Why doesnt Obama propose a mininum wage increase?

[Mr.Phips]

Maybe he will do it in early 2014 with the midterm elections closer, but in the 2008 campaign, Obama promised to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour. 

Its really a win-win issue for Democrats.  This is one issue that is pretty much indefensable for Republicans.  It has something like 80% support among the general public.  If Republicans block it, Democrats have a huge issue for 2014.  If Republicans pass it, Democrats get a huge policy win.

Id like to hear some thoughts on this. 

[bedstuy]

Maybe.  But, going from $7.25 to $10 seems kind of extreme.  If I'm not mistaken, $10 an hour given US price levels, would put the US around the highest minimum wage in the world.

I would prefer legislation to have the minimum wage tied to some measure of inflation so it increases gradually without action from Congress.

[Mr.Phips]

Maybe.  But, going from $7.25 to $10 seems kind of extreme.  If I'm not mistaken, $10 an hour given US price levels, would put the US around the highest minimum wage in the world.

I would prefer legislation to have the minimum wage tied to some measure of inflation so it increases gradually without action from Congress.

Maybe raise it to $8.75 per hour and index it to inflation?

[Napoleon]

Why doesn't Obama propose anything left-wing? I don't know.

[Silent Hunter]

Why doesn't Obama propose anything left-wing? I don't know.

Simple guess? Republican House - which is unlikely to go away before 2016.

[Napoleon]

Why doesn't Obama propose anything left-wing? I don't know.

Simple guess? Republican House - which is unlikely to go away before 2016.

That doesn't explain his first two years, unless you consider Bob Dole's health care bill left wing.

[Mr.Phips]

Why doesn't Obama propose anything left-wing? I don't know.

Simple guess? Republican House - which is unlikely to go away before 2016.

There is a difference between an issue like raising the minimum wage and single payer healthcare or the Employee Free Choice Act.  The latter two can easily be demogogued and support would flip against it in an instant.  The minimum wage increase is simple, hugely popular and opposition to would be nearly indefensible for Republicans. 

[greenforest32]

Why doesn't Obama propose anything left-wing? I don't know.

Simple guess? Republican House - which is unlikely to go away before 2016.

That doesn't explain his first two years, unless you consider Bob Dole's health care bill left wing.

Yeah it's really hard to take them seriously when they don't shoot when given a chance. Anybody who wanted to see more progressive legislation could tell you the first thing they should have done in 2009 was axe the filibuster. Not only did they not do it then, they couldn't even substantially weaken it in 2013.

Even if Republicans lost the House in 2016, I'm expecting a filibustering repeat of 2009-2010 barring an unlikely 60+ Democratic super-majority in the Senate from the 2016 elections. It's not weak spinelessness that constrains their actions, it's agreement.

[Mr.Phips]

Why doesn't Obama propose anything left-wing? I don't know.

Simple guess? Republican House - which is unlikely to go away before 2016.

That doesn't explain his first two years, unless you consider Bob Dole's health care bill left wing.

Yeah it's really hard to take them seriously when they don't shoot when given a chance. Anybody who wanted to see more progressive legislation could tell you the first thing they should have done in 2009 was axe the filibuster. Not only did they not do it then, they couldn't even substantially weaken it in 2013.

Even if Republicans lost the House in 2016, I'm expecting a filibustering repeat of 2009-2010 barring an unlikely 60+ Democratic super-majority in the Senate from the 2016 elections. It's not weak spinelessness that constrains their actions, it's agreement.

Axing the filibuster would be incredibly stupid.  Some time Republicans are going to have control of both branches again and the only thing that would save Social Security and Obamacare would be the filibuster. 

And I dont even want to hear the excuse about how if Republicans get full control again, they will get rid of the filibuster anyway.  They wont.  Its a Mexican standoff and they know it. 

[greenforest32]

Why doesn't Obama propose anything left-wing? I don't know.

Simple guess? Republican House - which is unlikely to go away before 2016.

That doesn't explain his first two years, unless you consider Bob Dole's health care bill left wing.

Yeah it's really hard to take them seriously when they don't shoot when given a chance. Anybody who wanted to see more progressive legislation could tell you the first thing they should have done in 2009 was axe the filibuster. Not only did they not do it then, they couldn't even substantially weaken it in 2013.

Even if Republicans lost the House in 2016, I'm expecting a filibustering repeat of 2009-2010 barring an unlikely 60+ Democratic super-majority in the Senate from the 2016 elections. It's not weak spinelessness that constrains their actions, it's agreement.

Axing the filibuster would be incredibly stupid.  Some time Republicans are going to have control of both branches again and the only thing that would save Social Security and Obamacare would be the filibuster. 

And I dont even want to hear the excuse about how if Republicans get full control again, they will get rid of the filibuster anyway.  They wont.  Its a Mexican standoff and they know it. 

Maybe you could argue it would be now given the gerrymandering in the House but it wouldn't have been in 2009.

[fezzyfestoon]

It's largely ineffective at what it's supposed to do and the risk to unemployment is way too high right now.

[Mr.Phips]

It's largely ineffective at what it's supposed to do and the risk to unemployment is way too high right now.

It would help give more spending money to many working poor Americans.  Many people just get unemployment rather than look for new work because they know that they can make more on unemployment than they would at a minimum wage job.  Raise that wage and you bring more people into the workforce.  Also, this increased income will buy products and services, which will in turn increase GDP and increase employment. 

[opebo]

It's largely ineffective at what it's supposed to do and the risk to unemployment is way too high right now.

Haha, no.

[DC Al Fine]

Having a standard minimum wage in a country with such diverse costs of living is absurd. What is an appropriate minimum wage in NYC would kill jobs in Tennessee.

[Franzl]

Having a standard minimum wage in a country with such diverse costs of living is absurd. What is an appropriate minimum wage in NYC would kill jobs in Tennessee.

True. I don't see why it would be so difficult to base minimum wage on, say, average income or cost of living in various regions.

[pbrower2a]

The only minimum wage legislation that the Reactionary Party would now propose would either reduce or even abolish the minimum wage.

[Mr.Phips]

The only minimum wage legislation that the Reactionary Party would now propose would either reduce or even abolish the minimum wage.

Well then Obama can at least propose it and if they dont go along, they will pay the price for it in the next election.  This is one issue that has bi-partisan support among the public. 

[Obamanation]

Why doesn't Obama propose anything left-wing? I don't know.

Because he isn't a progressive. He's the proverbial Generic Republican.

[bedstuy]

Having a standard minimum wage in a country with such diverse costs of living is absurd. What is an appropriate minimum wage in NYC would kill jobs in Tennessee.

That's why the minimum wage law is a floor (with a few exceptions) but not a ceiling.  A state or locality may adopt a minimum wage above the federal minimum wage.

[King]

Most states and cities are pretty good at adjusting the minimum wage to fit their local cost of living.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Having a standard minimum wage in a country with such diverse costs of living is absurd. What is an appropriate minimum wage in NYC would kill jobs in Tennessee.

True. I don't see why it would be so difficult to base minimum wage on, say, average income or cost of living in various regions.

If they were going to do that, then they should also base federal income taxes on cost of living.

[Jordan]

I would prefer legislation to have the minimum wage tied to some measure of inflation so it increases gradually without action from Congress.

But Democrats couldn't keep bringing it up over and over as a campaign issue then.

[badgate]

Maybe he could tack it onto the next debt ceiling bill.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

It's largely ineffective at what it's supposed to do and the risk to unemployment is way too high right now.

It would help give more spending money to many working poor Americans.  Many people just get unemployment rather than look for new work because they know that they can make more on unemployment than they would at a minimum wage job.  Raise that wage and you bring more people into the workforce.

Or you could cut unemployment benefits and thus increase the incentives to get a job.  However there aren't really that many minimum wage jobs.  Raising the minimum wage can also make it economic for an employer to find a way other than employees to do that task.

[Blue3]

Obama has spoken about raising the minimum wage and then indexing it to inflation, so it automatically rises in the future


But has hasn't done anything on it yet, and probably won't until 2014 at the earliest, because it seems rather tone-deaf when unemployment is so high. Also, raising the minimum wage until we're on better economic footing might actually hurt the economy and raise the unemployment rate.