President Obama was in Ann Arbor Wednesday to make the case for an increase in the minimum wage. The President told a crowd at the University of Michigan it’s a mistake to try to boost the economy with tax breaks for the wealthy.
“We believe our economy grows best not from the top down, but from the middle up and the bottom up. And we want to make sure that no matter where you’re born, what circumstances, how you started out, what you look like, what you’re last name is, who you love, it doesn’t matter. You can succeed,” he said to cheers. “That’s what we believe.”
The President has proposed raising the federal minimum wage to 10 dollars and 10 cents.
President Obama’s visit comes as groups in Michigan are pushing to raise the state’s minimum wage, a move he also endorsed Wednesday.
Groups supporting the state initiative were out in full force to cheer on the president.
The Raise Michigan coalition hopes to put a question on the November ballot. Similar to the president’s proposal, it would ask Michigan voters to raise the state minimum wage to 10 dollars and 10 cents an hour. The ballot proposal would increase the minimum wage gradually until 2017. After that the rate would tie to inflation.
“This can be literally the difference between you keeping your housing, putting food on the table, putting gas in your car, or even owning a car,” says Frank Houston with Raise Michigan.
Unlike the president’s plan to raise the federal minimum wage, Raise Michigan’s proposal would eventually require businesses to pay tipped workers no less.
Republican leaders in the state legislature say they have no interest in raising the state’s minimum wage. They say wages will rise on their own as the economy improves.
