Hope is in the Minimum Wage

The fact Congress has not increased the national minimum wage since 1997 is simply inexcusable.

As Ted Strickland said in this great NPR piece this morning, the Minimum wage is a values issue. As Democrats we believe that if you work hard, and play by the rules, you should be able to provide for your family and get ahead. Seeing as a full-time minimum wage earner makes $10,712 a year, which is 35.5 percent below the official 2006 federal poverty level for a family of three, that is hardly the case today.

Rep. Pat Tiberi said that he would be