Re: GOP-run Senate kills minimum wage increase


"Trailer Trash" <Olneyboys@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4158-449C3487-569@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
EDITORIAL

A Look at Republican Priorities: Afflicting the Afflicted

Published: June 23, 2006

At the same time that Republicans are fighting to exempt the richest
estates from taxes, they are blocking a raise for the nation's poorest
workers.

Senate Democrats tried unsuccessfully this week to raise the federal
minimum wage, which stands at just $5.15 an hour.

It has not been increased in nearly a decade, and at its current stingy
level, the rate flies in the face of Americans' belief that those who
work hard and play by the rules will be rewarded.

A minimum-wage worker earns just $10,700 a year, nearly $6,000 below the
poverty line for a family of three. Since the minimum wage was first
adopted, there has been a long tradition of bipartisan support for
regular raises.

Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and George H. W. Bush all
signed increases into law. Americans across the political spectrum
strongly support the minimum wage, and believe it should be
significantly higher.

A recent poll by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found that 83
percent of Americans favored increasing the minimum wage by $2.
Nevertheless, since 1997 minimum-wage increases have regularly been
blocked in Congress.

The restaurant industry and other low-wage employers that make heavy
campaign contributions have thrown their weight around with great
success.

A bill sponsored by Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, to
increase the minimum wage by $2.10 over two years drew the support this
week of 52 senators, including eight Republicans, but Republican leaders
threw up procedural barriers.

And in the House, Republican leaders are not letting a minimum-wage
increase come to a vote, apparently because it would pass.

Just 23 percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing,
according to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll.

These dismal ratings are no surprise when Congress's highest economic
priority is handing out tax cuts to millionaires and oil companies.

No wonder why durable goods are down again.


I don't care to get into a BS'n match about politics on this ng as it's not
the place, so I'll just leave you to ponder this thought. If you were the
guy, in all the United States, that was responsible for collecting enough
taxes to run your operation, who would you cater to, the rich folks or the
poor folks?


--
J.C.



.

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