Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson: Wrong on Wages

DONALD TRUMP AND DR. BEN CARSON, WRONG ON WAGES

Washington, DC- November 11, 2015 – In last night’s debate, front runners Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson stated they oppose increasing the federal minimum wage.

When asked if he supported raising the minimum wage, Donald Trump said “We don’t win anymore. Our taxes are too high, wages too high — we’re not going to be able to compete against the world.”

“Mr. Trump, who has an annual income of approximately $250 Million according to the Las Vegas Review Journal, fails to recognize that the problem with wages isn’t at the bottom, but at the top. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CEOs in the United States earn over 350 times as much as the average worker. In Germany, which has the fourth highest GDP, CEOs make 147 times as much as average employees, according to the OECD. In the United Kingdom, one of the most powerful economies in the world, CEOs only make 84 times as much as their workers. If Mr. Trump is serious about wages being too high, he should call for a cap on the executive pay instead of forcing hard-working Americans to survive on a poverty wage.” said Frank Garvey, organizer with Time for a Raise.

According to the Center for Economic Policy Research, if the minimum wage had kept up with productivity, it would be $21.72 an hour today. Instead, it is currently $7.25 an hour, or $15,080 a year.

Dr. Ben Carson, the other top contender in the GOP nomination said that, “Every time we raise the minimum wage, the number of jobless people increases. This is particularly a problem in the black community. Only 19.8% of black teenagers have a job, or are looking for one. That’s because of those high wages. If you lower those wages, that comes down.”

Politifact rated Dr. Carson’s claim that high wages causing job loss as “false,” stating, “Dr. Carson is wrong about the minimum wage increasing unemployment. In states that have minimum wages over the $7.25 federal minimum, job creation is higher than those with lower wages, according to the Center for Economic Policy Research.” In fact, Politifact went on to point out that job loss is more related to broader recessions.

“Dr. Carson is reneging on his previous support for raising the minimum wage. Last May, in an interview with CNBC, he stated that the minimum wage was too low, and also supported automatic future increases of the minimum wage to inflation.” Garvey said.

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To contact the Time for a Raise Campaign or to schedule an interview with Ralph Nader, email Frank Garvey at [email protected] or call 202-387-8030