Don't Raise the Minimum Wage

[ClydeR]

WASHINGTON — In an election year dominated by socioeconomic themes, it seems logical that raising the federal minimum wage would become a heated campaign issue in the battle for the presidency. Stagnating wages and the increasing concentration of wealth among the nation’s highest earners have prompted calls to boost the purchasing power of American workers. At $7.25 an hour, a full-time federal minimum-wage earner makes about $15,080 a year, which is below the federal poverty level for a two-person family.

But neither President Barack Obama nor Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said much about the minimum wage, though Obama once called for raising it to $9.50 an hour by the end of 2011 and Romney supported indexing it for inflation earlier this year until conservatives cried foul.

More... (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/07/23/157303/activists-seek-increase-in-federal.html)

Fortunately, neither candidate seems interested in fighting about it.

[ClydeR]

Romney addressed the salaries of waiters at a recent fundraiser in Mississippi..


"It's tough being middle class in America right now," Romney said. "The waiters and waitresses that come in and out of this room and offer us refreshments, they're not having a good year. The people of the middle class of America are really struggling. And they're struggling I think in a way because they're surprised because when they voted for Barack Obama...he promised them that things were going to get a heck a lot of better. He promised hope and change and they're still waiting."

More... (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57473489-503544/romney-says-waiters-at-fundraiser-arent-having-a-good-year/)

Two points..

First, is it safe to assume that all waiters voted for Obama?

Second, those waiters aren't so bad off. They already get a minimum wage of $2.13 per hour.