Byron Dorgan: “Those who work at the bottom of the economic ladder, the lower rung of the economic ladder, have not had an increase for…”

“Those who work at the bottom of the economic ladder, the lower rung of the economic ladder, have not had an increase for 5 years. The minimum wage has been frozen for 5 years. It is easy, I suppose, for some, especially some in this body, perhaps to not think much about those who work on minimum wage, not be acquainted with those who are trying to live on minimum wage. But there are a lot of folks in this country who go to work, work very hard all day, are paid the basic minimum wage in this country of $4.25 an hour, and at the end of a long week still cannot make ends meet. There is a legitimate reason to question should there be a minimum wage, and there are some, I think, in this body who think we should not have a minimum wage. I know there are some in Congress who said publicly we should not have a minimum wage, and that is a very legitimate position. I do not share it, but some believe there should not be a minimum wage.”