As the debate on raising the minimum wage rages in Washington, D.C., some conservatives sound like they would like to abolish the federal minimum wage all together.
Here are five quotes from conservative thinkers on the issue:
1. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee says he would abolish the federal minimum wage,
according to The Huffington Post.
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"The question I want to ask, if we are interested in social justice, and we want to honor work instead of getting a welfare check, then wouldn't a more efficient way to help people in poverty be to increase the earned-income tax credit rather than do what we always do here, which is come up with a big idea and send the bill to somebody else?"
2. "The fact is if you look at ... the good economic models, the benefit is small. The cost of lost jobs is great," said former Sen. Tom Coburn,
according to Salon.
"It goes against the free market principle. We don't know what the minimum wage should be. How'd they pick $10.10? Why not $22? Why not $100?"
3. "I support people making more than $9. I want people to make as much as they can. I don't think a minimum wage law works," says Sen. Marco Rubio,
according to The Washington Post.
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"We all support — I certainly do — having more taxpayers, meaning more people who are employed. And I want people to make a lot more than $9 — $9 is not enough. The problem is you can't do that by mandating it in the minimum wage laws. Minimum wage laws have never worked in terms of having the middle class attain more prosperity."
4. "The biggest concern that I have is I don't want to take jobs away from the people who need to get on at least one level on the economic ladder," says Rep. Paul Ryan
as reported by the Milwaukee Business Journal.
5. "I think the minimum wage consistently hurts the most vulnerable," said Sen. Ted Cruz
as reported by Reuters.
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