More Eldridge hypocrisy
ICYMI, the Washington Free Beacon just posted an article pointing out that while Sean Eldridge sends out fundraising emails calling for an increase in the minimum wage, Chris Hughes’s magazine, the New Republic, is more than happy to exploit unpaid, full-time internships. Maybe the New Republic is hurting for money?
Probably not, since Hughes has $700 million to play with and they have no problem turning down ad revenue from Republicans.
So this begs the question of Eldridge – does he support the New Republic’s policy of hiring what amounts to full-time journalists without paying them?
Because if Eldridge is in favor of raising the minimum wage, certainly he has to think that the New Republic shouldn’t be exploiting journalists by requiring them to work for no wage at all.
NRCC Comment: “There may not be a bigger hypocrite running for Congress than Sean Eldridge. While Eldridge is sending out campaign fundraising emails calling for a higher minimum wage, his husband’s magazine, The New Republic, is exploiting journalists by requiring them to work full time without pay.” – NRCC Spokesman Ian Prior
TNR Hubby Calls for Minimum Wage Hike; TNR Interns Still Unpaid
BY: Sonny Bunch
Earlier this week I noted the hypocrisy of In These Times and its hotshot labor journo Mike Elk for their exploitation of unpaid labor despite claims that they support all workers earning a “living wage.” Of course, In These Times isn’t the only hypocritical leftwing magazine when it comes to the minimum wage. The New Republic—which has argued for a minimum wage as far back as 1915!—also refuses to pay its interns. Here’s Vice, the mag that broke this scandalous story:
The New Republic is another liberal outlet with a problematic labor record. Owned by a co-founder of Facebook worth more than $600 million, the magazine is currently hiring interns whose responsibilities include “conducting research for editors,” as well as “pitching and writing blog posts and web pieces.” Previous experience in journalism is “preferred, but not imperative.”
TNR used to advertise that its internships “are full-time, unpaid, and based in the DC office,” but that language was removed soon after the magazine became aware of this story. Spokesperson Annie Augustine told me that despite the change in language, “there has not been a change in policy.” However, she added that “interns are given the option to work flexible hours so they can take part-time jobs.”
Chris Hughes, awash in Facebook millions, exploits unpaid laborers even as his magazine continues to advocate for job-killing wage hikes. And Hughes isn’t alone in this crusade: His hubby, Sean Eldridge, is trying to gin up support for his effort to buy win a seat in Congress by encouraging folks to urge Congress to increase the minimum wage. In a plea for funds sent out just this morning, Eldridge decried the fact that, “For more than four years, the minimum wage has been frozen at $7.25. A family with two children that earns minimum wage lives below the poverty line. That’s unacceptable.” Emphasis in the original because it’s super-duper-unacceptable, you guys. Is there an “unlike” button I can click to show my displeasure? Where’s my frownie emoji?
It’s unclear if Eldridge thinks Hughes should pay his interns the minimum wage. I’m guessing that, since Eldridge is relying on Hughes’ Facebook fortune to buy win his seat, he won’t make a big deal out of it.
It’s worth noting that, contra Eldridge’s plaintive missive, virtually none of the benefits of a minimum wage increase would go to people living in poverty:
A report issued by the American Action Forum found that congressional proposals to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would affect “only 7.8 percent of all hourly-paid workers in poverty [who] earn at or below the minimum wage.”
The greatest beneficiary could be teenagers living with their parents, who make up about 37 percent of minimum wage workers. Many of these minimum wage earners come from privileged backgrounds.
The Earned Income Tax Credit is way, way better at targeting poverty. But that’s harder to explain to people than “We should raise this wage!” And why bother with things like “facts” and “figures” when you can make nakedly emotional appeals with which to attack your political enemies?