Former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton called for a raise in the federal minimum wage to $12 per hour Tuesday.
The proposal by the Democratic presidential frontrunner, which she made again Tuesday at a speech in Coralville, Iowa, would raise the current minimum wage — set at $7.25 in 2009 — by almost two-thirds.
Such a substantial boost, which was reported by Reuters news agency, is an example of Mrs. Clinton pushing an economic redistribution agenda to secure the Democratic primary base against a challenge from her left.
“I want to raise the federal minimum wage to $12, and encourage other communities to go even higher,” she said.
Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, a self-identified socialist, has called for doubling the hourly minimum wage to $15 and several liberal states and cities have enacted a higher minimum wage in recent years.
Mrs. Clinton had previously expressed support for a bill that would boost the wage to $12, calling it a more viable legislative option than what Mr. Sanders has been calling for.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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