2021-02-26 09:29:19

Republican Opposes $15 Min Wage Because He Earned $6/Hour 40 Years Ago

Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, went on Twitter and made a self-defeating argument against raising the minimum wage. This is a topic that has been getting a great deal of attention lately since a provision in the current iteration of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 would bump up the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour. Thune tweeted, “I started working by bussing tables at the Star Family Restaurant for $1/hour & slowly moved up to cook – the big leagues for a kid like me– to earn $6/hour. Businesses in small towns survive on narrow margins. Mandating a $15 minimum wage would put many of them out of business.”

John Thune is forgetting about something called “inflation.” The costs of goods and services have gone up significantly since Thune worked that kitchen job in the late 1970s. That six-dollar-an-hour wage forty years ago would be more like $21.62 per hour today. This does not even factor in a hypothetical productivity-adjusted minimum wage or a cost-of-living-adjusted minimum wage that would make that number even higher. There are really only two explanations for Thune’s Twitter post and neither one of them are good: Either Thune wasn’t aware of this inflation argument and our elected officials don’t understand the most basic of economic principles. Or, the senator knows that his example is bunk but he believes it will trick enough of his constituents so that he can continue to serve business interests at the expense of low-income workers.

--

The David Pakman Show is a news and political talk program, known for its controversial interviews with political and religious extremists, liberal and conservative politicians, and other guests.

Missed an episode?  Check out TDPS on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.

#FreeSpeechTV is one of the last standing national, independent news networks committed to advancing progressive social change. 

#FSTV is available on Dish, DirectTV, AppleTV, Roku, Sling and online at freespeech.org

David Pakman John Thune Minimum Wage Republican The David Pakman Show

Economy

Democracy Now!

Debt Ceiling: Economist James K. Galbraith Warns GOP Proposal Would Gut Social Safety Net

Debt Ceiling: Economist James K. Galbraith Warns GOP Proposal Would Gut Social Safety Net

Rising Up With Sonali

How to Combat Morality Police Globally

How to Combat Morality Police Globally

Rising Up With Sonali

Is There a Banking Crisis in the U.S.?

Is There a Banking Crisis in the U.S.?

Mobilized

Permaculture with Steve Cran

Permaculture with Steve Cran

Democracy Now!

Indicted Again: Donald Trump Faces Federal Espionage & Conspiracy Charges in Classified Docs Probe

Indicted Again: Donald Trump Faces Federal Espionage & Conspiracy Charges in Classified Docs Probe

Democracy Now!

Supreme Surprise: Court Upholds Voting Rights Act, Strikes Down Alabama’s Racially Gerrymandered Maps

Supreme Surprise: Court Upholds Voting Rights Act, Strikes Down Alabama’s Racially Gerrymandered Maps

The David Pakman Show

DOJ vs. African People’s Socialist Party: Omali Yeshitela Blasts Charges of Being Russian Agent

DOJ vs. African People’s Socialist Party: Omali Yeshitela Blasts Charges of Being Russian Agent

The Stephanie Miller Show

Do Republicans Secretly Want to Celebrate Pride Month?

Do Republicans Secretly Want to Celebrate Pride Month?

Related

The David Pakman Show

DeSantis suffers talking point coma live on Fox News

DeSantis suffers talking point coma live on Fox News

The David Pakman Show

George Santos manic in unhinged post-arrest press conference

George Santos manic in unhinged post-arrest press conference

The David Pakman Show

Inflation at lowest level in 2 years

Inflation at lowest level in 2 years

The David Pakman Show

Mass Shooters: Ugly Truth About Pathetic Men Revealed By Former Psycho Therapist

Mass Shooters: Ugly Truth About Pathetic Men Revealed By Former Psycho Therapist

Proud Partners