Republican Congressman Tom McClintock from California appeared on C-Span earlier Thursday discussing the minimum wage, and his comments weren’t just offensive, they were extremely out-of-touch.
McClintock is definitely not a supporter of raising the minimum wage. The host asked him if he could support Mitt Romney, who is a republican now supporting raising the wage to $10.10. This sent the Congressman on a rant.
Here are his words about raising the wage.
It would:
“…rip the first rung in the ladder of opportunity for teenagers, for minorities, for people who are trying to get into the job market for their first job.?
He goes on to say:
“It’s not supposed to support a family. The minimum wage is that first job when you have no skills, no experience, no working history. That’s how you get into the job market, that’s how you develop that experience, develop that work record, get your first raise, then your next raise, then your promotion.?
How incredibly annoying. Let me start off with a quick word about my personal story. I started off at a minimum wage job in college in CT, where the wage started at $8.25. I had the same job for three years. I graduated from college with a degree in Political Science and Human Rights. Since then. other than writing, the jobs I have had were at $10 per hour only. I have a degree-am I only worth $7? Not even $10.10? I even worked at a law firm, and still, I?only made $10 per hour? What is this like for someone to live on? Especially when you factor in things like student loan debt, which is killing my generation.
These were not my first jobs, and I am definitely worth it having gained a degree and?received over $40,000 of debt. But what would make me more deserving than someone else? Even if every minimum wage worker was “unskilled” or this was their “first job” do they deserve to be in extreme poverty while CEO pay for?major?companies in?relation to their average workers is the highest differential in the industrialized world.
Aside from a theoretical debate, there are real numbers that show those who work for minimum wage are certainly NOT who they used to be. But first, not only would raising the wage boost income for those making minimum wage now, but for those who make slightly more than the proposed increase of $10.10. When this group is factored into the equation, income would be raised for these people who account for “fully half” of his/her family income.
Also, 29% of these people are single parents, meaning their income supports their family 100%. If these workers are in a family where there are two or more workers, this person still provides 44% of the total family income. So, low wage workers often do have very heavy burdens and not just their own mouths to feed. Does Mr. McClintock not think single parents deserve a livable wage? Does he think single parents should struggle and subsequently their children ? The misinformation about who works on minimum wage and how raising it would actually affect more people than just those who make the minimum is not the most offensive thing about his statements.
The congressman’s ranking of who deserves to basically make a livable wage is insulting. His inclusion of “minorities” makes it seem like low wage work is just a minority problem. Yes, minorities?are disproportionately?in minimum wage jobs,?but this speaks to white supremacy and institutional/structural racism; something I would love to hear McClintock discuss. Also, if 100% of those making minimum wage were minorities, does?this mean that they don’t deserve a living wage?because they are a person of color? This seems to be some of what the congressman is implying. Let’s be clear though: EVERYONE should have the dignity of making a wage that is reasonable and any person who thinks $7 is reasonable is an idiot, period. Aside from that, there are parents, older people, etc who are still making the bare minimum. We as a nation could and should do better. People like McClintock are on record supporting the permanency of the Bush tax cuts. Yet, raising the minimum wage is unfair? What….a…joke.
