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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWimp Democrats look to split the baby on minimum wage
by Laura Clawson
There is no amount of sarcasm and resentment too great to read into it when I say this: Fan-freaking-tastic. The Senate's Wimp Democrat Caucus is busy trying to decide how small of a minimum wage increase would be small enough to get their votes.
Sen. Mark Pryor is definitely okay with a minimum wage of $8.50 an hour, a level being sought in a ballot measure in his home state of Arkansas. Oh, wow. More than $17,500 for a year of full-time work. Talk about making work pay! Meanwhile, Sen. Mary Landrieu is concerned about:
... the tipped wage, which would rise from $2.13 an hour to more than $7 an hour by 2019 under the Democrats bill and is opposed by the restaurant industry. She isnt sure where she will ultimately land on $10.10 an hour but said there may be a middle ground.
Im considering how high the increase should be, Landrieu said. So while Im very supportive and generally supportive, Im working with a few colleagues to see what maybe we could talk about on that tip wage issue. Republicans, too.
There's a reason the tipped minimum wage has been stuck at $2.13 for more than 20 years, and it's legislators like Landrieu trying to make the restaurant industry happy by maintaining rock-bottom deep-poverty wages.
Maybe these wimp Democrats genuinely believe that poverty wages are acceptable. But if they're thinking they're going to get Republicans on board with their proposals, they should listen to Sherrod Brown:
How do you start negotiating downward when the minimum wage is worth a third less than it was worth in 1968? said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). If the president said $9, (Republicans) would have been against it. If he said $7.75, they probably would have been against it. I dont think you play that game.
Exactly.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/27/1280816/-Wimp-Democrats-look-to-split-the-baby-on-minimum-wage
Does this mean that Congress will continue screwing disabled workers too? I mean, just follow the President's lead. What's so hard? Are they trying to have two different federal minimum wages?
BOOM: Obama signs order to raise minimum wage for federal contractors...disabled workers included!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024489919
onehandle
(51,122 posts)The Magistrate
(95,248 posts)I suppose we must put up with them in present conditions, but in some ways they are worse than the open opposition.
bullwinkle428
(20,629 posts)snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)but then counting on bipartisan manipulations to ensure it's just a mirage.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"Never underestimate the con game of getting headlines for saying the right thing, but then counting on bipartisan manipulations to ensure it's just a mirage."
...referring to: Brown, Sanders, Warren?
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)The Pro is not even pretending anymore.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)who are you referring to? Who is involved in the "con game of getting headlines for saying the right thing, but then counting on bipartisan manipulations to ensure it's just a mirage."
The OP is about what's going on in Congress. Why are you afraid to say who?
msongs
(67,430 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)"No, observation of patterns. "
...."patterns," who were you referring to? Who is involved in the "con game of getting headlines for saying the right thing, but then counting on bipartisan manipulations to ensure it's just a mirage."
The OP is about what's going on in Congress. Why are you afraid to say who?
Including Senator Brown, who is quoted in the OP, these Senators are "saying the right thing"?
Elizabeth Warren: Tell Congress to raise the minimum wage.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024430298
Senator Sanders: Welfare for Walmart?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024354098
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today praised President Barack Obama for signing an executive order raising the minimum wage for workers employed by federal contractors.
President Obama is taking a very important first step by giving a raise to hundreds of thousands of low-wage workers for federal contractors, said Sanders, who was invited to this afternoons White House signing ceremony. The presidents action adds momentum to the push in Congress to raise the minimum wage for every worker in this country to at least $10.10 an hour, Sanders added.
Sanders last Sept. 25 sent Obama a letter, signed by 14 other senators, urging the president to issue an executive order setting a minimum wage at $10.10 an hour for federal contractors.
Taking this action would be one of the most concrete actions you could take to reduce income inequality, boost the economy and help working families pay their bills, the senators wrote in the letter to Obama. Profitable corporations that receive lucrative contracts from the federal government should pay all of their workers a decent wage, the letter added.
Private companies that employ more than 2 million workers received $446 billion in federal contracts in 2012.
Obama announced in his State of the Union address last month that he would issue the executive order. He also has called on Congress to pass legislation to raise wages for all workers to $10.10.
Sanders is a cosponsor of the bill by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to raise the minimum wage. Senate Republicans have opposed the proposal. Not a single Republican on the Senate Budget Committee voted for a non-binding resolution offered by Sanders calling for an increase in the minimum wage.
To read Sanders letter to the president, click here.
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/federal-workers-to-get-a-minimum-wage-boost
I provided examples of Senators who are "saying the right thing."
Can you provide examples of the Senators who are "saying the right thing, but then counting on bipartisan manipulations to ensure it's just a mirage"?
okaawhatever
(9,462 posts)who are opposed to any minimum wage increase? We can cry all we want but if their states don't support the $10.10 the Senators in question have to decide between doing what their voters want to get re-elected or stand on principal and lose. I'll take the win every time. We should be going after Republican senators whose states support the minimum wage increase.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)I'm sick of this 'yeah, but they're worse'. It isn't about the damn 'win' any more. It's about getting Dems in there that will do something for us.
okaawhatever
(9,462 posts)back up. Yeah, we need to get Democrats who will do all kinds of things we want, it's not desire that's holding the Democratic party back, it's ability. I think most people understand that once elected Senators have six years to get over any negative press for their actions and are more likely to align with their party than break from it.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)primary those that go along just to get along - i.e. schlump along being yes men. I realize that they have to pick their battles, but I'm sick of the wimping out on important things. The minimum wage thing should not be a wimp out situation. If any Dem wants my vote, they have to earn it.
treestar
(82,383 posts)that is just a fact. If we ran all left wing progressives we'd have 99% Republicans Congress. How courageous. the whole wimp and courage thing on political positions is ridiculous. It's not the middle ages and there won't be any pitched battles. Just the flow of ideas over time and persuasion of the people to them.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)So if we ran more progressive candidates, Dems would vote for republicans? That's pretty much what your 99% repub figure indicates. How courageous!
Sorry, I don't buy into the stfu and mark anybody with a D next to their name. The Dems have to earn my vote.
treestar
(82,383 posts)and that they live in red states and given a choice between a Republican and a Democrat, will pick the Democrat only if they are moderate? Talk about black and white thinking.
Rex
(65,616 posts)Notice how well moderates and centrists have been doing in Congress? Yeah, exactly. At least that ones agenda is well known.
wocaonimabi
(187 posts)Party Purity is the 1 thing the TeaHadists have right!
treestar
(82,383 posts)This reliance on politicians to change voters' minds is unrealistic. We don't even want such mesmerizing representatives. I'd rather they represented some voters I don't agree with than they have some ability to sway with their charisma. They can make cases for things and that may sway some people, but both sides are going at it. Making the voters of red states blue is going to happen because they elect some Senator or Representative who is going to then switch sides (they got elected) and change their minds? Change and progress happen, but not quickly and decisively, but over time. These states actually elected a Democrat to a seat and that's progress over what they'd otherwise do.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)A good politician does not sway but motivates to action, not with charisma but with ideas and policies.
Change and progress can happen as quickly as we like and those who demand that injustice be slowly corrected are merely advocating for more injustice, prolonged and intentional injustice. They do so because they profit from the status quo, do not desire change and that's what makes them conservatives.
Definition of 'conservative':
1. holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.
So to review, you advocate a cautious handling of change. Nothing quick or decisive, that would be bad.....
Coyotl
(15,262 posts)This one is a petition to Rep Schrader. Please sign, and K&R.
treestar
(82,383 posts)It's no use calling them wimps. You don't have to be courageous if you represent a bluer state. Look where these Senators are from.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"the problem here is what they think their constituents want
It's no use calling them wimps. You don't have to be courageous if you represent a bluer state. Look where these Senators are from."
...they did the same thing with health care. They need to lead. It's their position that causes their constituents to get the wrong idea.
Look at the hoops they're jumping through now that it's clear that people want access to health care. Pryor, unlike Landrieu, voted against the bill. He now finds himself at odds with his own state, which expanded Medicaid.
People can make all kinds of excuses for Democrats in red states, and give them a pass on some issues (Wendy Davis on guns), but when it comes to helping people to get ahead, improving the quality of their lives by increasing the minimum wage and providing access to health care, these Democrats need to find the courage to lead. Their constituents are not going to turn against them for that.
I mentioned Wendy Davis. Look at what happend when she took a stand.
treestar
(82,383 posts)they don't tell their constituents what to think. I didn't get any of my opinions from Tom Carper. I voted for him because he is closest to my opinion. Most Americans are like that, IMO, and it's a good thing. I defer to their judgment on many things, because I don't have time to figure it out, on things if I voted for them, thinking they were closest to my opinions generally. So I see those senators as seats that just go Republican - in a way it is harder for them to help us keep a Dem majority.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Why did Landrieu vote for the law?
There are other instances when people stand up for what's right, not the perception created by monied interests.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth
ProSense
(116,464 posts)DJ13
(23,671 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)I strongly agree with you.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)The Magistrate
(95,248 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)Thanks.
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)Deep13
(39,154 posts)It ought to be $15.
sheshe2
(83,833 posts)Just stand up and take the lead. Do what is right for your constituents.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)But they still expect our support.