For the Record: Finally, some meat!
It only took four debates for Republicans to stop sniping at each other (well, sort of) and actually debate important issues. But they did. Kind of. Somewhat. Perhaps.
Now that they’ve given us a few specifics to chew, we figured this is a good time to digest two meaty issues (mmm, meat) that arose on Tuesday. Because you know they’ll come up again. And when they do, you can show your friends how smart, informed and generally all-around awesome you are.
Why? Because you get For The Record in your inbox. (Seriously, @joannaallhands, @jmestepa and @RGJBrettMcG are nailing this marketing thing, aren't we?)
ISSUE 1: A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE
This, at base, is an argument about what to do about the growing number of people who work full time but still can’t make ends meet. Most major cities have seen at least one protest to raise the minimum wage. Bernie Sanders wants a $15-an-hour nationwide minimum, while Donald Trump wouldn't touch the federal minimum wage. The rest of the candidates are somewhere in between.
The pros:
Seattle adopted a $15-an-hour wage, and it hasn’t killed the economy there. Thirteen other states that hiked their rates saw larger job growth than those that kept their wages steady. The more we can help workers make a living wage, the less they’ll need to rely on expensive social services to survive.
The cons:
A $15-an-hour wage might make sense in high-cost cities like San Francisco and New York, but what about small towns where $15 an hour goes a lot further? An across-the-board hike seems arbitrary. And it may not make a huge difference, considering that less than 5 percent of the working population makes at or below the minimum wage.
ISSUE 2: TAXES
It’s pretty much a requirement if you’re running for office to <3 tax reforms, particularly those that would help the middle class. The problem is no one agrees what kind of system would be most helpful for those of us who can honestly say we’ve never left the keys to the Ferrari in our other pants. (This is where normal people’s eyes start to glaze over, and we apologize about that. If hand gestures translated well online, we’d use them for the entertainment value, if nothing else). Among the options:
The flat tax:
Ben Carson and Ted Cruz are among the supporters of this idea, contending that a flat rate is fairer and easier than our current mess of deductions and exemptions. Opponents say a flat rate would be tougher on the poor than the rich.
A national sales tax:
Mike Huckabee is in this camp, saying taxes based on consumption are fairer. People who can afford to spend more would pay more. But critics say a sales tax disproportionately hurts the poor.
Taxing the rich:
Hillary Clinton is big on hiking some capital gains taxes, arguing that the majority of people who pay them are already rich and therefore, can afford it. Opponents say hiking those taxes would kill the economy by encouraging fewer investments.
WHAT DO WE WANT? NOT WHAT WE’VE GOT
A National Public Radio panel in Iowa discussed the youth vote, and their conclusions were mostly “well, duh” statements to millennials. Our politics tend to lean left. We tend to distrust the establishment. And social media? It may be a good way to reach young voters, but just because you know what an emoji is doesn’t mean you’ll win us over. In other words, message matters, and young people want to be inspired. Charly Haley at the Des Moines Register has more.