Public Wants Minimum Wage Raised

Back in 2009 the minimum wage was raised to $7.25 an hour. This figure still leaves a worker working hard for 40 hours a week under the poverty level (and for each additional family member that worker has, he/she sinks further under the poverty level). And the new minimum wage also leaves the worker with over $3 an hour of less buying power than a minimum wage worker had in the late 1960s.

The graph above shows what President Obama has proposed -- a raise in the minimum wage to $9 an hour by 2015. That should be done, but we should not fool ourselves into thinking that will bring very many out of poverty. The minimum wage should be raised to at least $10 an hour immediately -- not $9 an hour two years from now. But the raise President Obama has proposed is better than nothing (which is what the Republicans want to do).

I have posted on this issue before, and showed some polls that show the American public supports the president in his effort to raise the minimum wage. Now there is a new poll out showing the same thing. The recently released Gallup Poll shows that at least 7 out of 10 Americans support raising the minimum wage -- and even half of all Republicans support it (showing just how out of touch with voters the congressional Republicans really are). The poll was done on March 2nd and 3rd of 1,028 adults nationwide (with a 4 point margin of error).

Here are the polls results, including a demographic breakdown. The first number shows approval for raising the minimum wage, and the number in parentheses shows opposition. Note that no demographic group has more opposing than supporting a raising of the minimum wage. Here are the numbers:

WOULD YOU VOTE TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $9 AN HOUR, IF YOU COULD?

General public...............71% (27%)

Liberals...............94% (6%)
Moderates...............75% (23%)
Conservatives...............54% (44%)

Democrats...............91% (9%)
Independents...............68% (30%)
Republicans...............50% (48%)

Less than $24,000...............87% (10%)
$24,000 to $59,999...............68% (31%)
$60,000 to $89,999...............59% (40%)
$90,000 & over...............62% (36%)

Nonwhite...............86% (13%)
White...............64% (33%)

18 to 29...............78% (20%)
30 to 49...............74% (25%)
50 to 64...............64% (33%)
65 & over...............67% (31%)

Women..............77% (22%)
Men...............64% (34%)

East...............76% (22%)
South...............71% (28%)
West...............71% (28%)
Midwest...............65% (31%)