What's Really Behind the Opposition to a $15 Minimum Wage

Authored by inthesetimes.com and submitted by chris-jjj
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Missing from the Congressional debate over raising the $7.25 federal minimum wage to $15 an hour is any acknowledgement that poverty-level wages are integral to a class system that rewards the rich and punishes the poor.

With few exceptions, where a person ends up in life — in terms of health, wealth and general wellbeing — is determined by the economic class into which they are born. People born poor die poor. People born rich die rich. This basic, intrinsic feature of American political economy is shaded from view by our culture’s celebration of the so-called meritocracy, the myth that if a person works hard enough, they can win at any table, despite the stacked deck.

Government can intervene to lift people out of poverty. The 1944 GI Bill, for example, enabled the families of millions of World War II vets to enter the middle class. Because of structural racism, however, most of those who benefited were white. The legislation did not guarantee the same housing and educational benefits to 1.2 million Black vets.

On March 5, the Senate had another opportunity to lift millions out of poverty, this time by raising the minimum wage to $15. But 50 Republicans, seven Democrats and an Independent voted against the bill sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I‑Vt.). In doing so, they denied a raise to the 32 million workers — about 21% of the workforce — including 31% of Black workers, 26% percent of Hispanic workers and 20% of white workers. That number includes the 1.1 million Americans who earn $7.25 or less, and the approximately 20.6 million who earn a ​“near-minimum” wage of up to $10.10, according to the Pew Research Center.

Like $7.25 an hour, $10.10 is not a ​“living wage,” the earnings needed to cover the cost of a family’s basic necessities, as defined by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator project. By MIT’s calculation, a couple with two children who each earn $10.10 an hour would both need to work more than 65 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, to earn the $68,808 living wage they need. Some people try to do it; according to the Census Bureau, around 7.8% of workers hold more than one job.

Mediocre_Ad9402 on April 10th, 2021 at 19:22 UTC »

Who are the 57 senators

CreepingTurnip on April 10th, 2021 at 17:54 UTC »

How about framing it differently. Take away the argument that it's "too high." Start the conversation with 7.25 is too fucking low.

Godsarefakezz on April 10th, 2021 at 17:25 UTC »

It’s just so immoral. People having incredible amounts of wealth, more than anyone us can ever imagine - bribing our politicians to make sure the poor stay poor. It’s so disgusting.