November 2014 - Two issues that usually are aligned with progressives came up big winners in the mid-term elections this month. By sizable margins, ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage were victorious in each of the four states in which they appeared, and the legalization of marijuana was approved by voters in two states, plus the District of Columbia.

Although the Republicans in the US House of Representatives have consistently opposed Democratic efforts to raise the federal minimum wage, polling has regularly shown that support of a minimum wage hike crosses party lines among the People. This year's mid-terms confirmed that, as the four states that voted to raise their state's minimum wage all tend to have more conservative voting patterns.

Here are the specifics on those initiatives, as posted by Teresa Schmidt of Business News:

In Alaska, the current minimum wage of $7.75 will increase in 2015 to $8.75 and in 2016 to $9.75. The rate will be tied to inflation and increase with the cost of living.
In Arkansas, the current minimum wage of $6.25 will go up to $7.50 in 2015, $8.00 in 2016 and $8.50 in 2017.
In South Dakota, the current minimum wage of $7.25 will rise in 2015 to $8.50. As in Alaska, the rate will be tied to inflation and increase with the cost of living.
In Nebraska, the current minimum wage of $7.25 will increase to $8.00 in 2015 and $9.00 in 2016.

The ease with which these initiatives passed is particularly striking:

Alaska: 69% to 31%

Arkansas: 65% to 35%

Nebraska: 59% to 41%

South Dakota: 55% to 45%

The fact that all four of these states also elected Republican senators at the same time had some people scratching their heads although, given the money that the Koch brothers and Karl Rove dumped into at least three of those Senate races, we're not surprised. But it might lead some Republicans in Congress to re-think their opposition to the issue and support the President's plan to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.

At the moment, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour and has not increased since 2009. This means that full-time minimum wage workers barely earn $15,000 a year, which is below the poverty line for even a two-person family. In addition, a recent study released by the White House shows that 88% of minimum wage workers are over age 20 and 36% are age 40 or older, quashing a favorite Republican claim that most minimum wage workers are teenagers.

On the marijuana front, voters in Oregon and Alaska approved referendums to legalize marijuana, joining Colorado and Washington state, whose Citizens legalized marijuana in 2012. Washington DC voters agreed to make possession legal, but still outlawed sales within the District.

Initial tabulations showed the following results on these initiatives:

Alaska: 53% to 47% in favor of legalization

Oregon: 56% to 44% in favor of legalization

Washington DC: 69% to 31% in favor of legalization

In addition, South Portland, Maine, also voted to legalize marijuana, voters in California agreed to defelonize it, and various cities and counties throughout the country decriminalized it. Guam passed a medical marijuana statute, but while Florida's attempt to pass a medical marijuana statute failed, it did receive 57.5% of the vote, with 60% (for some reason) needing to pass.

The US Congress maintains a good deal of authority within the District of Columbia and initial reports indicated that some conservatives in the House would try to block implementation of legalization within the District. No surprise there, as we've seen other instances where a number of conservative Republicans were willing to use any methods they could to overturn the will of the people, if the people don't vote the way those GOP members like.

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