William R. Richardson: “Democrats finally have a defining issue, increasing the minimum wage, but it should not be a partisan issue. If…”

“Democrats finally have a defining issue, increasing the minimum wage, but it should not be a partisan issue. If Republicans want a cut in the capital gains tax for those most fortunate Americans, surely they can support a modest increase in the minimum wage for the average worker. We need to move Americans from the underclass to the middle class, and this is mainly a women's issue. Women are 60 percent of those receiving minimum wage, and many of these women are heads of households. They deserve better. Mr. Speaker, the last election was about putting money in people's pockets, and what we are talking about is $4.75 an hour the first year and $5.25 the next year. Let us stop the bellyaching about losing jobs, and let us do the right thing.”