Republican Senator Calls for Abolishing the Minimum Wage

Economy • June 2013 • Views: 1,341

At a Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee meeting to mark 75 years since the signing of the Federal Labor Standards Act, which set a minimum wage and mandated overtime pay, Alexander, the ranking Republican on the committee, jumped into a discussion between a witness from the Heritage Foundation and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to say of the minimum wage, “I do not believe in it.” Sanders followed up, asking,

“So you do not believe in the concept of the minimum wage?”

“That’s correct,” Alexander responded.

“You would abolish the minimum wage?”

“Correct.”

Alexander went on to call instead for a higher Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor and referenced a negative income tax.

More: Republican Senator Calls for Abolishing the Minimum Wage

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14 comments

calochortus Wed, Jun 26, 2013 12:36:05pm

So he supports the government subsidizing businesses through tax credits to employees? Good conservative principles there.

HappyWarrior Wed, Jun 26, 2013 2:30:45pm

And Allexander is supposed to be a GOP moderate.

Skip Intro Wed, Jun 26, 2013 3:04:45pm

re: #2 HappyWarrior

And Allexander is supposed to be a GOP moderate.

That is moderate. A typical Republican would be in favor of reintroducing slavery.

Joanne Wed, Jun 26, 2013 5:02:37pm

“Republican Senator” is starting to sound like @_FloridaMan .

Tigger2 Thu, Jun 27, 2013 4:40:49am

re: #2 HappyWarrior

And Allexander is supposed to be a GOP moderate.

There are no moderates in the GOP anymore.

Vicious Babushka Thu, Jun 27, 2013 5:58:44am

If he’s really serious that employers should be able to pay workers $2 an hour (or as little as they can get away with) then he should not be paid more than $2/hour.

aagcobb Thu, Jun 27, 2013 6:07:21am

If what he means by “negative income tax” is a national income, that would actually be a pretty good progressive idea. There was a recent study in Oregon which indicated that people added to Medicaid didn’t actually get much health improvement, but it did relieve stress on their finances and made them happier. It has been suggested that instead of funding programs designed to provide certain benefits to the poor, like Medicaid, the government should just give them cash instead, and let them decide how best to spend it to improve their lot. It has occurred to me that we could really streamline government by replacing virtually every program with a national income payment, which could be varied depending on whether the person is retired, unemployed, disabled, a student, or has dependents. Give it to everyone, and the poor and middle class will spend most of it, growing the economy, and the rich will save it, providing investment. In times of recession, instead of the awkward QE, the Fed could just increase everyone’s cash payment until full employment returns. It would make people freer, happier, stabilize the economy and reduce government.

lawhawk Thu, Jun 27, 2013 6:08:14am

The legal logic behind this may see lawsuits proffered on the constitutionality of imposing federal minimum wages - refighting battles won by the labor movements in the early 20th century in the hopes of overturning it in much the same way that the VRA Section 4 was overturned (claiming changed circumstances and current events highlight the lack of a need).

Of course, the facts on the ground show that there is still an ongoing need for labor and wage protections for low income workers, and that some employers continue to chafe at needing to pay their workers even a living wage. Some employers get it (Costco), but others shift the burden on to the taxpayer (Walmart, we’re looking at you).

abolitionist Thu, Jun 27, 2013 6:37:25am

re: #3 Skip Intro

That is moderate. A typical Republican would be in favor of reintroducing slavery.

For the record, I’m against that.

aagcobb Thu, Jun 27, 2013 6:58:44am

re: #8 lawhawk

The legal logic behind this may see lawsuits proffered on the constitutionality of imposing federal minimum wages - refighting battles won by the labor movements in the early 20th century in the hopes of overturning it in much the same way that the VRA Section 4 was overturned (claiming changed circumstances and current events highlight the lack of a need).

Of course, the facts on the ground show that there is still an ongoing need for labor and wage protections for low income workers, and that some employers continue to chafe at needing to pay their workers even a living wage. Some employers get it (Costco), but others shift the burden on to the taxpayer (Walmart, we’re looking at you).

There are activist judges on the far right who would love to bring back Lochner and strike down most state regulation of economic activity.

Bulworth Thu, Jun 27, 2013 6:59:00am

Alexander went on to call instead for a higher Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor and referenced a negative income tax.

Alexander is behind the times. The Earned Income Tax Credit is now “welfare” and “free stuff” for the “takers” who “don’t pay taxes”. /

sizzzzlerz Thu, Jun 27, 2013 7:30:23am

That is moderate. A typical Republican would be in favor of reintroducing slavery.

Kept the family together according to the VA GOP Lt. Gov. candidate.

Skip Intro Thu, Jun 27, 2013 9:06:47am

re: #11 Bulworth

Alexander is behind the times. The Earned Income Tax Credit is now “welfare” and “free stuff” for the “takers” who “don’t pay taxes”. /

Exactly right. If they can’t get by on what Massa pays them for one job, they should two, or three or four. Damn lazy bastards. Don’t they know Rush Limbaugh has to work three hours a day, four or five days a week for a measly $28 million a year?

I’d like to see these shiftless bastards try to do that.

AlexRogan Thu, Jun 27, 2013 12:20:33pm

As I posted in Skip Intro’s Page on the subject yesterday:

Lamar! Alexander, my former governor (who took office early from the scandal-ridden Ray Blanton) and one of my current Senators, has truly been mainlining on the TPer smack, because he used to be considered a “moderate” Republican for most of his career.

In a state that’s gone deeper and deeper red the past few election cycles, Lamar! has chosen to sell out his moderate legacy in favor of further securing TPer support to stay in office.

Fuck him.

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