A popular celebrity chef from the state railed against the proposal in fiery comments during an interview.
California Representative Barbara Lee, a Democrat contending for the Senate seat previously held by Diane Feinstein, advocated for a $50 hourly minimum wage during a debate on Monday night.
Her proposition, which wildly surpasses the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, sparked queries regarding its feasibility, particularly for small businesses.
Lee defended the proposition, citing her personal experience as a small business owner, asserting the importance of ensuring employees in the Bay Area receive a livable income.
Senate candidate Rep. Barbara Lee has a solution to inflation and high prices:
Raise the minimum wage to $50 an hour pic.twitter.com/H5Ema1pGY5
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 13, 2024
She referenced a report by United Way indicating an annual income of $127,000 is barely sufficient for a family of four in the region, emphasizing the high cost of living as a driving factor behind her stance.
“I know what worker productivity means, and that means that you have to make sure that your employees are taken care of and have a living wage in the Bay Area,” she remarked.
Lee argued for a wage that reflects the reality of California’s economic landscape, suggesting that although the national minimum wage should see a substantial increase to around $20 to $25, her focus remains on the unique necessities of Californians amidst the state’s affordability crisis.
An hourly rate of $50 equates to an annual salary of $104,000. Lee did not mention if she pays her current employees anywhere near that amount during her argument.
Business Owner Fires Back
The debate elicited stark criticism from celebrity chef Andrew Gruel, who voiced his opinion on Wednesday’s episode of “The Ingram Angle.”
Gruel, who has multiple restaurants within California, expressed that a $50 minimum wage would be disastrous for businesses across the state.
He challenged the seriousness of the proposition, suggesting that if it were to be considered, it should start with government employees.
Gruel described Lee’s suggestion as economically destructive and indicative of a communist, rather than capitalistic, approach to commerce.
“This lady is a moron and narcissist who’s saying stupid things to try to get attention at best,” he accused. “At worst, she is trying to buy votes.
Gruel argued the proposed wage increase would not only pressure wages across the board but also lead to an inflated economy and a state-dependent business landscape.
“It’s going to totally inflate the entire economy of California which is already there and there will be no independent businesses in California,” Gruel added.
“100 percent of the businesses will be run by the state and they will rely on the state. It’s communism-lite.”
“This lady is a moron and narcissist who’s saying stupid things to try to get attention at best,” he accused. “At worst, she is trying to buy votes.
Lee is IQ lite as well…..
Bravo Call, awesome
Must be something in the water out in California, it kills some people’s brain, and she’s one of those that it happened to.
Three’s nothing light about Lee’s Communism.
A $30+ Happy Meal just isn’t going to sell. Then what? It’s evident that Lee and most Libs are enamored with Communist ideals and are pushing for the total destruction of this country so that they, in their minds, can rebuild it into their Utopia. How they will do this, they have no idea. California is just an example of their ideals.