Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 02:03 pm
The $15/hour minimum wage took another step towards becoming a reality after Bernie Sanders won the addition of increase to the Democratic platform.
In a statement, the Sanders campaign announced:
Raising the federal minimum wage sets the moral standard in this country that we as Democrats affirm over and over again that ensuring that we don’t leave a sister or a brother behind is how we roll,” Sen. Nina Turner said at the meeting. “Raising the federal minimum wage is the beginning of creating an America as good as it’s promise.”
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The platform now reads: “We should raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour over time and index it, give all Americans the ability to join a union regardless of where they work, and create new ways for workers to have power in the economy so every worker can earn at least $15 an hour.”
The difference between what former Sec. Clinton proposed and what Sen. Sanders proposed was $3/hour. Either way, Democrats are supporting a big raise for minimum wage workers.
What is just as important as the dollar amount in the Democratic platform is the fact that the minimum wage will be indexed to inflation. This small but major step would end the cycle of stagnant wages that keeps American workers perpetually behind rising prices.
If Democrats keep the White House and take back Congress, it will be interesting to see if there is enough support to get a $15/hour bill passed. The suspicion is that the number that Congress is most likely to agree on remains $12/hour, but it is important for the Democratic Party to set the bar high.
The choice for American workers is clear. Donald Trump thinks wages are too high and need to be lowered, while Democrats understand that a minimum wage increase is long overdue.
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have come together on a platform and the big winners from their efforts will be the American people.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
