Democrats not pushing minimum wage issue hard enough

There is often a misconception that Democrats focus on the wrong issues in the run-up to each election.  I would actually argue that the Democrats push the right issues, however they are often much more cautious than Republicans when doing so -- which is the true problem here.

GOP strategists are incredibly talented when it comes to putting yummy frosting on their somewhat homophobic position on gay marriage, and their overly jingoistic stance on flag burning.  You at least have to give those strategists credit for making red meat out of tofu.  Of course, those two positions, if enacted, would neither prevent gay people from privately marrying nor prevent flag burning from taking place.  Yet, the Republican base gets so fired up when those issues are addressed because they are preached with so much passion.

The Democrats have such a great opportunity to rally the base via the minimum wage issue, which unlike the flag burning or gay marriage amendments has a profound impact on families all across this country.  But as usual, the Democrats have yet to use it to light a fire under their base and attract new voters to their party.

If you do not believe me that the minimum wage issue can help the Democrats, consider the following NBC News poll released this month:

I'm going to read you some positions that someone running for Congress could take. For each one, please tell me whether you would be more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who takes this position, less likely to vote for this candidate, or would it not make a difference to you either way?

Favors adding an amendment to the Constitution that bans flag burning: More Likely - 44%, Less Likely - 27%, No Difference - 27%, Unsure - 2%

Favors adding an amendment to the Constitution that bans gay marriages: More Likely - 37%, Less Likely - 39%, No Difference - 22%, Unsure - 2%

Favors increasing the minimum wage from five dollars and fifteen cents per hour to six dollars and sixty-five cents per hour: More Likely - 54%, Less Likely - 25%, No Difference - 20%, Not Sure - 1%

As you can see, voters care more about minimum wage than both gay marriage and flag burning.  The Democrats need to focus more attention on this issue, and send minimum wage advocates, such as John Edwards, all over the country to campaign for Democratic House and Senate candidates.  They have such a huge opportunity here, and can invoke passion that will resonate with workers all across the country.
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Other blogs are writing about this issue: Daily Kos, RawBlogXport, The Ford Report, Just Ain't Right, Nye, Fallen Monk, Corporations Create Fascism, The North Texas Liberal, Daughter of Liberty.

Comments

[David F. Prenatt, Jr.]

How would you respond to the position that an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit is a much more effective and equitable way of helping the working poor than raising the minimum wage?