Ryan, Strickland try to live on minimum wage — sort of

YOUNGSTOWN

Wanting to draw attention to an effort to increase the federal hourly minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and ex-Gov. Ted Strickland are spending the week attempting to live on the current amount — sort of.

Strickland, a Democrat, said he’s fighting a cold and using Tylenol and nasal spray he has in his medicine cabinet.

“If I was paid the minimum wage, I wouldn’t be able to afford” either, he said Monday on a conference call.

Less than two days into the “Live the Wage Challenge,” Strickland said, “It’s been really, really tough.”

The challenge is organized by Americans United for Change, a Democratic advocacy group.

Both Strickland and Ryan of Howland, D-13th, said they have the benefit of having items in their homes that they will use during the challenge.

Ryan, the father of a newborn, said he has plenty of diapers and medicine.

“Every day, hard-working Americans still struggle to make ends meet, and this challenge will give me an opportunity to walk in their shoes, although nothing could ever give me a full perspective of the hardships these men and women endure on a daily basis,” Ryan said.

Read more about the challenge and the proposed increase in Tuesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.