People Are Losing It After A Pennsylvania Lawmaker Said That "Not Every Wage Is Designed To Be A Livable Wage"

As Americans struggle to afford groceries and get priced out of cities across the country, Republicans are still advocating against increasing the minimum wage.

Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

Back in June, Pennsylvania House minority leader Jesse Topper, a Republican, gave remarks against a bill that would increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour for most. That would boost hourly workers’ wages to over double where they currently sit at $7.25.

By the way, minimum wage in Pennsylvania has remained at the federal level, which hasn’t increased at all since 2009.

“Not every wage is designed — and please hear me clearly on this,” Topper says.

Jesse Topper speaks at a podium in a suit. A nameplate identifies him as representing Bedford and Fulton County. Audience members listen attentively

“Not every wage is designed to be a livable wage.”

Jesse Topper speaks at a podium in a legislative setting; name and title displayed on the screen below him

He goes on to give examples of his point, like a teenager or a retired person working for income they don’t technically need to survive.

A man in a suit is speaking at a podium during a political session. A nameplate reads "Jesse Topper, Republican Leader for Bedford County and Fulton County."

You can watch Topper’s full remarks on his Facebook page. The clip was posted to r/Fauxmoi, where it racked up over 2,000 upvotes and 270 comments (and counting).

Comment by SnowSandRivers: "Yeah, but the problem is that most jobs don’t pay a livable wage."

“So some jobs are supposed to be a hobby then?” this person asked.

Comment questioning if jobs should be hobbies, with 10 upvotes

Someone else suggested giving Topper “one of those not designed to be livable wages.”

Comment on social media: "Why don't we give him one of those not designed to be livable wages?"

“You can’t say a job is essential and then turn around and say the person doing it doesn’t deserve to live off it,” one user wrote.

Social media post questioning why essential jobs don't provide livable wages, suggesting fairness in compensation

This person simply wrote, “Fuck this.”

Social media comment by bleuxnoods from 1 day ago saying "Fuck this" with options to like, reply, and share

Someone said that the people working for minimum wage “do more work in a week than these people do in an entire year.”

Social media comment reads, "The grocers at my town's store do more work in a week than these people do in an entire year."

“The audacity of this man to say this, when those same people not making a livable wage are literally paying his salary with their tax dollars,” this person wrote. “Despicable humans.”

Reddit comment criticizing a GOP member for an audacious statement, highlighting tax contributions by low-wage earners to his salary

One user said that service jobs like those at fast food joints sometimes go to kids who don’t “need” the money, but that lots of those jobs are occupied by people who really do.