FACT SHEET: Debunking GOP Myths about the Minimum Wage
SHOT: Gov. Eric Holcomb compared earning a minimum-wage job as having a “minimum expectation”
CHASER: Holcomb, INGOP have largely attracted low-wage jobs to Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today criticized the Indiana Republican Party for using debunked misinformation to justify their opposition for an increase to the minimum wage. U.S. Senators Mike Braun and Todd Young falsely claimed raising the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour would mean job loss and pain for small business owners. Governor Eric Holcomb described having a minimum-wage job as setting a “minimum expectation” with someone’s life. The federal COVID-19 relief package, which includes a minimum wage hike, is expected to pass the U.S. House at the end of this week.
According to a recent study, the Indiana Republican Party’s economic record is largely based on bringing in low-wage jobs to the state, making Holcomb’s opposition to the minimum wage hypocritical. Further, about 63-percent of small business owners support the COVID-19 relief package and an increase to the minimum wage, because they know studies have proven the GOP’s talking point directly connecting the minimum wage to job loss as false.
The Indiana Democratic Party expects all Republicans in Indiana’s congressional delegation to vote against an increase to the minimum wage. Their “nay” votes will be a disrespect against Indiana’s working class and will deny 892,000 Hoosiers a pathway to better opportunity.
“It’s simple: the Indiana Republican Party does not support working-class Hoosiers, and by voting against raising the minimum wage, they are telling Hoosiers the low-wage jobs they bring into the state is the best it’s going to get for their families,” said Lauren Ganapini, executive director for the Indiana Democratic Party. “Republicans’ opposition to the minimum wage is rooted in misinformation and rhetorical politics, not fact. Add this to a list or reasons why Hoosiers – especially the working class – should not trust the Indiana GOP.”
Increasing the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour would be a golden ticket for working-class Hoosiers. According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), about 892,000 Hoosiers would benefit from raising the minimum wage — including 554,000 women, 74,000 Black Hoosiers, and 133,000 seniors. About 30-percent of Indiana’s workforce earns a minimum wage. And contrary to the Republican stereotypes, the average age of a worker earning a minimum wage job is 35 years old, and a majority of workers affected by the minimum wage are women. A fact sheet about the minimum wage and GOP myths about the issue can be found by clicking here.
###