President Barack Obama plans to issue an executive order earlier this morning to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers to $10.10 per hour.

With the President's State of the Union tonight, it is expected the chief executive will also push for the federal minimum wage for all Americans be increased to $10.10 per hour.

Minden Congressman John Fleming told 710 KEEL that the president's actions this morning is technically legal, "Federal workers are under his direct control.  As executive of our government, he certainly has the right and ability to do that."

But the Congressman is concerned about pushing the unemployment rate even higher.

"The problem with raising minimum wage in the economy is that the overall economy and standard of living is way down below what it was when he took office," explained Dr. Fleming.  "The average household income is down $2,500."

"Black unemployment is the highest in modern history," continued the Minden Republican.  "We have the smallest workforce participation and we have the highest welfare in modern times in food stamps.  If we raise the minimum wage now, we're going to kill the few minimum wage jobs we have now."

President Obama is anticipated to ask Congress to boost the minimum wage and then tie increases to the minimum wage to the rate of inflation.

 

Obama Hiking Minimum Pay for New Federal Contracts

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