GOP Senate Hopeful John Raese: I 'Absolutely' Favor Eliminating The Minimum Wage

Republican candidate John Raese, who is facing off against Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin for the West Virginia Senate seat long held by the late Sen. Robert Byrd, said in an interview on Tuesday that he favors eliminating the federal minimum wage.

In an appearance on ABC News' "Top Line," Raese described the decades-old measure as useless and signaled his belief that it has been ever since it was signed into law by then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a Democrat, in 1938.

"I don't think it worked then," explained the GOP hopeful. "It didn't solve any problems then and it hasn't solved any problems in 50 years."

When pressed on the matter and asked if he thinks the federal minimum wage rate -- $7.25 per hour -- should be repealed, Raese responded, "absolutely."

The Senate contender said he believes government has no place "micromanaging the economy," adding, "You don't want government to set price controls. You don't want government to set wage controls. It's an archaic system that frankly has not worked."

In an interview with CNN last week, Raese communicated a similar sentiment when he asserted that the minimum wage is "something that hurts a lot of youth employment in this country."

In the wake of those remarks, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee took aim at Raese over his stance on the issue, as well as his larger economic platform.

"It's clear that multi-millionaire John Raese just doesn't understand West Virginia values," said a statement released by the electoral organization. "He's also faced questions about where he lives, after a report came out showing Raese owns homes in several states, including Florida, where his family lives in a 7,000 square foot home with a peach colored marble driveway."

ThinkProgress recently reported on an insight Raese offered into his own affluence and financial stability.

"I made my money the old-fashioned way, I inherited it," he said during an appearance on a conservative talk radio program. "I think that's a great thing to do. I hope more people in this country have that opportunity as soon as we abolish inheritance tax in this country, which is a key part of my program."

WATCH Raese back elimination of the minimum wage:

Comments

[Henry Massingale]

08:19 PM on 10/18/2010

My,my,my,
Some do not have a clue about what is about to unfold, The People of the United States hold
every last man and women of office responcable for putting your fingers into issues that has brought this Country in default, My goal is to get you all voted out of office for your failures,
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Health Care vs. 9/11, So There for Mr.Raese, your world in this is coming to a end,
as well as this tax against food, shows the People your lack of leadership.
Obama was right a change is at hand..
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google Drop by and see why we built a anti crime / war form in a Health Care Reform Concept.
To strategically Rebuild America www.fascmovement.mysite.com on google look for page 1 american dream official site

[Prince Toddy English]

07:02 PM on 10/18/2010

Well, it looks like SOMEBODY just killed their career. Lowering the minimum wage? In this economy? In West Virginia? Uhm, I think Democrats and Republicans should change Mascots. Republicans are a lot of Jack@$$es.

[Gregor53]

08:19 PM on 10/15/2010

And I am in favor of eliminating All Pay and Perks for members of the US Congress. So, lets see if that happens. I am originially from WV and I sincerely hope they know what this person represents. Many jobs in WV are minimum wage anymore. He might as well also say he is a Michigan Football Fan also.

[LSP]

03:51 PM on 10/14/2010

Repealing the minimum wage law would have an adverse effect on the economy and Republicans know it. But they don't care because it would bring them closer to what they ultimately want - Obama's failure.

[Gregor53]

08:20 PM on 10/15/2010

Not to mention Democracy. They want to bring back the old days again. Like the Feudal System for starters.

[mrb419]

11:55 AM on 10/14/2010

Soon we will all be just general contractors to businesses.....its a win/win...for all.....We will pay our own taxes, provide for our own healthcare make our own investments for retirement,bargain for our .own wages or barter.There will be no need for an employer minimum wage.....Most of us will not have to be slaves to big business and corporations anymore.....Then we will have a real tea party movement.. once people have to write their own check for taxes every year and realize how much money is being thrown down that "black hole'" of government.....Hope I'm alive to see it!

[grumbles]

10:41 AM on 10/14/2010

you just lost the election mr raese. to run on abolishing the minimum wage in a state like WV is pretty dumb..........

[Eris23Skidoo]

06:56 PM on 10/14/2010

Nobody ever accused republicans of being smart.

[Zombeaver]

10:19 AM on 10/14/2010

Vippy makes a good point. Of course the government will be forced to supplement the income of below minimum wage workers just so that worker can eat and live indoors. This is just another way to privatize profits and socialize the costs.

[Zombeaver]

10:12 AM on 10/14/2010

This makes perfect business sense. Let me map-out the plan:

1) Extend credit to people who cannot afford it
2) Encourage them purchase overpriced, foreign-made items with their over-extended credit
3) Arrest them when they default on their minimum payments, and
4) Huck them into Debtor Prison and force them work for $1.00 an hour which helps keep wages low in China - remember, we could always on-shore all of those off-shored jobs!


The genius of the solution is that it works in two ways. Here is the second way:

1) With the money saved by reducing wages the Corporations could afford to build thousands of For-Profit Debtor Prisons
2) Staffing the Prisons wouldn't cost very much so they could employ thousands of people eliminating unemployment
3) See Step 1) in the first part and we have a closed-loop, positive-feedback system in place!

[dagmaclugh39]

06:23 PM on 10/14/2010

I'm concerned, Zom. Really! Obviously, you've figured out the Republicans' strategy, which presents a threat to them. Watch your back! Or...prepare for a lucrative offer from tne RNC.

[Zombeaver]

08:15 PM on 10/14/2010

This IS the Republican Plan - that's what I am saying. St Ronnie fired the first shot and it's been downhill for the middle class ever since.

[Tim303]

09:34 AM on 10/14/2010

"I am a Reaganzombie Clownthug and this is my last hurrah."

[gutsy357]

09:31 AM on 10/14/2010

I dont think the GOP will ever be in power ever again. That party has lost credibility and the capacity to govern.
Folks that still support them have some deep issues. I have never seen so much hate coming from CHRISTIANS in my life.
I do believe in Karma!

[Gregor53]

08:23 PM on 10/15/2010

Remember, there is no single person as Dumb as the whole of us together. Feediing on Fear is easier than Hope, particularly when you make sure there is no chance for anything different than today.

[mikegriffith]

08:13 AM on 10/14/2010

“Have you noticed that many here don't post sources for their outrageous claims and resort to slander and ridicule when they can't articulate a valid point. Yet they discredit our sources as "far-right", even when talking about the Cato institute - not realizing that libertarianism is not to the right or left, but above them both.”

Yes, true. Many--not all, but many--here obviously never read anything but left-wing sources and would not dare read anything from a source that didn't agree with them.

As a result, you still have a bunch of people who still repeat the myth that the Bush tax cuts were mostly "tax cuts for the rich," when in fact by far the largest rate cuts in the Bush tax cuts were for the lower brackets, as anyone can confirm for themselves rather quickly and easily by simply comparing the 2000 tax tables to the 2004 tax tables.

Similarly, you still have a bunch of people who simply refuse--knowingly refuse--to admit or face the fact that federal revenue has gone up after every single major tax cut since Harding. Over and over again you see people here assuming that tax cuts cause deficits and that the 2003 tax cuts caused the Bush deficits, when in point of fact federal revenue rose dramatically after those tax cuts--the problem was that Congress jacked up spending even more.

[Eris23Skidoo]

07:03 PM on 10/14/2010

Bull. First of all, libertarianism IS a right-wing ideology. It isn't right wing in the same way as conservatism but it is a "I got mine, screw everybody else" kind of ideology. Very conservative. The ultimate end of libertarianism is the end of small business and corporations doing everything. Both conservatives and libertarians are rabidly anti-government but both overlook the dangers of corporations.

Also, you would be a little more credible if you would take your own advice and CITE YOUR SOURCES when you're talking about such foolishness as tax cuts increasing federal revenue (the Laffer Curve was discredited a LONG time ago) or other foolishness as pretending that the Bush tax cuts were ANYTHING but a FAT GIVEAWAY to the top 2% income bracket. You say to compare the tax tables. Do you have a link WITH the tax tables or are you just a hypocrite who tells everyone ELSE to cite their dang sources while you personally don't have to cite ANYTHING? It's time to grow up now that the grownups are in charge.

[Gregor53]

08:25 PM on 10/15/2010

The coloring book version is not out yet.

[Eris23Skidoo]

07:04 PM on 10/14/2010

Libertarianism ends in a monopoly in every industry. Think about it.

[Philclock]

12:11 AM on 10/17/2010

I have thought about it.

Prove it, I can find no example of what you're talking about, nor do I understand your premise.

[usamade]

08:10 AM on 10/14/2010

"I don't think it worked then," explained the GOP hopeful. "It didn't solve any problems then and it hasn't solved any problems in 50 years."

Really? It created a middle class and made us into the strongest nation in the world.

[Eris23Skidoo]

07:07 PM on 10/14/2010

That didn't solve any of HIS problems. Remember this is a guy who INHERITED his own wealth. He doesn't know JACK about working hard or working at all. I'll bet running for Senate is the hardest work he's ever done. Do you think he can make it all the way through the race? I'll bet he thought the whole thing would be easy, just like the rest of his life has been up until now. Don't trust a silver spoon to ever do an honest day's work. And don't trust them to EVER have your interests at heart. The last time we put a silver spoon in a position of authority we got the Bush years. An era known for economic messes to the degree that we will go through several presidencies before the messes are all cleaned up.

[1jadednewyorker]

08:09 AM on 10/14/2010

This person will w/o a doubt in my mind have individuals that make the min wage or who are barely making it vote for him.

[vlm1948]

07:41 AM on 10/14/2010

Mr Raese and his ilk don't want the government involved in the economy unless it is to bail their sorry bu++s out.

[David01]

07:16 AM on 10/14/2010

And these are the guys the tea party trusts to look out for "Joe Six-pack"?
The good news is that he's helping to make the choice really clear between the parties.

[wdw505]

07:21 AM on 10/14/2010

good

[Eris23Skidoo]

07:09 PM on 10/14/2010

So you're on the side of the silver spoon teabaggers and you want the choice between THAT anathema and a good candidate to be made MORE clear? Are you trying to LOSE the upcoming elections? I just don't see how this spins in your favor.