Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner is on record as saying he’d rather kill himself than vote for an increase in the federal minimum wage.
Now that he’s gotten that off his chest, I surely hope he was just being melodramatic, trying to make some rhetorical point.
However, now the issue ought to turn to whether the House should vote on it. I say, “Why not?”
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/198856-boehner-id-rather-kill-myself-than-raise-the-minimum-wage
At issue is a proposal to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. President Obama wants it, as do congressional Democrats. So might a majority of congressional Republicans. Polling indicates most rank-and-file Americans support an increase from the current rate of $7.25 per hour.
Who’s opposed to it? As my late mother would say, I’ll give you three guesses — but the first two don’t count.
It’s the tea party cabal within the Republican Party congressional caucus, the individuals who have whipsawed Boehner and other establishment Republicans into backing much of their agenda.
Boehner isn’t likely to allow a vote to increase the minimum wage because he’s been buffaloed.
Therein lies the question of leadership. Is the speaker the Man of the House or isn’t he?
As speaker, he isn’t beholden just to a minority within his own caucus. He ought to be looking out for the interests of the entire body, all 435 members — and that includes Democrats as well as Republicans.
I’m not necessarily arguing here for a “clean” minimum wage bill, one that doesn’t have some sweeteners, such as spending cuts or tax breaks. Indeed, White House brass and congressional Democrats ought to be stop digging in their heels by insisting on a clean bill.
What’s more, economic data differ on whether a minimum wage increase is going to cause mass layoffs because employers cannot afford to pay employee wages.
I do know, though, that families cannot rely on minimum-wage income to sustain themselves. They need a boost.
So, Mr. Speaker, allow a vote. It won’t kill you.