Gop Called Robin Hoods In Reverse Reich Says Republicans Take From The Poor, Give To The Rich

Labor Secretary Robert Reich accused congressional Republicans of being Robin Hoods in reverse Thursday and challenged their House leader to a debate over raising the minimum wage.

Reich claimed that the House Republicans’ “Contract With America” ignores working Americans and that almost half of its proposed $725 billion tax cut would go to families earning more than $100,000 a year.

“Republicans are now behaving like Robin Hood on rewind,” he told a Labor Department Low Wage Workers Conference. “They’re picking the pockets of the poor to pump up the purses of the prosperous.”

Saying there are “tens of millions” of Americans working harder than ever before and barely making it, Reich urged adoption of President Clinton’s proposal to boost the $4.25 hourly minimum wage to $5.15 over two years.

“Eleven million (workers) earn less than $5.15 an hour,” Reich told the conference. “Yet some Republicans…still claim that they don’t need a raise.”

Opponents contend an increase would cause businesses to cut their work forces and thus result in lost jobs rather than greater incomes.

Among them are House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, who has said he would fight any increase “with every fiber in my being” and who has suggested eliminating the wage altogether.

“He’s bigger than me, and has more fibers in his being that I do,” said the 4-foot-10 labor secretary, “but I’m ready to take him on about the minimum wage. …

“Mr. Armey, I challenge you to a debate … over the airwaves so every American can watch.”

Armey, who stands 6-foot-3, declined the invitation, saying through a spokeswoman, “We’ve got a `Contract With America’ to deal with over 100 days, so our agenda is pretty full.”

Reich denied that raising the minimum wage would result in job losses.

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