President Obama has a winning message. Actually, several winning messages. He's taking on Republicans on several fronts simultaneously. Raising the minimum wage, equal pay for women, restoration of long term unemployment insurance--all issues with mass public appeal, and delivered forcefully. His message deserves a chorus (this means you, Democratic Congresspersons).
Some of them want to scrap the minimum wage entirely. One House Republican said, it’s outlived its usefulness. I’d vote to repeal the minimum wage. A Senate Republican said, he doesn’t think the minimum wage helps the middle class. This is a very simple issue. Either you are in favor or raising wages for hard working Americans, or you’re not. Either you want to grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up, so that prosperity is broad based, or you think that top down economics is the way to go.
Republicans in Congress have found the time to vote more than 50 times to undermine or repeal the healthcare bill for millions of working families. Earlier this month they voted for a budget that would give the wealthiest Americans a massive tax cut, while forcing deep cuts to investments that help middle class families, but they won’t raise wages for millions of working families when three quarters of Americans support it? It makes no sense.
And on top of that, they blocked our efforts to make sure women receive equal pay for equal work. They stood in the way as we fought to extend unemployment insurance for parents who need a little help supporting their families while they’re out looking for work. Republicans have failed to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, and they’ve increasing failed to do anything when it comes to helping people who work hard get ahead.
If there’s any good news here, it’s that Republicans in Congress don’t get the last word on this issue, or any issue. You do. The American people. The voters. Change is happening, whether Republicans in Congress like it or not. So my message to the American people is this, do not get discouraged by a vote like the one we saw this morning. Get fired up. Get organized. Make your voices heard, and rest assured, I’m going to keep working with you, and Leader Nancy Pelosi, and other members of Congress who are here today to raise wages for hard working Americans. It’s the right thing to do.
If you’re member of Congress doesn’t support raising the minimum wage, you gotta let them know that they’re out of step, and if they keep putting politics ahead of working Americans, you’ll put them out of office.
It's a message that can swing the election, if we get the chorus on board.
With Republicans now running away from healthcare as an election issue, and as the general public becomes increasingly aware that the Republican Party does not represent their interests, the time for Democrats to go on the offensive is RIGHT NOW.
