Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I want to go back to this free market and the minimum wage. The gentleman, Madam Speaker, projects that: Let the free market operate. We do not allow employers to hire people under a certain age because we want to protect children. I suppose that is interfering with the free market because we know that, throughout the world, we have 8-, 9-, and 10-year-old children being asked to work 10-, 12-, 14-hour days at rudimentary tasks. {time} 1245 Perhaps he believes that we ought to have people work 80, 90 hours a week trying to manage their families and their lives and not have a 40- hour week because of the free market. After all, individuals can decide whether they are going to work 80 or 90 hours a week. We have known that in our history. Perhaps we ought to have a free market that doesn't worry about whether workers are safe on the job. Whether it is in a mine or a factory, we require places to be safe so that we can protect workers. We don't believe that undermines the free market system. We think that improves the free market system. So there are rules.”