President Biden, in an interview broadcast Friday night, said he does not expect his economic relief package to include an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15, but vowed to push for it as a separate piece of legislation.
Some Democrats have pushed to include the federal minimum wage increase in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. While Biden has backed that effort, the measure would need support from all 50 Democrats in the Senate to pass, and it does not appear to have the votes, raising the likelihood it will be dropped from the final version.
“I put it in, but I don’t think it’s going to survive,” Biden told CBS News, citing Senate rules on reconciliation.
“I am prepared, as president of the United States on a separate negotiation on minimum wage, to work my way up from what it is now. … Look, no one should work 40 hours a week and live below the poverty wage. And if you’re making less than $15 an hour, you’re living below the poverty wage,” he added.
Biden said he supports raising the minimum wage gradually until it reaches $15 per hour, citing studies that show it would benefit the entire economy.
“My guess is it will not be in it. But I do think that we should have a minimum wage, stand by itself, $15 an hour,” Biden said.
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Biden expects minimum wage increase will be dropped from final relief bill https://t.co/K82yxLudiM pic.twitter.com/NuVt3BYvWa
— The Hill (@thehill) February 6, 2021
Biden said he supports raising the minimum wage gradually until it reaches $15 per hour, citing studies that show it would benefit the entire economy.
If it would, why would you not increase it to, say, $100 per hour?
Boo, trade-offs. ☹️ https://t.co/EtXYqHQSLY
— Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) February 7, 2021
No one in the raise the minimum wage crowd ever considers the economic downside to boosting the minimum wage. Job loss or cuts in hours are not the only results. Prices for goods and services have to be increased accordingly. People won’t want to pay the new prices, or they can’t afford to, so they will stop being customers. At some point, the business may have to close altogether.
But try explaining all that to the minimum wage proponents and all you’ll get is a blank stare. I’m no expert in economics, but even I can see the problem.
Minimum wage jobs weren’t meant to be lifelong careers. Stay in school, get a good education and move up to a better paying, rewarding career. Then you won’t need a $15 an hour minimum wage.
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