Sanders, Dems introduce $15 minimum wage bill

[demmiblue]

Source: The Hill

Democrats are uniting behind Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in a legislative push to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Sanders will reintroduce a $15 minimum wage bill Wednesday, attracting support from some Democrats such as Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), who previously supported a smaller minimum wage increase.

Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) will drop a companion bill in the House. Ellison has previously pushed for $15 an hour, while Scott joined Murray in calling for a $12 minimum wage hike last Congress.

The $15 minimum wage bill stands little chance of passing in a Republican-controlled Congress, but could put pressure on GOP lawmakers to stand up for workers.

Read more: http://thehill.com/regulation/labor/330541-sanders-dems-introduce-15-minimum-wage-bill

[Norbert9]

1. There's goes Bernie stomping on Democratic values again

Am I doing this right?

[Gary 50]

2. No.

Insufficient hatred expressed. Try again.

[ehrnst]

17. +1000 (nt)

[demmiblue]

5. It depends on what your motive is. n/t

[LanternWaste]

8. you're doing it very well.

"Am I doing this right?"

Opening the discourse by being divisive in a passive-aggressive manner to make the same type of point you indict others for? Yes... you're doing it very well.

[Norbert9]

12. Hold on...

[ehrnst]

16. And here I was told it was all "Bernie bashing" here on DU, lately.

Clearly that goes both ways now.

[berksdem]

11. I dont know why....

but this gave me a good laugh this morning!

[ehrnst]

15. That's not uncalled for, trolling, or insulting at all.

[QC]

22. Could you please try to foam at the mouth a little?

Convulsions are good, too.

[ehrnst]

23. The phrase, "Get down offa that cross. Somebody could use the wood" comes to mind. (nt)

[beam me up scottie]

25. !

[guillaumeb]

29. Yes, you are.

Bernie has no right to channel his inner FDR.

[OnDoutside]

3. There should be wall to wall coverage of this in all Red States.

[ehrnst]

18. Where it will be portrayed as jeopardizing their jobs by their local rep

The southern red states have a high tolerance for low wages, as a vestige of slavery.

One reason so many manufacturers locate there (carpet factories in rural Georgia, for instance) is that those states won't raise the minumun wage to beyond the federal minimum. The cost of living - and the quality of life - is low there, and people are used to that. Bonanza for the manufacturers.

Those manufacturers, and their congressional reps will tell their employees that if they are forced to raise wages, there will be layoffs, because BIG GOVERNMENT is once again trying to "TAKE OVER THEIR LIVES." They will promise raises to those workers who "prove themselves" with increased output and savings.

That is why even covering it in Red States won't neccesarily make them support it, and in fact may get them angry.

The problem with economic populism is that it's very dependent on fiscal viewpoints, and while someone may be an economic liberal, they may be a very fiscal conservative - and that means mistrust of government mechanisms.

[Vinca]

4. If only the Trump voters were aware of this.

It's in their best interest, but it won't even make it to the floor for a vote because Republicans think American workers need to compete with Chinese kids making $1 a day.

[ehrnst]

19. The voters will likely just think it's going to cost them their current job that pays over minimum.

As I said in another post - they may be economically liberal about higher wages and better benefits, but fiscally conservative in their outlook.

The deep white south has attracted many factories (carpet in GA, car assembly plants) because states won't raise the minimum past the federal rate. There is a high tolerance for very low wages, and wealthy employers (left over from slavery) and cost of living is low - in part due to low standards of living like poor schools, roads, etc.

They will be told that raising the minimum wage for entry level workers means layoffs, or no raises for everyone else making above minimum. Employees will be told that those workers who "produce" more will be given higher wages, so there is no need to pay "janitors" the same as they are making now because Big Government doesn't care about what job you do, they just want to pay the people who don't work as hard as you do more.

That is the big obstacle in "economic populism." "Big Government" is their sworn enemy.

[HughBeaumont]

30. There apparently is a big obstacle to being a moderate Democrat . . . .

. . . . in that some rights (the right to non-profit health care and a living wage) are OK to be "on the table" but on other issues (women's health and abortion) . . . apparently it's the progressive that's "moving the party to the right" . . . just latching on to anything to marginalize "teh Bernie left" without looking in a mirror.

For the record, I don't think ANY progressive position should be "on the table". It's just funny how moderates in the Democratic Party adamantly deny how conservative they are when it comes to worker's rights, a living wage, job offshoring and solutions to combat the coming automation problem. It's just funny how some moderates in the Democratic party refuse to take Capitalism and corporations to task . . . not to the point of the religious infallibility like Conservatives treat it, but close enough.

[Bengus81]

6. Those RW asshats wouldn't sign on to a 50 cent MW increase let alone this one.....

I would have gone for less right now and then propose another hike in 2019. Then let workers watch Republicans turn down reasonable MW increases.

[Orsino]

21. Well, if they bargain this down to a forty-cent increase, but still pass it...

...it's still a win. A lot may depend on how Dem leaders try to sell this thing to the public.

I don't like the usual Democratic practice of pre-negotiating with ourselves, but the exact number may not be so important as an opening bid.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. Kick and Rec

[disillusioned73]

9. K&R..

Let's see how much support it gets..

[SunSeeker]

10. The federal minimum wage needs a COLA so it automatically increases with inflation.

It has been $7.25/hr. since July 2009. And inadequately adjusted for decades before that.

[klook]

14. This proposal would do that

Backed by nearly half of the Senate’s Democrats, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wa.) are introducing revamped legislation to raise the minimum wage to $15 and index it to inflation.

- Sanders and 21 Democrats introduce bill to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour

Obviously it goes nowhere in this session, but this keeps the idea in circulation and lays the groundwork for eventual victory.

[Saviolo]

20. Gotta drag that Overton Window back to the left

Keeping the idea in circulation and keeping it in the public discourse makes it more and more acceptable to a wider and wider field of voters, until it's policy. The GOP has attached a humvee to the Overton Window and dragged it so far to the right that rational, normal liberal or progressive policy is now practically radical thinking, whereas things that even 15 years ago would have been radically right-wing are policy. Time to take it back!

[Sunlei]

13. $7.25 Federal minimum IS TO LOW. OUR Government, Congress can RAISE THIS TODAY.

[JudyM]

24. Would love to see big MSM coverage in analyzing rethug tax and "healthcare" proposal in

contrast to this. That would be good journalism. For Sunday's shows, hopefully both will come up, at least.

[beam me up scottie]

26. Yes! Thank you Bernie, Keith and every other Dem who supports this bill!

No way this stands a chance of passing but if we introduce this legislation every year we can use Republicans' refusal to support a living wage for working people against them in 2018 and 2020.

Why let them frame the debate and pretend to be the party who cares about the working class?

[JudyM]

28. Right, we need to make the distinction between the parties as concrete as possible and this

Initiative helps a lot.

[wasupaloopa]

27. Has a snowball's chance in hell to pass

We need to get in power then pass bills like this.