DES MOINES – Jack Hatch, candidate for Governor, joined the call for an increase in the minimum wage at the federal and state level today at the Raygun company in Des Moines’ East Village Saturday.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez along with Sen. Tom Harkin and Rep. Bruce Braley, candidate for U.S. Senate, talked with Raygun owner Mike Draper about his decision to pay workers above minimum wage as he founded and grew his t-shirt and screen printing company.
Hatch renewed his call for Governor Branstad to show leadership on the minimum wage and give a raise to more than 300,000 Iowans.
“I know companies like this one can grow and thrive throughout Iowa,” Hatch said. “The East Village is not that different from small towns across this state, and with the right leadership we can create good jobs with good wages in every corner of this state.”
Hatch said the first step is an increase in the minimum wage so that people who work 40 hours a week aren’t living in poverty. He renewed the call he first made in September for the Governor to show leadership on the issue.
“There’s still time in this legislative session for the Governor to finally step up, show leadership and give this important boost to Iowa’s economy,” Hatch said. One study showed an increase in the minimum wage would infuse $272 million into Iowa’s economy.
At Hatch’s September 2013 campaign announcement, he proposed increasing the Iowa minimum wage. In December, Hatch released the “Working for Working Iowans” plan, which included a proposed increase to a $10.10 minimum wage, over 3 years. The plan was modeled on Sen. Tom Harkin’s proposal in Congress.
“I’ve been talking and listening to Iowans for months about the need to raise the minimum wage,” Hatch said. “Governor Branstad hasn’t lifted a finger to get a bill passed.”
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There’s so many other things politicians can do to help people out besides this inane fixation on increasing the minimum wage, which doesn’t do a damn thing to help anybody (since they raise the rest of the cost of living right along with it). This is all just ruling class bullshit. NO one wants to get to the heart of the matter about the design of society. Just ignore ALL candidates until one emerges who is ready to tackle the job of re-designing society in a real and significant way
@Philly-This increase in minimum wage goes right back to the union mentality of saying I want mine and I don’t care what it does to anyone else. It has been proven that people will lose their jobs over this and a lot of them will lose income because they will get cut back to part time. But the greedy politicians do not care as long as they can buy a vote or two by pushing it through.
There are already options for people making minimum wage. They can use it as a incentive to get a better job or start their own business. Very few people make minimum wage anyway as most places pay more or they do not get people to work for them. The worst state for minimum wage I have ever seen was in Southern California. I was amazed at how many factory’s paid that. The reason they used was their other expenses were so high, (taxes and regulation) that they couldn’t afford more.
Why should politicians have to do anything to help people out. Minimum wage is not meant to make a living from. If people need to make more money then they need to better themselves. In fact all welfare and food stamps should be repealed. It shouldn’t be the job of hard working people to support lazy folks who don’t care to work or better themselves.
@Messy Blumpkin-I am going to disagree with you somewhat here. There are people in the country that are down and out through no fault of their own and need some help. I don’t mind helping those folks at all. The people who are able to work should be made to work and get off welfare. If we have to provide government jobs for construction and the like then we should do it. The unions are the ones who put a stop to that.
Of course he does. How else can he buy votes with other people’s money. It is the Democratic way.