Progressive Dems Promised To Fight for the Poor, Now They're Playing Politics with Their Paychecks
Far-left Democrats are willing to walk back their promises to poor constituents regarding a “living wage” in an effort to appear mighty in Congress — a bad trade-off that may not pay off in the voting booth.
According to Roll Call, progressives and moderates are at odds over a bill that would increase minimum wage across the nation to $15 per hour over six years, which includes small annual increases.
On Wednesday, Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Mark Pocan and Pramila Jayapal issued a serious warning to moderate Democrats that may allow Republicans to vote to “recommit.”
“We have no doubt that congressional Republicans will try to divide the Democratic Caucus with a disingenuous motion to recommit,” they said.
“It’s up to all of us to stand unified and reject their bad faith effort to undermine this bill. After consulting with our members this week, we are confident that any bill that includes a poison pill Republican motion to recommit will lack the votes to pass on the House floor,” the caucus concluded.
Effectively, CPC members are willing to shut down the $15 per hour minimum wage hike — an issue the far-left has heavily championed in recent years — because the GOP may decide to recommit in the final moments.
“Their warning, coming in the form of a public statement and not a private conversation, is significant and shows a lack of trust between the two factions,” Roll Call’s Lindsey McPherson said. “Tension that had surfaced among Democrats amid intraparty debate over border funding last month clearly has not cooled.“
The hot-headed move by progressive members provides a pathway for Republicans to shut down the left’s attempt at major government overreach, as they only need to issue a motion to recommit that attracts moderate Democrats.
However, the underlying issue is that progressives are throwing away their years-long minimum-wage fight after having told constituents during their congressional campaigns that they would provide a “living wage.”
They’re trying to look tough in fighting the GOP, but a gridlocked congress just doesn’t work that way — progressives will have to work long hours and be willing to compromise if they want anything to be approved by a Republican senate and President Donald Trump.
Far-left congressional members will go home to some angry constituents if they ultimately decide to throw their hands up and walk out on their very own minimum wage bill.
With that said, increasing the minimum wage would be a disaster.
Aside from the fact that minimum wage should be a state issue, business owners would be financially crippled under such a plan, along with the rest of the American workforce. Entrepreneurs and franchisees will likely look to automate as much as possible, especially in the fast food industry, which reduces job opportunities for everyone.
In addition, businesses would staff fewer people at any particular time to counter a minimum wage hike. Full-time employees would decrease due to a smaller staff and part-time employees would skyrocket across the market. That doesn’t even begin to cover the increased prices of products and services.
At this point, have progressives really helped individuals who complained about a low minimum wage?
Absolutely not. Let’s keep the government out of the private sector and allow employers and employees to decide pay on their own.
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