republicans vote down minimum wage again

[Charade]

I must ask, if the Dems indeed vote down this one, then why does thread say republicans. The Dems are fighting for the raise and the Rebs are fighting for none? Did I miss something?

There's no *if*. They did.

My guess is the Dems didn't want to pass the rest of the bill. Somebody put the minimum wage on as a rider knowing that the Dems wouldn't vote for the bill and the Republicans can say "See, we tried to vote for an increase but the Dems voted it down".

BTW, it was defense spending bill. Feel free to draw your own conclusions.

 

[DawnCt1]

No one where I work (I don't work for companies [sic]) makes minimum wage and I am the lowest paid person. That said, if paying more in taxes would help a family down the street or across the state have an easier time paying the light bill, buying pencils and paper for school or simply not having to work 60 hours a week so they can take the time to enjoy their kids - I'd sign up in a heartbeat. Some of us DO work to better the world. Some of us DO take pay cuts so that others can have money. I could make a lot more doing any other job I wanted - but I choose to help people because I've experienced absolute poverty and know that there's a way out.

You don't need to "sign up". You can donate the portion of your pay that you are willing for the federal government to take and give it to any number of charities that will "pay a light bill, buy pencils and paper for schools, etc". Too often however when people are willing pay additional taxes, they are more inclined that I PAY additional taxes and they get an earned income tax credit. Funny how that works.

 

[georgia4now]

Too often however when people are willing pay additional taxes, they are more inclined that I PAY additional taxes and they get an earned income tax credit. Funny how that works.

I agree 100%

But look at post #295. You'll see that if you take responsibility for yourself and your family and actually have the nerve to expect others to do the same, you may be a bad person. I just thought you ought to know that you may be evil. (sarcasm)

Now, shut off your solid gold computer, put your diamonds on, get out of your mansion, fire up the Mercedes-Benz, release your indentured servants, and personally deliver a check to Al Gore in an effort to find absolution for your sins!

Keep up the logic. It's the only thing they cant come against without resorting to class warfare.

 

[Saxsoon]

There's no *if*. They did.

My guess is the Dems didn't want to pass the rest of the bill. Somebody put the minimum wage on as a rider knowing that the Dems wouldn't vote for the bill and the Republicans can say "See, we tried to vote for an increase but the Dems voted it down".

BTW, it was defense spending bill. Feel free to draw your own conclusions.

Okay, I thought here I was going a little loco.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree 100%

But look at post #295. You'll see that if you take responsibility for yourself and your family and actually have the nerve to expect others to do the same, you may be a bad person. I just thought you ought to know that you may be evil. (sarcasm)

Now, shut off your solid gold computer, put your diamonds on, get out of your mansion, fire up the Mercedes-Benz, release your indentured servants, and personally deliver a check to Al Gore in an effort to find absolution for your sins!

Keep up the logic. It's the only thing they cant come against without resorting to class warfare.

Bitter much?

That's right though. Never ever help anyone else because obviously the poor and downtrodden are all just lazy. They are obviously just out there trying to get your money and are just pretending to need it.

You see, sarcasm can work both ways.

 

[georgia4now]

Bitter much?

That's right though. Never ever help anyone else because obviously the poor and downtrodden are all just lazy. They are obviously just out there trying to get your money and are just pretending to need it.

You see, sarcasm can work both ways.

Hey, thanks for putting words in my mouth. Feel better?

Where does this sense of entitlement come from? I may choose to lend a hand to someone who needs it, but that's my prerogative. IMHO it's the socially responsible thing to do, and I do it my own way ($15 per month goes to GA Power to help others pay bills, we watch our neighbor's kids 2 hours per night until she comes home for work [single mom] and we give generously through our church). It's not a lot, but my efforts and cash goes to help people instead of being mismanaged by some government agency.

I (like millions of others) do my best to help out in my community. My "bitterness" as you call it is merely frustration with the Robinhood syndrome that seems to be going on in some of these posts. Take steps to better *yourself*, and stay out of my wallet!

 

[Chicago526]

This is still being debated?

Why can't we just all agree that Republicans/Conservatives are all money grubing misers that want to pay no taxes while exploting the poor who work for sweat shop wages, because after all it's their own fault they're poor AND that the Democrats/Liberals are all left wing nuts that want to raise taxes to 80% to pay for all the poor people to drive BMW's and never have to work a day in their lives while getting free health care, because after all it's the massive corporation's fault that there are poor people?

Did I just about sum this thread up?

 

[Aidensmom]

I'm getting lost on this thread again. What does the minimum wage have to do with taxes? The government doesn't pay these people, employers do. And if the money is coming from the private sector to buy their groceries, perhaps that would be less food stampts being paid for by the government.

Personally, I think where a big amount of the problem lies is that there are a lot of people dependent on government benefits, such as food stamps or susidized housing. Why not support there being a small increase in minimum wage as an aid to help people be able to be less dependent on the government? Yes, there are some people out there who will always do the least amount possible to get by, but there are also others who are struggling to get out of the situation that they are in, and yes, some of them may need a little help and I don't see how that is so terrible.

 

[noodleknitter]

This is still being debated?

Why can't we just all agree that Republicans/Conservatives are all money grubing misers that want to pay no taxes while exploting the poor who work for sweat shop wages, because after all it's their own fault they're poor AND that the Democrats/Liberals are all left wing nuts that want to raise taxes to 80% to pay for all the poor people to drive BMW's and never have to work a day in their lives while getting free health care, because after all it's the massive corporation's fault that there are poor people?

Did I just about sum this thread up?

Actually, I would say that all of the illustrious lawmakers are money grubbing...that they will all push for whatever porkbelly they can (public debt in Parkersburg WV?) and that all they really care about is getting votes so that they can continue to live their lives of comfort and power?

 

[mickeyfan2]

This is still being debated?

Why can't we just all agree that Republicans/Conservatives are all money grubing misers that want to pay no taxes while exploting the poor who work for sweat shop wages, because after all it's their own fault they're poor AND that the Democrats/Liberals are all left wing nuts that want to raise taxes to 80% to pay for all the poor people to drive BMW's and never have to work a day in their lives while getting free health care, because after all it's the massive corporation's fault that there are poor people?

Did I just about sum this thread up?

Almost but you make one mistake the D/L want 100% taxes.

 

[georgia4now]

This is still being debated?

Why can't we just all agree that Republicans/Conservatives are all money grubing misers that want to pay no taxes while exploting the poor who work for sweat shop wages, because after all it's their own fault they're poor AND that the Democrats/Liberals are all left wing nuts that want to raise taxes to 80% to pay for all the poor people to drive BMW's and never have to work a day in their lives while getting free health care, because after all it's the massive corporation's fault that there are poor people?

Did I just about sum this thread up?

Funny stuff. Fine by me - I grow weary of this anyhoo!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13578085/


Updated: 1 hour, 13 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Democrats ratcheted up their election-year push for an increase in the federal minimum wage Tuesday by promising to block a congressional pay hike unless some of the lowest-paid hourly workers get their first raise in nearly a decade.

"Congress is going to have earn its raise by putting American workers first: A raise for workers before a raise for Congress," said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Reid refused to spell out exactly how he will block a $3,300 pay raise scheduled for Jan. 1 for members of Congress, who currently earn $165,200 annually. He said with 40 Senate Democrats backing the maneuver, "We can stop anything they (Republicans) try to do with a congressional pay raise."
At issue
Democrats in the House and Senate want the $5.15-per-hour federal minimum wage, in place since 1997, to rise in 70-cent increments to $7.25 by Jan. 1, 2009. MINIMUM WAGE FACTS

Fixed Wages
The federal minimum wage has been fixed at $5.15 an hour since 1997.
The vote
Two amendments that aimed to raise the minimum did not receive enough votes Wednesday to be included in a defense
appropriations bill.
Background
Democrats have proposed, and Republicans have blocked, minimum wage hikes nine times since 1997.


- Associated Press
• Print this


In arguing for the minimum-wage increase, Democrats are emphasizing that salaries for members of Congress have risen $31,600 during the time the minimum wage has been frozen.

They complain that rising costs for gasoline, utilities, education and food have taken a chunk out of minimum-wage paychecks, which sometimes have to support entire families.

Republicans in Congress have blocked numerous attempts to raise the minimum wage, saying it would backfire by causing small businesses to hire fewer entry-level workers.

But with Republican control of the House and Senate uncertain after the November congressional elections, some moderate Republicans have been joining with Democrats to support a minimum-wage increase.

Posssible movement
"I think it's the right thing to do. It seems like if I can defend and be sincere about tax cuts, some to the wealthiest, if I can do that," then a minimum wage increase is also in order, Rep. Mike Simpson, an Idaho Republican, said in a recent interview with Reuters.

House Majority Leader John Boehner, an Ohio Republican who opposes an increase in the minimum wage, Tuesday acknowledged growing sentiment in this election year.

"We may have to deal with it," Boehner told reporters.

But not just yet. A move by House Democrats to attach the minimum wage to an unrelated spending bill now being debated in the House of Representatives was blocked.

A majority of senators are on record in favor of increasing the minimum wage, which currently brings a salary of $10,700 a year for full-time workers, about $6,000 below the poverty line for a family of three.

Last week, in a test vote, 52 senators supported the 40 percent increase Democrats are seeking.

(c) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.