Minimum Wage Rally

The Raise the Minimum Wage Coalition conducted a large rally this afternoon in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg. Fourteen speakers told our lawmakers how desperate their inaction is making life for the working poor. They demanded an immediate vote on the bill already passed by the House but bottled up in committee in the Senate.

The Bill would raise the minimum wage to $7.15/hour, the first such raise in 9 years. I wonder how loudly businesses would be screaming if their earnings were frozen for that amount of time? No American working full time should be living in poverty. This is a fundamental moral issue. It's also an economic issue. Higher wages, especially a living wage, increase discetionary income, fueling economic expansion and creating other jobs. It also eases pressure on entitlement programs. The working poor are dependent on food stamps, Medicaid, heating assistance and other programs because of these taxpayer subsidies to business.

It's time to raise the minimum wage. Now.

Disclosure: I have done a good amount of volunteer work for the Raise the Minimum Wage Coalition.