President Obama is still pushing his proposal to raise the minimum wage for Americans, in a recent speech to Democrats he said that the increase to the minimum wage was not only “good policy — it also happens to be good politics.”
Gathering with allies at the White House Obama tried to get his policy to gain momentum, he wants to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2016. The raise in minimum wage is in attempt to address income inequality felt between the rich and the poor.
“the truth of the matter is the overwhelming majority of Americans think that raising the minimum wage is a good idea.”
Obama also took the time to note that wages in a New Jersey referendum had increased even though it was opposed by Republican governor Chris Christie.
Republicans have opposed the increase in wages stating that it would kill job creation and also potentially kill current jobs. Republican governors gathered at a hotel near to the White House opposed to the increase in minimum wage claiming that it was best left to the decision of individual states.
“I’m not for increasing the minimum wage because I’m concerned it would destroy jobs, especially for small business owners,”
said Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin, the chair of the National Governors Association.
“The market will take care of itself.”
However, Michigan governor Rick Snyder who is also a republican refused to comment on whether he was in support of the president’s plan or not.
“My focus is on getting jobs that pay more than minimum wage,” he said, citing a state program that helps create jobs that pay $11.50 an hour and new trade jobs that pay more than $50,000 a year. “I’m working on that.”
A minimum wage bill is due to hit the floor of the senate for debate next month which would see the current wage of $7.25 an hour raised in three increments to $10.10 by 2016.
Democrats argue that raising the minimum wage would increase public spending and therefore increase input into local economies.
But will the bill make it past the senate and into the public domain? Time will soon tell.
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