Sen. Tom Harkin says that raising the minimum wage is a “moral and economic” issue and that most Americans favor an increase.
The Iowa Democrat has introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to to $10.10 an hour and said the arguments against doing so are “nuts” and “goofy” because it is near impossible to live off less than that.
“Ask yourself how would you like to make $7.25 an hour, work everyday, 2,000 hours a year, and make $15,000,” Mr. Harkin said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Mr. Harkin said the proposal will stimulate the economy and create jobs and that the vast majority of the people who will benefit from the increase are adults — more than half of which are women.
President Obama praised the proposal in his State of the Union Address, but House GOP leaders have signaled the measure is going nowhere.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.