Time for a RAISE: Santa Claus Arrested at the White House for Minimum Wage Raise

The Time For a Raise campaign has released the official video footage of Santa Claus being arrested at the White House while attempting to deliver his Christmas wish list to Santa.

On Wednesday, December 18 at 11 a.m., Santa Claus himself, flanked by elves from the North Pole walked through Lafayette Park and arrived at the fence of the White House. He read his poem -­ “‘Twas Two Weeks Before Christmas: Santa’s One Wish for President Obama” -­ which is attached. He then unfurled his Christmas wish list for the President. St. Nick’s wish list has one item: “Issue an executive order to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers.” This was all caught on camera.

Despite hearing that the President would not come outside to receive Santa’s wish list, Santa refused to leave, holding firm while elves chanted “Ho ho ho, he won’t go” and “Grant Santa’s Wish! Raise the minimum wage!” President Obama was faced with a decision: arrest Santa or answer Santa’s wish. Eventually, Santa found out the answer, as the U.S. Park Police placed Santa under arrest for merely standing still and declining to leave the public sidewalk. His parting message while being hauled off? “Grant my wish for an executive order to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers. And please let me out by Christmas Eve!”

Santa Claus presented his wish in conjunction with the Time for A Raise Campaign, a project out of Ralph Nader’s Center for Study of Responsive Law. The Time for a Raise Campaign -­ housed at TimeForARaise.org -­ is working to have the federal minimum wage catch up with 1968, when the minimum wage was, adjusted for inflation, $10.70. Though a minimum wage raise for all workers requires Congressional action, President Obama can -­ through an executive order -­ raise the minimum wage for workers on federal
contracts. Time for a Raise, in conjunction with Santa Claus, is calling on the President to issue this executive order, which could raise wages for 2 million workers on federal contracts and would set the stage for Congressional action on a minimum wage raise for all workers laboring under the $10.70 per hour level -­ about thirty million Americans.

‘Twas Two Weeks Before Christmas: Santa’s One Wish to President Obama

‘Twas two weeks before Christmas: at the Senate and House,
No lawmaker was stirring, nor clicking their mouse.
Their bags are all packed for the recess with care.
We’ve hoped for some progress, but they’ve passed nothing there.

While Congressmen nestle all snug in the beds
Of industry hacks and Fox News talking heads,
The workers who toil on minimum wage
are hurting… so Santa’s becoming enraged!

Minimum wages have steeply declined!
From their peak at $10.70, we’ve fallen behind.
You can’t survive on annual $15k!
Why lose tax dough to welfare when Walmarts can pay?

With Boehner! And Cantor! McConnell and Hannity…
Gumming up steps towards minimum wage sanity;;
Ignoring workers and stirring up drama…
…Our only hope now is some help from Obama!

The President cannot pass laws in a day
But can issue executive orders that say
That jobs which are based on contracts with the fed
Have raises in wages or those contracts are dead!

It would help set the stage up on Capitol Hill
For a too-­long-­awaited minimum wage bill
I know you will listen -­ Santa’s an optimist -­
To this one item on Santa’s Christmas wish list

“Mr. O! if you take your executive ink
And put it to paper;; 2 million on the brink
Would be helped by a much-­needed, much-­deserved raise
And you would have all of the North Pole’s praise!”