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Julie Biddle's avatar

I have taught school for 30 years. To me the most offensive part of this bill is allowing children who have been in school all day and need to do homework, study, sleep, get ready for the next school day, to work a 6 hour shift at night. How are they going to stay awake in class, let alone learn anything?

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Barry Piatt's avatar

Exactly. Growing brains and bodies need rest. Regularly.

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Laura Belin's avatar

The last minimum wage increase in Iowa actually happened in January 2007! It was the first bill the Democratic-controlled legislature sent to Governor Chet Culver.

Inexcusable that it hasn't been raised since then. And in 2017 the GOP trifecta made it illegal for local governments to pass minimum wage increases.

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Barry Piatt's avatar

The $7.25 rate took effect in January 2008. That is the date I am using. As always, Republicans are using government to avoid the predictable consequences of the problem they themselves created.

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Ralph Rosenberg's avatar

It is a national issue and another example of the organization, power and money of the radical right. For several years, Koch has had a lobbyist in the Iowa legislature (Americans for Prosperity) lobbying for policies promoted by Heritage Foundation and similar groups-including opposition to raising minimum wage. Weakening child labor also fits with the anti-regulatory theme common to every proposal. BTW: The messaging for Americans for Prosperity tells Americans that only they believe in freedom and opportunity, described as the keys to unleashing prosperity for all.

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Bob Shreck's avatar

Agree with the sentiment but not the adjective--it is not "hypocrisy" if one does what one professes. Allowing the market to set labor rates and liberalizing restrictions on labor are perfectly consistent with Republican-espoused "laissez-faire economics".

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