Democrats Turn to Minimum Wage as 2014 Strategy
By JONATHAN MARTIN and MICHAEL D. SHEAR, NYT
WASHINGTON — Democratic Party leaders, bruised by months of attacks on the new health care program, have found an issue they believe can lift their fortunes both locally and nationally in 2014: an increase in the minimum wage.
The effort to take advantage of growing populism among voters in both parties is being coordinated by officials from the White House, labor unions and liberal advocacy groups.
In a series of strategy meetings and conference calls among them in recent weeks, they have focused on two levels: an effort to raise the federal minimum wage, which will be pushed by President Obama and congressional leaders, and a campaign to place state-level minimum wage proposals on the ballot in states with hotly contested congressional races.
With polls showing widespread support for an increase in the $7.25-per-hour federal minimum wage among both Republican and Democratic voters, top Democrats see not only a wedge issue that they hope will place Republican candidates in a difficult position, but also a tool with which to enlarge the electorate in a nonpresidential election, when turnout among minorities and youths typically drops off.
(More here.)
WASHINGTON — Democratic Party leaders, bruised by months of attacks on the new health care program, have found an issue they believe can lift their fortunes both locally and nationally in 2014: an increase in the minimum wage.
The effort to take advantage of growing populism among voters in both parties is being coordinated by officials from the White House, labor unions and liberal advocacy groups.
In a series of strategy meetings and conference calls among them in recent weeks, they have focused on two levels: an effort to raise the federal minimum wage, which will be pushed by President Obama and congressional leaders, and a campaign to place state-level minimum wage proposals on the ballot in states with hotly contested congressional races.
With polls showing widespread support for an increase in the $7.25-per-hour federal minimum wage among both Republican and Democratic voters, top Democrats see not only a wedge issue that they hope will place Republican candidates in a difficult position, but also a tool with which to enlarge the electorate in a nonpresidential election, when turnout among minorities and youths typically drops off.
(More here.)
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1 Comments:
As the article said, the House GOP will block it ... heck, they voted earlier this year and not even every Democrat supported raising it (that included MN-07 Colin Peterson).
So, the only way to guarantee a vote is to defeat incumbent Republicans. Now, if an independent voter hears John Kline reminding them that healthcare costs went up because the Dems were in charge versus a DFLer telling me that raising the minimum wage is necessary ... which one do you think will reasonate ?
Did you see the NBC News broadcast about the 41 employees of Extreme Dodge in Jackson, MI ... their employer's policy did not comply with the minimum standards of the ACA, so he decided to give everybody a $2400 and told them to buy their own insurance. The broadcast indicated that more people were mad as it was going to cost them more under the ACA ... those workers probably voted Democrat but now will be in play. Raising the minimum wage is not an issue that will excite them ... they already have a job ... but they probably like buying items at the Dollar Tree that will now cost more.
Worse yet, Extreme Dodge has already had to deal with a MI minimum wage increase in 2006. Auto salespeople typically set their own schedules and pull 50- or 60-hour work weeks during peak periods to sell more cars and take home more money, Extreme Dodge's GM Mark Trudell said. Now there may be less incentive for them to sell and dealerships will set stricter hours to avoid paying overtime. Trudell fears the consequences.
"When you have to start messing with their pay plans and the structure of their lifestyle, that's going to be a huge issue and hurdle to overcome," said Trudell, general manager at Extreme Dodge."The last thing I want to do is mess with me and my people's livelihood."
That was in 2006 ... before the ACA ... now, today, his workers are experiencing the impact.
This is a surrender issue for the Dems ... they need to focus on healthcare ... explaining that the minimum standards means that you will not be denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition ... which would have been a possibility for Extreme Dodge workers who got laid off or terminated.
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