Is Andrew Cuomo Right?
/
In an op-ed piece in The New York Times, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo writes, "Fast-Food Workers Deserve a Raise." The article begins with context about his own actions in NY:
ALBANY - INCOME inequality is a national problem that leaders at all levels of government are grappling with. While American capitalism never guaranteed success, it did once guarantee opportunity. But today, too many Americans don't believe their children will have a better life than their own. The ideal of mobility has been replaced by the reality of stagnation.
Some argue that we can close the income gap by pulling down the top. I believe we should do it by lifting up the bottom. We can begin by raising labor standards, starting with the minimum wage.
In 2013, I raised New York State's minimum wage; it is now $8.75, up from $7.25 (and will rise to $9 at the end of the year). In my latest budget, I proposed raising it again, to $11.50 in New York City and $10.50 elsewhere in the state. But the Legislature rejected that proposal. So I am continuing the fight. While lawmakers delay, I am taking action.
As evidence, Governor Cuomo quotes President Franklin D. Roosevelt and provides data about income inequality, worker demographics, public assistance spending, wages and prices in Europe, and projected outcomes of raising wages.
Discussion Starters:
- What examples do you find of logos, pathos, and ethos in Governor Cuomo's article?
- Which arguments are strongest and weakest? What, if any, flaws do you find in his data or logic?
