-] 2 points by jrhirsch (4714) from Sun City, CA 11 years ago
[+] -4 points by TheRazor (-329) 11 years ago

Most MWers appear to,be waiters. They get tip money, so we need to rule them out. A lot are teenagers, so i can see that, they have poor work habits.

I see both sides of the issue.

[-] 1 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Usually its all multinationals that do this. 7/11 for instance.

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

Wal-Mart for example posts huge profits in the billions... and the owners are worth billions and most of their employees are making around 8 or 9 dollars an hour at entry level. Most of which are adults.

[-] 2 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

I dont know who in their right mind can pay that. Even under the table. Got to give someone at least $100 a day if they are working hard.

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

greedy and selfish billionaires pay that.

Wal-Mart would have zero profits without the workers that stock and sell the goods.

Same goes for every business. But the greed of the 1% forcibly created an employers' market which opens up for them to exploit because people are desperate for work.

[-] -3 points by TheRazor (-329) 11 years ago

The question is why are they desperate for work?

[-] 2 points by Builder (4202) 11 years ago

You don't follow the unemployment figures?

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

unemployment and corporate cut back theory has made people desperate for work. Layoffs and cutbacks are the new deal for many billion dollar business to add to those billions and profts for the top CEOs / bosses / whoever is in charge of determining where the money goes. Many workers fear getting fired. Many get fired for trying to form unions to achieve better pay and benefits. And then these companies can back that fear because of the unemployed they can replace workers with.

[-] 1 points by TrevorMnemonic (5827) 11 years ago

over 30 million people work for less than 10 dollars an hour according to research