Romney supports automatic hikes in minimum wage

Yahoo ^ | 2/1/12 | David Espo and Kasie Hunt - ap

[NormsRevenge]

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney renewed his support Wednesday for automatic increases in the federal minimum wage to keep pace with inflation, a position sharply at odds with traditional GOP business allies, conservatives and the party's senior lawmakers.

"I haven't changed my thoughts on that," the former Massachusetts governor told reporters aboard his chartered campaign plane, referring to a stand he has held for a decade.

He did not say if he would ask Congress to approve the change if he wins the White House this fall.

Congress first enacted federal minimum wage legislation in 1938 and has raised it sporadically in the years since. The last increase, approved in 2007, took effect in three installments and reached $7.25 an hour for covered workers effective July 24, 2009.

It has never been allowed to rise automatically, as Romney envisions.

Organized labor generally supports increases in the minimum wage, and Romney's position could give him cross-over appeal among blue-collar Democrats in a general election campaign.

Republicans have generally opposed attempts to raise it, although in 1996, the GOP-controlled Congress passed an election-year increase that included a package of tax cuts for business and a subminimum wage to apply to new, younger employees.

[ArrogantBustard]

R0mnunism = 0bammunism = C0mmunism.

[noexcuses]

I agree with you. But the min wage exists and is effectively used by the left.

[freemarketsfreeminds]

I agree but “me tooism” is not the answer. Reframing the issue, and taking it away from the left is.

[svcw]

If you haven’t listen to then how do you know?

[Flycatcher]

Holy cow! What next, Mitt??

High Speed Rail...?

[ctdonath2]

Minimum wage is the prohibition of functional poverty, the imposition of abject dependency upon the poor.

[Belteshazzar]

When it comes to understanding the idea of America and the average American, Mitt Romney is as dumb as a box of rocks. Be gone, Mitt. If you are the nominee, you will not have my vote.

Gingrich or Santorum will.

Are you listening, GOP elite? Your choice of Mitt is going to backfire so badly you won’t believe it.

[C19fan]

Don’t give him any ideas....

[loveliberty2]

As posted on the other thread on this subject, the following message was published many years ago, utilizing Walter Williams' warning about the negative consequences of minimum wage laws on families and those who most need work experience and earnings. His words were true then, and he repeated them on Stossel just this week.

Dr. Williams understands and has been teaching, speaking, and writing about the tragic consequences of the so-called "progressive" policies which Democrats (and Republican "progressives") have inflicted upon Americans--all in the name of "helping" them.

Slavery to government is no better than slavery to individual masters. Yet, the "regressives" continue to buy power and influence by promoting policies that destroy opportunity, prosperity, and freedom for our own and future generations.

This position on Romney's part is an example of how he has succeeded in the "freedom of individual enterprise" environment left to us by the Founders, without gaining a deep and abiding understanding or commitment to the principles they incorporated into our nation's founding documents.

[loveliberty2]

Oooops. Should have said, “He repeated them on “Stossel” recently.”

[bgill]

automatic increases in the federal minimum wage to keep pace with inflation

What an idiot. If anything it's inflation keeping up with minimum wage. Employees demand higher wages which means the company must raise the price of their product which is passed along to consumers who's dollars don't buy as much as they once did. And every dime you somehow managed to put into savings just dropped in value and buying power so you're screwed again.

[Chode]

sure he does... it's not his business that will go under!