"washington journal" is live on c-span. ♪ ♪ good morning, it's the forhington journal" december 27. the vice president joe biden is expected to speak today at the funeral for the sleigh new york city police officer, rafael ray most. -- ramos. times" reports that states that depend on oil to adjusty have because of lower oil prices. there is a start -- there's a story on how oil companies are cutting back on jobs because of the drop in prices.

when new year's day hits next week, not only do we have a new year but 20 states and the district of columbia will see higher minimum wages. is thisfirst 45 morning, we will talk about what's going on in the states when it comes to the minimum wage but the topic overall -- what you think about the increase in how do you think it will affect the worker that the employers who have to provide the increase? this is your chance to call in -- you can give us your thoughts in the minimum wage increase in states and overall honor social media sites. these wages are expected to start with the new year. a story in "the washington post" on this -

you may be one of those workers that depend on minimum wage and you might want to weigh in on

this project or you may live in a state where these changes will take place or an employer who has to provide. for a first 45 mets come your thoughts are welcome on the topic of the wage increases of the minimum wage. we will start this morning hearing from bill from washington, d.c., one of those affected by minimum wage increases. caller: good morning, can you hear me? host: yes, go ahead. caller: let me just say i am a bleeding heart liberal democrat with an economic and social conscience. support ofys been in not a higher minimum wage but a living wage.

i know people to the right of me politically make fun of that. it's san francisco terminology derisively. it is just that, a living wage. everything gets more expensive. the world has changed. i am making pretty obvious comments. people assume that what will happen to all the corporations that employ everyone in the private sector if they have to pay their lower end employees bid, what is going to happen? will the world become socialist question mark will it become a possible for these publicly traded companies to survive? why can we not provide those who have the least among us in our society at least a living wage survey don't have to resort to public assistance which i know the tea partiers cannot stand.

hills,athan from beverly california, from our independent line. we could argue about social justice but economics is a real science and its material like physics. if you raise the minimum wage of above the productivity of a certain number of workers, you are creating a permanent underclass of people in america who cannot enter the workforce because their skills will not make them valuable enough to cover the wage which the state mandates. america is primarily a service economy. you have no manufacturing and se reservelo currency. ns have to live by their productivity, how are you going to survive? you have to make your wage in line with productivity. host: how does california handle

the topic of minimum wage? is it above the federal standard? we have a huge underground economy of people working in the gray area. california has given -- driven out industry largely with regulation with jerry brown. the only middle class in california left our state workers who are generously compensated. host: arkansas, the topic is the minimum wage and the increase is due to take place in 20 states. good morning, democratic line. morning, i agree with the wages going up. i think they should be $10.10, most of them, because there is work like mcdonald's and supermarkets and they should be able to pay $10 per hour more. jersey and iin new

worked at a supermarket driving trucks and i was making $23 per hour. they are up to $30 an hour with good business and i cannot say people saying they cannot afford to pay $10 per hour. there are a lot of jobs out here. host: what about the smaller businesses? they would have to pay these increases. caller: if a smaller business afford to, and he can pay $10, he does not have much of a business. pay $10 for people to cut my grass around my house. i give them $10 per hour. i don't have any income coming

in, it's out of my pocket. it's just simple. it's just too low. if you are just joining us, there's a story that 20 states and the district of columbia will raise the minimum wage on new year's day. want to talk about the topic of the minimum wage. maybe in a state affected or directly affected and you can weigh in and give your comments -- times" takes as look at the city's minimum wages.

you may be a consumer or someone who makes men wage or a business owner, you can give us your thoughts. independent line, hi there. caller: how are you doing today? right, raising the minimum wage is all well and good but i think i have a better plan. it's a three-point plan.

unemployment, nevermind this five-point whatever it is. unemployment would shift things obviously toward the employees. cap onwo, remove the fica taxes and medicare and medicaid taxes. remove that cap so people pay the percentage going by their income. the third thing is cap salary upefits for all executives to the united states president. executiveo ceo or that has to make more important decisions than the president of the united states. simpleid those three things, not complicated, three simple things, this country would be booming, beautiful,

everybody would be doing well from the bottom to the top. anyway, i hope people are listening. host: why du think all of those would work? caller: because -- if you shoot for zero becomes ant, it market for the workers, not the corporations and companies. shoot for everybody working instead of this five-point 2% which is supposed to be the secret percentage for a healthy economy. we have never tried 0% unemployment. let's give it a try. maryland, democrats line, hello. many people have

said before, we have a problem and america as far as jobs are concerned. we need to get workers to fit those positions. we really have to decide which direction we want to go. i'm only 35 years old but when i was coming up, these low-wage jobs were for teenagers and people trying to get skills for working. on top of that, even for a part-time job, they might work payhe box stores, jobs that better than minimum wage but now it's like everybody is forced into working minimum-wage jobs because they don't have the skills for other positions. i think we have to decide which way we will go. norm, ifs the new adults are going to be working

minimum-wage jobs, then yes, we have to raise the rates. if not, the only other thing we can choose is to make sure they have the skills to have better part-time jobs or other things to supplement their income. host: from twitter -- carl from hollis, new york, independent line. caller: good morning. why would the federal government want to raise the minimum wage? it's because it would put them over a certain threshold that would disqualify receiving benefits. that's the reason why they

are pushing for minimum wages, it's a great thing to get people off of welfare. that is a lofty goal. you put more pressure on employment. it will raise prices and contribute to inflation. people will not benefit from having that increase print you will not see a net increase in the goods they can purchase as a result of the minimum wage increase over time because prices will go up. therefore, these are the machinations of the banks and federal governments to plot the course. host: what do you think about president obama's call for a higher wage or should it be a state issue? the states understand

the major employers and what they are facing. as a result of that, they should decide what is best. the federal government to impose y'st would limit compan abilities to employ people. we are not yet at full employment. now be the time to raise the minimum wage? host: from kentucky on our republican line, this is bruce, hi. caller: yes, a lower minimum wage promotes op -- entrepreneurship. my daughter is looking at starting a cheese store. her employees would be paid out of her own pocket. she has to get started. if she had to pay more, she would probably not do this. kentucky is not raising the minimum wage. she is going to go ahead.

verge of on the affordable but once it goes up in various states, people like might daughter considering starting a business would think otherwise. host: how many people that she plan to employ? caller: just one two-man the store. to quit out of her pocket and then she will pay that person -- what is the kentucky minimum wage? caller: i think it's the same as the national minimum wage. once she gets started in the business starts to make money, she would obviously raise the wage of her employee. coulddid really well, it have longer hours with two people employed. i have several businesses. people quickly move on. the minimum wage is the first rung on the ladder for people to get started.

you raise it and you reduce the opportunity. it's just logical. hear next from fln in oakland, california, independent line. caller: i am from the lees. -- belize. working for a company from houston, texas and they bought a boat and a plane and we did not have insurance. we have to be very careful. when you do this work right now, you have to have three or four jobs to pay rent and get insurance. these other countries do not do that. americans are behaving like a third world country. i was making bluejeans and i got five dollars per week. i could not pay my mother's rent. right now, we are taking

advantage of the american dream. you have to have two and three jobs to do this type of work write-down. host: from twitter -- a couple of other stories on the front pages of "the wall street journal" and "the new york times" about the oil industry.

that's "the wall street journal" and then "the new york times" says --

freddie is up next in los angeles, california, republican line. caller: thanks for having me. brought uphat is not about the minimum wage seems obvious. like me, i don't think people should be homosexual. this sounds like a and unrelated topic. some say it's up to the individual themselves. i have no business to tell someone how to do their sexual activity. neither do people have a right to tell me what wages to accept or pay. it's a matter of liberty. have the right to impose your morality on us when it comes to wages. if you have that right, then people have the right to ban abortion, ban homosexuality, ban sex rp marriage -- and then sex before marriage. host: you would say eliminate the minimum wage altogether? caller: internships is a great

opportunity for people to get a leg up. there should be no government information -- intervention in this. it's between people. notterm called liberty does just apply to homosexuals are women's rights to have an abortion. it has to do with every activity of mankind. host: maryland, democrats line, you are next. caller: good morning, can you hear me? host: i can, go ahead. caller: i am caroline from cumberland, maryland. i want everybody to listen up and open up your ears real good. if they raise the minimum wage, i'm 70 two years old, if they raise them in wage, it will force the prices up on everything we do and by. poor senior citizens only have a $22 per month increase. it will force senior citizens into poverty. do they think we will dry up and blow away?

vote for bernie sanders was the only person that will have richly -- that will help you average middle class. oft: there were a couple stories on the oil industry. from "the houston chronicle" - the min wage-20 states and the district of columbia are set to raise it come january one and we are getting your thoughts on not only the states involved in the put your thoughts on the minimum wage overall. the numbers are on the screen --

ashley in next from brownsville, tennessee, independent line. i have something to say on the minimum wage increase. i feel as though we are increasing minimum wages in places that are already making well. people in tennessee are only making $7.25 per hour. adults have real children to support so that is not enough to provide for you and your family. you are really living in poverty and that's the reason people are going on government assistance. as far as the big states, the cost of living is higher considering gas and cigarettes and food ands things like that, they are almost the same price. we are not getting any changes.

wageshould mandate minimum increase for all states especially the smallest states which are not making as much anyway. we are really making seven dollars per hour. as far as oil, i don't feel as though we are using enough local them.ces to actually fund i feel like we are outsourcing way too much. say the federal government should mandate a higher wage for all states across the board? since: yes, especially picking and choosing -- but only certain states are doing it. at least do it for the states not making as much. states that are making more, why are we raising their minimum wage when they are already making enough? they are already making $10 per hour. do you think about

some of the comments this money from people who say raising the minimum wage will cause people to change the weight they do business? the minimum raising wage could affect retirees and their prices. when you hear these arguments, what do you think? retirees, iar as understand where they're coming from. if we were to employ more people and smaller businesses have to pay out-of-pocket, they have a set amount of people. they don't hire as much as the big companies do anyway. i feel as though if they set their standards right and make their budgets correct, they can afford to pay each person at least $10 per hour. maybe they would not have as many workers but they still make their -- these bigger companies like the ford motor company, they are making money and enough

to pay people more but they are not because of what they are trying to do as far as their business and getting production for them. let's hear from theodore, los angeles, california, democrats line. caller: good morning. i've listened to a lot of people talk about the increase in the minimum wage. but really what's needed is a change in the workplace. samuel gompers at the turn-of-the-century saw that the 12 hour workday was not working for the people. he was able to get the workday changed to eight hours. now we are looking at the same situation. the workday needs to be changed. all we have is a lot of people going to work and spending two hours doing nothing at work. before we can talk about a minimum wage, we need to start

changing the hours of work so that more people can go to work. host: are you within the city limits in los angeles? caller: yes, i am. host: there is a story talking about raising the minimum wage to $15 25 within the city limits. it should cause concern. the prices will reflect this big change. so many people won't be able to afford the new prices. it will create a worse problem that is for the homeless. athink california has homeless population that exceeds most other states anyway. as far as the actual wage hike, is that something you would support in los angeles? caller: they do need a wage hike but they also need to cut the hours of work as well.

that would enable more people to be able to go to work. we need to stop this socialization at work anyway. too much time is spent making friends and having parties or what have you. we need to change. america needs to change. host: we are talking about the minimum wage for the first 45 minutes. florida, independent line, good morning. caller: how are you doing? the argument has always been that if you rates -- raise the min wage, people would lose jobs and cannot afford it all the way back. i have been paying attention. it's not the republican line or the democrat line but i like to look at the facts as they are. you should bring on somebody who and data.ose facts

as i have seen it, minimum wage when it's raised, it does better. people have more money in their pocket. when you suppress the wages, people suffer. that once youoof raise the minimum wage, they have no data out there that says everybody gets laid off. actually there are more jobs created. bring somebody on their to talk about that. day, we wills have a roundtable discussion on the economy overall and minimum wage will be part of that discussion. if you're able to watch us on new year's day, please join us for that. connie and highland, california, republican line, go ahead. i don't know about

the minimum wage. everything increases when the minimum wage goes up. my social security went up. went up, security little bit. now i have to pay $50 each month. anyway, i don't see anything -- host: connie, you connect those to them raising the minimum wage? caller: i do. because minimum wage goes up, but then everything else goes up. they can afford to -- to -- to have the truckers bring in the food. less money and everything. host: that is connie from california. by the way, congress, when it comes back next year, immigration. one of the things atop the agenda, among other things including the economy.

the "wall street journal", a take at look at things that are being done behind the scenes. among the signs of legislative it comes to when immigration, the house preparing border security legislation for action early in 2015. veteran gop lawmakers have drafted bills offering additional visas for both low skilled workers and high-tech workers. democrats, even those who obama and executive ssaid the best course remains for congress to pass a conference of bill that fixes a range of immigration problems. we need a practical plan that strengthens our borders, addresses the systematic problems, aand provides a fair to cess for those who want earned the opportunity for citizenship. of the e, the chairman

homeland security committee a border security bill, aimed at better measuring illegal crossings. youngstown, ohio. tom, you are up next. caller: hi. how you doing today? host: ffine, thank you. caller: yes, i think the should government mandate minimum wage, granting each state to the ability to establish their minimum wage. based on the e average city, county, state, and any federal worker that works out of that state. take that average and make that minimum wage. i feel our government has to take control of this, in order that we can establish a fair minimum wage. big business -- any business -- has lobbyists that are in washington.

they get their tax benefits. they get favoritism shown to them. lawmakers ld make our think twice about getting into business, or any business, if they have to go back to their state and raise minimum wage. host: time, a question. do think that raising the minimum wage affects big businesses and small businesses differently? caller: not really. a small businessman myself. under d hire somebody minimum wage, but i can afford it. and they say, i work harder. there is no reason that big business cannot multitask. we are getting fat and lazy in the business world. we are making way too much money. to me, it is a crime. this long ught about and hard, and those who are working at lower paying jobs -- you make a living?

making $7.25 ive an hour? i just perseid. i can understand it. take anybody who is making thousand dollars a year make $7.25 an hour and see if they don't think tthat is enough to live on. host: tom, tell me about your business. what you do? to ler: i really don't want get into it because it is a specialty business. host: how many people do you employee? caller: just two. do you pay them? caller: well, one of them is my wife. like i said, you can payers of can get tax breaks. there are all kinds of avenues. fact, i have been in business myself for 20 years -- 15+ years, let's put it that way.

and i'm the best boss i've ever had. i've done the work ahead. host: that is tom in ohio, telling us about his experiences. chris and virginia. the independent line. caller: good morning. i love what the gentleman just said. i have my own business, i started on my own. we have tax breaks. we can pay ourselves what we want. is this idea that, you know -- when i started out as a young kid, my mother was a single mom. work her ass off to put us in a good area. area o back to that same now, those people can't even afford to make it now. i mean, it is ridiculous. and i love these guys that come on and say, oh, let's just get rid of minimum wage. to ell you what, go back

1920's in 1930's working conditions and see how you like it. businesses are in business to make a profit. that is it. idea that somehow, magically taxes are going to struggle down. listen, i hire people because it makes me more profit. i have money. me about your business. what you do, how many people do you hire, what do they? caller: i am in the defense business. like your previous caller, i my e run a two-man crew in business for years. for years. even though i could've hired other people. as my business grew, i

recognize that i need to hire more people to increase the profitability. host: okay. next caller is michael, from pennsylvania. michael, good morning. yes, pedro, good morning. i have worked at the ymca for many years. last time the minimum wage was raised. went out of business. a lot of people who work at the believe so because they in the ymca. they are committed to it. it is not always to make ends meet, bbut they believe in what the ymca is doing. i'm sure there are a lot of nonprofits across the country like that. you legislate from washington, just heard so many people. it hurts people. it is not a good idea -- this

cookie-cutter idea. people work because there is a demand for it. to employers want people work for them, and they can't get them, then they will raise their own wages. host: that is michael from pennsylvania. for the next couple minutes, about having discussions the minimum wage, as the district of columbia set to raise the minimum wage on january 1. a story takes a look at long-term project -- this appeared yesterday. u.s. stealth fighter iis 10 years behind. when a family and to service next year, after two decades and development, it won't be the to support troops on ground the way older planes can today.

what it does capture, it won't be able to transmit to infantrymen in real-time. single s of the new engine stealth fighter is set to replace almost every type of fighter in the u.s. air force, navy, and marine corps. the f 35 will come in my years behind 0 legacy fighters when it achieves initial operations capabilities. f 35 achieves it it will not have the weapons or sensor capability, with respect the close air support mission set. that was posted yesterday. ben his next up. ithaca, new york. the democrats line. caller: hi, pedro. how you doing?

i think he is right on. i was calling into essentially say the same thing; however, i wanted to add something to that. and it is of a great concern. i am a pacifist by nature and by action. and the living wage, you know, calculated by each state, but mandated to be done by the federal government. i'm concerned there is going to be riots in the streets. in the large cities. and i think that people, you are spending $400 billion while people are starving in the streets. and, again, i am deeply concerned. i thank you for your time. have a great day. email from a viewer, this is john saying that a hike in the minimum wage is good for a lot of reasons. at nine dollars per hour, the

minimum wage workers that will then be increase will making enough to be required to pay a little bit in taxes that they do not pay now. the bigger businesses cannot afford the increase. that say businesses they cannot afford to pay more, obviously do not have the volume to stay in business in the first place. of you are watching and sending us an email this way, as you can also. wichita, kansas. william, you are up next. independent line. caller: hi. look at the research -- the first time we had minimum wage -- if you do the extrapolation, we're talking about more than $10 right now. also, there are businesses who say they cannot afford that. guess what happens? the government is subsidizing these workers. you know?

businesses making record profits and they don't pay their workers enough? so i think that the minimum wage needs to be raised in such that nobody who walks is dependent on government for food stamps, housing, anything else. because they are essentially costing the government. then they are making all the record profits. host: mike from sterling, massachusetts. the republican line. go ahead, please. caller: good morning. i don't think it is good to raise the minimum wage. i think that what a lot of people don't realize is that, say, you raise the minimum wage tto $10 an hour, the employer has an additional cost that goes without for social security, medicare, health care. typically, it is about an average of 40% more.

so if the employer is paying the employee $10 an hour, the is $14 an hour. now, what that means is that it is a higher cost low to the business. with more ome up creative, cost-effective ways of doing business. for example, when i grew up, when you drove into a gas station, typically there was somebody there waiting for you. now it is also service. economical to have self-service than to pay somebody to pump the gas for you. think what i see a grocery stores now -- self-service checkout. those are becoming more popular. the higher we raise the minimum wage, the more we're going to see that. so what happens is, we lose minimum-wage jobs. which are entry-level jobs. people who are not meant to stay there. get minimum wage, but you move up from there.

the congressional budget office said that if you wage the minimum wage to $10 an an estimated s 500,000 jobs that would be lost. hurts tthe it entry-level employees more than it helps. in the have a few, but long -- it hurts a lot, too. host: that is mike from sterling, massachusetts. one of up, you may be those people who, as the end of the new year approaches, maybe wondering what to do about your tax situation. our next guest: is on to offer some advice. kevin mccormally, from kiplinger. and then later, we are going to some of the topics that arose from the college discussions. today, a look at college athletic programs. all those discussions will take place as "washington journal"

continues right after this. >> earlier this year, on cancer innovation. an hour-long preservationon the biggest pinocchio's of 2014 the word. given the politicians and political groups he believes made the biggest false claims. >> democrats tend to get a more upset at them because i think they have been brought into the myth of the liberal media. and they think that the media is on the side. where as republicans firmly kind of -- so the to ect that they're going be, you know, they are not going to be fair to me. i