Patricia Schroeder: “I must say this is an issue about values. We are talking about the dignity of work. That is one of the main principles…”

“I must say this is an issue about values. We are talking about the dignity of work. That is one of the main principles this country has been founded on. Let me tell my colleagues there is no dignity to work if you do not get paid a living wage. I cannot believe that people are saying this is about politics. It is not about politics. It is about paychecks, paychecks, paychecks. Now, look, how long does it take to earn a year's minimum wage. Well, for the minimum wage worker, it takes a year. For the average CEO of a large corporation, it takes about a half a day. This is what we are talking about. This is the country with the largest disparity between wages at the top and wages at the bottom of any other western industrialized world. All we are saying if we are going to have dignity to work, we ought to try and raise the bottom. Do you not think the fat cats at the top are getting enough. They are getting way more than fat cats at the top of any other country, and what is the Republican proposal? They are trying to pretend they give us the minimum wage while they turn around and knock out two-thirds of the businesses in America from having to pay either the minimum wage or overtime.”