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[–] TexasComments [S] 9 points 5 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.

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[–] 1227181? 4 points 14 points (+18|-4) ago 

It is not hypocritical. Bernie Sanders is pushing to incrementally raise the minimum wage until it reaches $15 per hour in 2020. Unless I missed the last 4 1/2 years, it is not 2020 yet.

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[–] daskapitalist ago 

If he really thinks it's so reasonable, he can do it now of his own free will when the cost is coming out of his pocket.

It's easy to pass the buck to someone else's wallet at some future date.

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[–] let_them_eat_slogans 1 point 13 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.

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[–] TheJubJubBird 1 point 2 points (+3|-1) ago 

Is it really hypocritical to call for an increased minimum wage while paying your staff more than the minimum wage?

Yes, according to him it's a wage that is so low that it's harmful to the workers, to society at large, and it shouldn't be legal.

It's not like he's saying $15 is some magical number that will solve our problems once and for all.

But anything less should be criminal.

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[–] TexasComments [S] 1 point 1 point (+2|-1) ago 

He is exactly saying $15 is the livable wage and if you've ever lived inside the beltway or commuted from Arlington on the metro every day you would know that $12 flies in the face of Bernie's rhetoric.

He is saying that it is evil for a corporation to pay less than a livable wage he defined as $15 which he himself he doesn't pay his staff with a multimillion dollar yearly budget.

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[–] toker7 0 points 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.

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[–] iwasnotshadowbanned 5 points 0 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?

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[–] TexasComments [S] 1 point 1 point (+2|-1) ago 

He won't meet with me because i'm a Republican, Trump supporting, misogynistic, Ayn Rand loving, socialist hating capitalist wants to see him lose after the primary.

I have never worked for a democrat and I find many of them to be the same people who sit in a prius and savor their farts before going into whole foods.