State of Massachusetts Archives: on Jobs


Ayanna Pressley: A higher Federal minimum wage is beneficial

Our first priority must be ensuring that no one who works full time lives in poverty. That's why we should take immediate steps to raise the Federal minimum wage to at least $15 an hour and expand the Earned Income Tax Credit so that lower income families keep more of their hard-earned money.
Source: 2018 MA 7th House campaign website AyannaPressley.com Jul 4, 2018

Ed Markey: $10 an hour minimum wage is just a first step

Both candidates said they support a $10 federal minimum wage, but Gomez said the larger goal should be to help Americans aim even higher.

"People don't want to earn just $10 an hour," the former Navy SEAL said. "They want a chance at the American Dream."

Markey said that for many Americans, winning a $10 an hour minimum wage is a first step toward that dream.

Source: Boston Herald on 2013 MA Senate debates Jun 11, 2013

Scott Brown: AdWatch: I agree with JFK that cutting taxes creates jobs

In a television advertisement that compares himself to the late President John F. Kennedy, who cut taxes to spur economic growth, Brown has appealed to the state's 1.6 million registered Democrats with a message that their party has abandoned Kennedy's ideals:

"Different people, different party, different era, same message: Lowering taxes creates jobs. It was true with JFK. It was true with Ronald Reagan. It's true now." Brown added this week,"Martha wants $2.1 trillion of extra taxation. I don't."

Source: Lowell Sun on 2010 MA Senate debate Jan 8, 2010

Alan Khazei: Enforceable workforce protection for seniors

Q: Will you support or oppose legislation that restores the full protections for older workers under the nation's age discrimination laws?A: In August, Experience Works reported a 69% increase in the number of people over 55 looking for work compared to the previous year. The report finds that the elderly are increasingly being forced back into the labor market to pay for housing, medical bills, and even food. These are alarming statistics that underscore the need for enforceable workforce protection.
Source: 2009 AARP Voter Guide: MA Senate Dec 1, 2009

Jack Robinson: Restore the full protections of the age discrimination laws

Q: Will you support or oppose legislation that restores the full protections for older workers under the nation's age discrimination laws?A: The candidate chose not to make additional comments.
Source: 2009 AARP Voter Guide: MA Senate Dec 1, 2009

Martha Coakley: Restore the Age Discrimination in Employment Act

Q: Will you support or oppose legislation that restores the full protections for older workers under the nation's age discrimination laws? A: I believe the workplace should be free of all types of discrimination, including age discrimination. As Senator, I will work to restore the protections of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and will protect the rights of our older citizens
Source: 2009 AARP Voter Guide: MA Senate Dec 1, 2009

Michael Capuano: Strengthen rights of seniors against age discrimination

Q: Will you support or oppose legislation that restores the full protections for older workers under the nation's age discrimination laws?A: I would be proud to strengthen the rights of senior Americans to seek remedies for age discrimination as I was proud to co-sponsor HR 11, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 which became law in January of this year. That law strengthens protections and remedies for women who suffer from unjust employment practices. When courts act to diminish rights guaranteed by the Constitution or established by statute, it is incumbent upon Congress to restore those rights.
Source: 2009 AARP Voter Guide: MA Senate Dec 1, 2009

Stephen Pagliuca: Reverse Gross v FBL Financial: no age discrimination

Q: Will you support or oppose legislation that restores the full protections for older workers under the nation's age discrimination laws?A: This conservative-led Supreme Court's 5-4 decision in June in the case of Gross v FBL Financial Services In. upset decades of well-established precedents, holding victims of age discrimination to a higher standard of proof than discrimination based on race, sex, national origin or religious discrimination. This decision could not have come at a worse time for older workers. Age discrimination complaints to the EEOC in FY2008 were up 29% over the previous year. I strongly support the bill which Senator Harkin has recently introduced, the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (S.1756), which I look forward to voting for to remedy the Court's wrong-headed decision
Source: 2009 AARP Voter Guide: MA Senate Dec 1, 2009

Stephen Pagliuca: 10% unemployment is totally unacceptable

Pagliuca said he would fight in Washington to make sure today's children would have the same opportunities that he did. He said it is "totally unacceptable" that unemployment is nearing 10 percent. "I'm really a product of a system that I don't know if our children will have," he said, clutching a manila folder under one arm. "I will work like a dog in Washington to bring back those jobs to the country and the state."
Source: Boston Globe coverage of 2009 MA Senate race Oct 13, 2009

Deval Patrick: Pledge to work with AFL-CIO means being open to all voices

HEALEY: About spending proposals: Deval Patrick says he’s open to the idea of possibly raising taxes--just this week, Deval, you took a pledge with the AFL-CIO saying you’re going to work with them. How are you ever going to be able to negotiate and keep down costs for our state when you are taking pledges with labor unions, when you have the endorsement of every union?

PATRICK: I have lots of labor and other endorsements and I haven’t traded a quid pro quo for one of them.

HEALEY: What did the pledge say?

PATRICK: I have pledged to be open and respectful to all voices. I’m going to do with labor as governor exactly what I’ve done with labor in private business. Which is to negotiate, to do that in an above-board way, to do that within fiscal constraints and to produce an outcome that serves us all. What we need is an active and broadening economic base and to do that in practical ways.

Source: 2006 MA Gubernatorial debate on Fox News with Chris Wallace Sep 25, 2006

Kerry Healey: Deval's pledge to work with AFL-CIO means higher costs

HEALEY: About spending proposals: Deval Patrick says he’s open to the idea of possibly raising taxes--just this week, Deval, you took a pledge with the AFL-CIO saying you’re going to work with them. How are you ever going to be able to negotiate and keep down costs for our state when you are taking pledges with labor unions, when you have the endorsement of every union?

PATRICK: I have lots of labor and other endorsements and I haven’t traded a quid pro quo for one of them.

HEALEY: What did the pledge say?

PATRICK: I have pledged to be open and respectful to all voices. I’m going to do with labor as governor exactly what I’ve done with labor in private business. Which is to negotiate, to do that in an above-board way, to do that within fiscal constraints and to produce an outcome that serves us all. What we need is an active and broadening economic base and to do that in practical ways.

Source: 2006 MA Gubernatorial debate on Fox News with Chris Wallace Sep 25, 2006

Scott Brown: No affirmative action in public employment nor contracting

Q: On Affirmative Action: Should race, ethnicity or gender be taken into account in state agencies' decisions on: College and university admissions?

A: No.

Q: Public employment?

A: No.

Q: State contracting?

A: No.

Source: 2002 MA Gubernatorial National Political Awareness Test Nov 1, 2002

Robert Reich: Prodded Clinton on minimum wage & corporate welfare

Reich’s prodding of Clinton on the minimum wage, worker training, and what he calls corporate welfare alienated him from the former president. “I made his life miserable,” Reich said in an interview earlier this year on Fox News.
Source: Frank Phillips, Boston Globe on 2002 MA Gov. race, p. A1 Nov 30, 2001

  • The above quotations are from Commonwealth of Massachusetts Politicians: Archives.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Jobs:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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