In the third and last Presidential Debate, John McCain chided Barack Obama by claiming that Obama wants to “spread the wealth around.” McCain raised this issue in spite of twenty-eight years of growing income inequality, a fact not lost on the average American. We can see it all around us. Son of a Navy admiral and married to a woman from a very wealthy family, personal financial struggle is not part of McCain’s biography.
It’s not surprising to learn then, that John McCain has a hostile voting record when it comes to placing a floor under wages in the United States. According to the labor organization AFL-CIO:
2007: McCain Voted to Abolish the Minimum Wage.
McCain joined 28 senators in voting to allow “states the rights and flexibility to determine minimum wage” during the 2007 minimum wage fight. This amendment would have completely repealed the minimum wage laws in at least 45 states. After several other votes that prevented the passage of a “clean” minimum wage bill, he voted to pass the final compromise bill that included tax breaks for businesses. (S.Amdt. 116 to S.Amdt. 100 to H.R. 2, Vote 24, 1/24/07; H.R. 2, Vote 23, 1/24/07; Vote 25, 1/25/07; Vote 37, 1/31/07; Vote 39, 1/31/07; Vote 42, 1/31/07)2005: McCain Voted Against Raising the Minimum Wage to $7.25 an Hour. Instead, He Voted for a Sham Increase That Would Take Away Overtime Protections.
In 2005, McCain voted against increasing the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour over two years. Instead, he voted for an amendment that would have increased the minimum wage to $6.25 while also eliminating overtime pay and undermining states’ ability to provide stronger wage protections. (S.Amdt. 44 to S. 256, Vote 26, 3/07/05; S.Amdt. 128 to S. 256, Vote 27, 3/07/05)
If a man of McCain’s background doesn’t know anything about the life of the average “working stiff,” that’s understandable, but anybody running for President ought to make an effort to learn.
Tags: Barack Obama, John MCain, minimum wage legislation, spread the wealth around