President Obama's call for a national increase of the minimum wage to $9 an hour is a practical nonstarter among conservatives and Republicans.

 

But advocates of a higher and more decent, living wage—including members of Obama's own party—say that an adequate increase would bring hourly pay up to $10, at least.

This week, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) announced plans to introduce legislation that would set the number at $10.10, though progressive consumer advocates and economists say that $10.50 would be the level needed to bring wages back up, in relative terms, to where the minimum wage was in 1968.

"We’re going to introduce our own bill on [the minimum wage] ,” Harkin told The Hill this week, saying that the White House goofed in their low-balling of the number.