---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we need to do is raise the minimum…"
description: "\"What we need to do is raise the minimum wage. We also need to hold onto equal pay. Women work for 76 cents on the dollar for the same work that men do...."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/john-f-kerry-996_america_what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum_1440134.png"
---

#  What we need to do is raise the minimum wage. We also need…

![“What we need to do is raise the minimum wage. We also need to hold onto equal pay. Women work for 76 cents on the dollar for the same work that men do. That's not right in America.” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/john-f-kerry-996_america_what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum_1440134.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/john-f-kerry-996_america_what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum_1440134.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/john-f-kerry-996_america_what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum_1440134.png)

> “What we need to do is raise the minimum wage. We also need to hold onto equal pay. Women work for 76 cents on the dollar for the same work that men do. That's not right in America.”

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Advocates raising the minimum wage and enforcing equal pay to address gender wage gaps in America.

**In simple terms:** Raise wages and ensure equal pay for equal work.

Key Takeaway

Push for policy changes on wage equity.

Themes

economic justice gender equality labor rights

Mood

determined hopeful

Type

political advocacy

When to use this quote

- legislative advocacy
- union negotiations
- public awareness campaigns

Key Concepts

minimum wage policy pay equity gender wage gap

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we balance fair wages with economic competitiveness?
- What strategies can reduce the gender pay gap effectively?

A Different Perspective

Implementation may face opposition from business groups concerned about labor costs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Equal pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-pay/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Minimum wage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimum-wage/)

## Related quotes

> [“Feminists know that if women are paid equal wages for equal work, women will gain sexual as well as economic independence. But feminists have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/feminists-know-that-if-women-are-paid-equal-wages-for-equal-work/)

[Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/)

> [My feminist values are rooted in my socialist values. The number of women CEOs in Britain's biggest companies is irrelevant if they pay their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-lewis/my-feminist-values-are-rooted-in-my-socialist-values-the-number-of/)

[Clive Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-lewis/)

> [I think we should have equal work for equal pay for women all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-leigh-nel-peters/i-think-we-should-have-equal-work-for-equal-pay-for-women-all-over/)

[Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-leigh-nel-peters/)

> [During her Oscar acceptance speech, Patricia Arquette called for equal pay for women. Then Oprah stood up and said, 'She's right, I can't live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/during-her-oscar-acceptance-speech-patricia-arquette-called-for-equal/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [I once took on the role of the Batman for a commercial about equal pay for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-gautier/i-once-took-on-the-role-of-the-batman-for-a-commercial-about-equal/)

Richard Gautier

> [I do not demand equal pay for any women save those who do equal work in value. Scorn to be coddled by your employers;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/i-do-not-demand-equal-pay-for-any-women-save-those-who-do-equal-work/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [Let's finally guarantee equal pay for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/let-s-finally-guarantee-equal-pay-for-women/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We have to make the economy fairer. That starts with raising the national minimum wage and also guarantee, finally, equal pay for women's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-have-to-make-the-economy-fairer-that-starts-with-raising-the/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [“The strain of engaging emotionally with all that misery was exhausting. The kindness and hard work of the care assistants here was worth far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-toynbee/the-strain-of-engaging-emotionally-with-all-that-misery-was/)

[Polly Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-toynbee/)

> [I find, by close observation, that the mothers are the levers which move in education. The men talk about it . . . but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-harper/i-find-by-close-observation-that-the-mothers-are-the-levers-which/)

[Frances Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-harper/)

> [No marriage or family, no ward or stake is likely to reach its full potential until husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/no-marriage-or-family-no-ward-or-stake-is-likely-to-reach-its-full/)

[Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/)

> [Most women without childrenspend much more time than men on housework; with children, they devote more time to both housework and child care. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-hochschild/most-women-without-childrenspend-much-more-time-than-men-on-housework/)

Arlie Hochschild

> [“The Goddess-centered art we have been examining, with its striking absence of images of male domination or warfare, seems to have reflected a social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/the-goddess-centered-art-we-have-been-examining-with-its-striking/)

[Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/)

> [As far as I knew white women were never lonely, except in books. White men adored them, Black men desired them and Black women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/as-far-as-i-knew-white-women-were-never-lonely-except-in-books-white/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [“Early in her career at Langley, Dorthy Lee was interviewed for the Daily Press, in all probability by Virginia Biggins, the female reporter assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/early-in-her-career-at-langley-dorthy-lee-was-interviewed-for-the/)

[Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/)

## More by John F. Kerry

> [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [The fact is that in too many parts of our country, we still have discrimination. And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [ People talk about \[Bashar\] Assad running Syria. He doesn't control his own country. He's down to about 20, 25 percent of the country. What… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/people-talk-about-bashar-assad-running-syria-he-doesn-t-control-his/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-m-an-internationalist-i-d-like-to-see-our-troops-dispersed-through/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [ You cannot bring peace in Syria as long as \[Bashar\] Assad is, in fact, there. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/you-cannot-bring-peace-in-syria-as-long-as-bashar-assad-is-in-fact/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [There's an agreement that Syria should be a unified country, united; that it needs to be secular; that ISIL needs to be taken on;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/there-s-an-agreement-that-syria-should-be-a-unified-country-united/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [It's very hard to get other countries to give up their weapons when you're busy developing a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/it-s-very-hard-to-get-other-countries-to-give-up-their-weapons-when/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [There is no bigger judgment for a president of the United States than how you take a nation to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/there-is-no-bigger-judgment-for-a-president-of-the-united-states-than/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [I have confidence in my campaign. I have assembled a great team that is going to beat George W. Bush, and any rumors to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-have-confidence-in-my-campaign-i-have-assembled-a-great-team-that/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [In a few years, you should be able to plug your American-made plug-in hybrid into the outlet in your garage, so that you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/in-a-few-years-you-should-be-able-to-plug-your-american-made-plug-in/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [Unlike Washington, which is stuck in ideological gridlock, Americans feel the impact of climate change in their own hometowns and they know something must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/unlike-washington-which-is-stuck-in-ideological-gridlock-americans/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [America must always be the world's paramount military power, but we can magnify our power through alliances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/america-must-always-be-the-world-s-paramount-military-power-but-we/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [We should not allow a tiny minority of shoddy scientists and science and extreme ideologues to compete with scientific facts,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/we-should-not-allow-a-tiny-minority-of-shoddy-scientists-and-science/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [Jesus did not help just the sick who could afford to pay for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/jesus-did-not-help-just-the-sick-who-could-afford-to-pay-for-it/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [War should be not a war of choice; it should be a war of necessity. And it should be a last resort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/war-should-be-not-a-war-of-choice-it-should-be-a-war-of-necessity-and/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

[Explore all 312 John F. Kerry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

## More America quotes

> [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/)

[Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/)

> [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/)

[Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/)

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

[Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What we need to do is raise the minimum wage. We also need to hold onto equal pay. Women work for 76 cents on the dollar for the same work that men do. That's not right in America.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John F. Kerry"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum-wage-we-also-need-to-hold/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "America"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum-wage-we-also-need-to-hold/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/john-f-kerry-996_america_what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum_1440134.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/john-f-kerry-996_america_what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum_1440134.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/144/john-f-kerry-996_america_what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum_1440134.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What we need to do is raise the minimum wage. We also need to hold onto equal pay. Women work for 76 cents…” — John F. Kerry",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John F. Kerry",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What we need to do is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum-wage-we-also-need-to-hold/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/what-we-need-to-do-is-raise-the-minimum-wage-we-also-need-to-hold/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
