Meet Michael Wager-- And A Swing District In Ohio The DCCC Has Ignored

While Steve Israel is wasting money by diverting it into trying to elect anti-Choice/anti-LGBT/anti-environment fanatic Jennifer Garrison, the DCCC has ignored the most sensible red to blue district in Ohio, the 14th, currently held by freshman backbencher David Joyce. The DCCC is trying to push the arch-conservative Garrison through in a red, red district with a PVI of R+8 (and where Romney won with 55%), OH-14 has a more vulnerable PVI of R+4. McCain took in in 2008 with only 50% and in 2012 Romney managed with 51%. Sherrod Brown won the district both times he ran for Senate. Comprised of all or part of seven counties in the northeast corner of the state, OH-14 is the last truly competitive district in Ohio; Nate Silver identifies it as one of only 35 remaining swing districts in the U.S. Although Geauga County is a very red bastion (although Sherrod Brown did win there in 2012), Lake is a swing county and Obama actually won the other 5 counties in the district in 2012, Ashtabula, Trumball, Portage, Summit and Cuyahoga. When long-time moderate Republican Steven LaTourette, disgusted with the Tea Party takeover of the GOP, retired in 2012 the DCCC blew a chance to win the district. Perennial candidate Dale Blanchard ran and the DCCC ignored the district. Blanchard raised no money at all-- not even enough ($5,000) to file an FEC report and David Joyce won the "competitive" district, raising $952,655 and only bothering to spend $672,204.

Ohio Democrats were determined to not let that happen again and have united around progressive Michael Wager this cycle. Wager has been running a competitive campaign but he's far too independent-minded and progressive for Steve Israel who refused to put him in the DCCC Kickstart program, primarily reserved for corrupt conservatives like Garrison. This past quarter, with no DCCC help, Wager raised just over $100,000. Joyce brought in just over double that. There is tremendous pressure from Ohio Democrats on Israel to allow the DCCC to back Wager. We'll see. Meanwhile, Blue America is very interested, since Wager stands for all the values and principles of the FDR wing of the party. We asked him to introduce himself in a guest post. You can read more about him on his website and Facebook page and on his Twitter stream.

Income Inequality Is The Issue Of Our Time
by Michael Wager

The core motivation for my candidacy is concern about the future of American participatory democracy as a result of protracted and worsening income equality. The oft-discussed issues of gerrymandering, election law abuses and campaign finance laws are certainly challenges to meaningful choice in our elections; however, it is unjustifiable economic inequality that weakens our social cohesion and erodes the American middle class. This is not a necessary consequence of American capitalism. Rather, it is mostly attributable to a federal tax and expenditure policies that favor narrow interests over most Americans.

Consider this. As our nation continues a slow recovery from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, millions of American workers are unemployed or under-employed and wages have been stagnant for decades. Yet, the 113th Congress has not passed a jobs bill and fails to act on an increase in federal minimum wage. Instead, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed the "Ryan Budget," which, included no employment initiatives and relief for low wage earners but, among its parade of horribles, would have voucherized Medicare, raised its eligibility to age 67, and made massive cuts to vital social programs.

There is no simple or single solution to addressing America’s employment and wage issues. There are, however, several governmental actions that can commence real recovery for all American. Here are two:

• Infrastructure Investment. To remedy our deteriorating infrastructure, I call upon Congress to pass a national infrastructure investment program to repair or replace roads, bridges, ports, water and wastewater systems and electricity transmission. Investment in these job-creating projects is one of the most effective way to stimulate our economy and, at the same time, meet critical domestic demands and national security needs.

Infrastructure investments put people to work, stimulate consumer spending and increase local sales and income tax revenues. With an estimated investment of $120 billion (to meet critical demand), we would create over 2.5 million jobs.

• Raise the Federal Minimum Wage. In his State of the Union address, the President indicated that, by Executive Order, he would raise federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour for direct federal employees and employees of federal contractors. This is long-overdue. Federal minimum wage has not been increased since 2009. While the President’s action brings some relief to 16,000 federal workers and up to 200,000 more employed by federal contractors, what about another 30 million workers that earn 150% of minimum wage or less? They must wait for Congress to act.

Some in Congress, including Speaker John Boehner and my opponent, freshman Republican David Joyce, claim that increases in minimum wage are "job killers." They are fundamentally inaccurate. While an increase in minimum wage may lead some isolated cases of job loss, most economists concur that increased wages for the lowest wage earners spur consumer spending and growth. A January 2014 Brookings Institution analysis calls this the "ripple effect" of increasing minimum wage.

These same opponents to a wage increase claim that low wage earners are "teenagers" and don’t an increase. This is just plain wrong. First, less than 3% of American workers are actually paid minimum wage, but over 30 million workers earn 150% of minimum wage or less. Only 12% are teenagers.

Opposition to an increased minimum wage is not based on data or logic. It’s the result of lobbyists for largest employers of low wage earners waging a campaign based on their narrow interests, falsehoods and bad economics. Democrats have introduced the Fair Minimum Wage Act. I call upon House leaders to take up this bill and begin to restore our minimum wage levels to a livable wage.

My recent interview on increasing federal minimum wage can be heard in this podcast.

As I continue to pursue my campaign for Congress, the issue of employment and wages will be a keystone. Income inequality is the issue of our time; it divides us and it threatens our democracy. Eighty years ago, we, as a nation, addressed similar issues. We succeeded in establishing a robust American middle class. It took leadership, and we created what we have all called the "American Dream." It is time to rebuild it.