David Michael Miller
As Labor Day approaches, it’s a good time to reflect on the many lessons from the 2016 election. One stands out: Hard-working Americans of every ideology are tired of an economic system that is unfairly rigged against them. The economy dominated much of the election for a good reason — it is what drives conversation around the dinner table and what keeps Americans up at night.
Today’s federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour equates to only $15,080 a year before taxes and before expenses for housing, food and all of life’s necessities. At the end of the day, all that is left are unpaid bills and mounting debt. Low-wage workers can barely keep their heads above water, let alone spend time with family, learn new skills, invest in their communities or participate in civic life.
And the cruelly low minimum wage affects more than just the workers earning the bare minimum.
Others affected include workers earning 25 cents or 50 cents or a dollar more than minimum wage. These workers also have to do the impossible: lift themselves up while being tethered to low wages that keep middle-class life permanently out of reach for them.
And that affects all of us. That is why we — a U.S. representative and a business owner — are coming together to support the Raise the Wage Act, legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024.
Introduced by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Patty Murray and Reps. Keith Ellison and Bobby Scott, the Raise the Wage Act would provide four out of 10 Americans greater stability and dignity and the ability to engage in their communities.
We come from different perspectives in supporting this bill.
As a U.S. representative, my job is to govern according to the needs of my constituents. It is impossible to assume any of the needs or wants of my district when my constituents are consumed with stress over money and unable to actively engage in civic life. I am also committed to the growth of our local economy, and recognize the reality that when consumer demand drives 70 percent of our economy, higher wages for consumers spur growth and benefit everyone. Why wouldn’t I want to put more money in the hands of the people who will spend it?
As a businessman, my job is to grow and sustain a business that benefits all involved. In my two decades in business, I’ve learned that the best way to build and sustain a company and reduce risk of failure is by valuing my workers. I’ve learned firsthand that companies are far more successful when they have healthy, motivated, fairly compensated workers. Better yet, those healthy and fairly compensated workers are also great consumers, spurring demand for goods and services of all kinds, and driving even more economic activity.
Our job titles and work experiences are very different, but for both of us, there is no debate about the value of raising the minimum wage.
And for the bipartisan majority of Americans, the debate has already been settled. According to recent studies, 63 percent of Americans support raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
The time is now for a national $15 minimum wage, enacted sensibly over a period of a few years. Not only would it increase wages for tens of millions of Americans, it would also ensure a stable level of consumer demand, which is the ultimate driver of our nation’s economic success.
These are not radical principles. These are not utopian ideals. If our goal is to have both a healthy economy and a healthy society, it’s just plain common sense.
To the many American business leaders who recognize that fair wages are central to building healthy and sustainable companies and communities, we thank you for standing with us, and we urge you to make your voices heard during this vital debate.
To the American worker, we promise this: We are fighting with you. We embrace your demand to support your family in return for your hard work.
And we will do everything within our power to ensure that Congress passes this truly life-changing bill.
Congressman Mark Pocan has represented Wisconsin’s 2nd congressional district since 2013. He is also a small business owner and served in the Wisconsin State Assembly for 14 years.
Businessman TJ Zlonitsky is the chairman and CEO of iControl Data Solutions. He is a member of the Patriotic Millionaires, a group of hundreds of high-net worth Americans who are committed to making all Americans, including themselves, better off by building a more prosperous, stable, and inclusive nation.
