[–] iwasnotshadowbanned 1 point 44 points 45 points (+45|-1) ago
I'm surprised he pays them anything....
Most of the political internships I have seen were unpaid.
[–] TexasComments [S] 9 points 5 points 14 points (+14|-9) ago
I used to do this for a living and I can tell you that in the political field "intern" can mean a generic campaign volunteer or a legislative lackey who knows how to write a press release rough draft or respond to correspondence.
I just find it hypocritical that someone would call for an across the board $15 minimum wage and not pay his staff that same $15 even though he is very well able to. Now, the argument will be that an intern is learning and gaining experience; well that's bullshit, someone working for me as an Accounting Intern or a Engineering Intern is paid - much better than minimum wage - and they are still learning and often doing less productive work than any political interns that I have employed or worked with.
If you want to shout about progressive ideas striving towards an ideal then start with yourself and your staff.
[–] let_them_eat_slogans 1 point 13 points 14 points (+14|-1) ago
But he is starting with his staff. Is it really hypocritical to call for an increased minimum wage while paying your staff more than the minimum wage? It's not like he's saying $15 is some magical number that will solve our problems once and for all.
[–] iwasnotshadowbanned 5 points 0 points 5 points (+5|-5) ago
Why are you telling me this? Go tell Bernie if you feel so strongly about it.
Oh, and arguments from authority(especially regarding politics) won't work on me :)
The reason for our difference is probably the fact that we worked on different types of campaigns. Did you work for Republican campaigns?
[–] toker7 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Most legislative interns are unpaid and only receive a stipend for their work. The interns that are paid are usually interns that have advanced degrees or experience beyond a bachelors degree.
The fact that he is willing to pay his interns more than the legally required amount speaks volumes to his creditability. Additionally, he does not likely have the ability to pay any staff. He has refused to use any PAC and has refused to use traditional sources of financing a campaign like $2,000 private campaign dinners. His opponents can out spend him easily.
I just finished law school and my internship paid $11/hour with a $1 raise half way though the internship. Many of my class mates worked much less or even for free. Some of my class mates made a lot more, $20 per hour. Even within the same industry wages vary.
As others have stated before me and others will state after me, this is a sad attempt at distracting people from Bernie Sanders message by focusing on a decision which he was not likely involved a great deal. Just like the board of directors for a company, candidates do not make very many decisions regarding day to day operations. They are too busy dealing with the non-stop news cycles and campaign events.
[–] 1223427? 1 point 23 points 24 points (+24|-1) ago
It's well above the minimum wage and internships are slightly different, but you have a point there. Most senate internships are unpaid.
http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=%26*2%3C4Q%2CO%3F%0A
[–] Broc_Lia 0 points 12 points 12 points (+12|-0) ago (edited ago)
Personally I'm for freedom of contract, but I believe people should be held to their own standards. Uncompensated work doesn't sound very socialist and if he argues the minimum anyone should be paid per hour is €15 then that's what he should stick to.
[–] Terkan 1 point 8 points 9 points (+9|-1) ago
Exactly why these internships are compensated. He is holding himself to his own standards. He's paying them absolutely much more than he has to. He could pay them 0, but he's paying them 12. He would like everyone with a regular job to earn 15, but internships still could pay absolutely nothing. (only internships in for-profit private sectors cannot be unpaid if the following criteria apply)
The following six criteria must be applied when making this determination: The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment; The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern; The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff; The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded; The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship. If all of the factors listed above are met, an employment relationship does not exist under the FLSA, and the Act’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the intern.
Clearly Bernie doesn't have to pay them anything. The fact that he is paying 12 is amazing. THere's no hypocrisy here, it is in fact the opposite. It actually goes to show that he is doing much more than he needs to to help out more in need.
[–] NedTaggart 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
That really depends on your motive for making that claim. Are you making it because you actually believe it or are you making it because there are a lot of people that want to hear it.
The saddest part about that is that the vast majority of the people that hear that claim and gravitate towards the man with the message never even think to ask "Where does the money come from if you double minimum wage?"
[–] CatNamedJava 1 point 13 points 14 points (+14|-1) ago
It pretty standard in gov to have unlaid interns.
[–] TexasComments [S] 0 points 7 points 7 points (+7|-0) ago
I interned on the hill a long time ago .... trust me there is plenty of bipartisan sex happening and more gay Republicans than you can fuck if you tried.
[–] catfaceddog 5 points 4 points 9 points (+9|-5) ago
It's not $15 for minimum wage yet! Most interns get nothing more than disrespect.
[–] TexasComments [S] 2 points 1 point 3 points (+3|-2) ago
Have you ever been an intern?
[–] Meogi 2 points 8 points 10 points (+10|-2) ago (edited ago)
ITT: Most people justifying their Bernie devotion with, "Others have it worse" and "They should be happy they get anything."
Edit: Downvoats for the captain obvious routine or because you disagree? You have to have posted a decent amount to be able to downvoat, but couldn't post your reasoning. Shame on you Voaters. I thought you were better than that.
[–] jackofdiamonds 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
I'll bet that if this were pointed out to him, he would change it to $15. It's not likely clandestine; they just probably had it at $12 long before the $15 minimum wage issue was conceived, and it didn't occur to them to bump the interns when his POTUS campaign started.
[–] laikaislost 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Yes, Hanlon's razor applies to all people big and small. Perhaps this issue should be brought up to Bernie's team for a response rather than complaining. If his team gives an unsatisfactory response, then you are justified in getting angry.
Let us not attribute to malice and cruelty what may be referred to less criminal motives. Do we not often afflict others undesignedly, and, from mere carelessness, neglect to relieve distress? - Jane West
[–] Dutch_TFP 4 points 0 points 4 points (+4|-4) ago (edited ago)
Bernie pays them above minimum wage so what's the problem? As far as I can see he gives people internships, those are not necessarily payed positions and then he pay's them more then the minimum wage.
I am European so I don't know but does he pay them out of his pocket? Because then it's even more admirable.
Edit: TexasComments informed me about Bernies possibilities to pay his interns so I changed my view to agree that he should pay them 15 dollars. So stop downvoating me, lol.
[–] daskapitalist 2 points 4 points 6 points (+6|-2) ago
If he were a capitalist no one would care. But he's socialist demanding the minimum wage be raised to $15/hr, so the hypocrisy is overwhelming.
[–] TheJubJubBird 2 points 2 points 4 points (+4|-2) ago
Bernie pays them above minimum wage so what's the problem?
Because it's below a wage that he says should be the absolute minimum because anything less is unconscionable.
It's not a matter of legality but of hypocrisy. If he thinks $15 is the absolute minimum anyone should ever get paid legally because anything less is so low that it's harmful to the worker and to society at large. What does it say about him that he pays less than that amount?
[–] TexasComments [S] ago
No.
Senator’s Official Personnel and Office Expense Account “the Senator’s Account”). This main account ranges from $3 million to $4.7 million and depends on state population, distance from Washington, DC, and the number of postal addresses in the state. This account is used for salaries and all other “official office expenses.” Economic Allocation Fund. Given in two three-year allotments for the purchase of IT and office equipment in all offices. Constituent Services Systems (CSS) funds. This funding is for CSS hardware, software purchases and maintenance. Home State Furniture and Furnishings. A lifetime allowance ranging from $52,000 to $73,000. Senator’s Allowance. A $5,000 allotment for personal office use. Other accounts allot things rather than money. Used for office rent, supplies, and related services. Senate offices may pay for “Officially related expenses” with excess campaign funds. Contact the Senate Ethics Committee for guidance. Senate budgets are prorated for partial years. Check with Senate Disbursing Office to confirm your budget allocations.
[–] StevieDedalus 5 points 82 points 87 points (+87|-5) ago
Wow $12 an hour...pretty good for an internship.
[–] [deleted] 1 point 26 points 27 points (+27|-1) ago
[–] flyawayhigh 1 point 25 points 26 points (+26|-1) ago (edited ago)
Someone is trying to seed the idea of hypocrisy in this custom title. But this is not hypocrisy.
This is a legal standard that Bernie is supporting. The best way that he can achieve this standard is from the White House. Traditionally, money is the most important deciding factor. At this point, it looks like Bernie is at a huge disadvantage in that area. One interesting reason for this disadvantage is the proliferation of low-paid or unpaid volunteers for candidates generally.
But most critically, as @VictorOscarAlphaTang, pointed out in this excellent comment on this page:
What we are seeing here is a refusal to lie down and let the corporate candidates crush this one.
This is no more hypocritical than refusals to "unilaterally disarm" nuclear weapons.
[–] pH_ 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago
Maybe if it's non-technical. I'm in Computer Science, and if you're being paid less than $20/hr for an internship you're being screwed unless you have some kind of crazy good benefits. Easy example, Microsoft pays developer interns $30/hr and follows a successful internship with a job offer.
[–] Ishamoridin 2 points 2 points 4 points (+4|-2) ago
Pretty sure Bernie Sanders isn't employing a lot of developer interns, though I can see how your reply is tangentially related.
[–] TexasComments [S] 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
M&A at a friend's firm up on the East Coast [non-WS] pay their interns $40-60/hr. they also require a ridiculous pedigree and a willingness to work 18 hour days.
[–] retro_falcon 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Damn government jobs! I work as a software engineer full-time and I only $30/hr...
[–] jchhiminey 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Interns get paid??? WTF.
[–] Engineered_To_Fail 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Came here to say this. If they support his cause, they are more than willimg to do it for free.