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December 29, 2003

Minimum Wage as Campaign Issue

Finally, a bit of press on a candidate making raising the minimum wage a core campaign promise, in this case Dean promising a $7 per hour minimum wage as part of his urban policy.

It's not $8 an hour, which would be more realistic in historic terms, but it's a start.

Other candidates are supporting the general idea of raising the minimum wage, see Kerry (general support), Edwards (a $1.50 increase), Kucinich (general support), Lieberman (general support), Clark (general), Mosley Braun, with Gephardt trumping everyone with a plan for an international minimum wage.

Still, I like Dean pounding a specific number-- it makes the issue more real. The number should still be higher, but heck, we keep saying it, Dean is just not that liberal. He's a bit more specific than the other candidates, but his policy's much the same-- he's just better at calling attention to them, which matters to the grassroots hungering not just for good policy positions, but a strong advocacy for them.

Posted by Nathan at December 29, 2003 01:54 PM