GOP Again Defeats Minimum Wage Increase

[Bob Geiger]

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) knew when he withdrew his "poison pill" anti-abortion amendment to Ted Kennedy's (D-MA) most recent attempt to raise the minimum wage, that his parliamentary maneuvering had succeeded and that low-income workers would once again be denied their first required pay hike in ten years.

For those of you keeping track for the Congressional elections in November, this makes nine times in the last decade that Republicans have blocked a minimum wage increase proposed by Democrats.

Actually, two minimum-wage bills were rejected in the Senate today -- Kennedy's real attempt at raising the federal rate to $7.25 per hour over two years and the fake bill, by Mike Enzi (R-WY), that gave the appearance of a wage hike, but was loaded with provisions hostile to workers.

What happened in the Senate follows a similar tactic in the House, where a minimum wage increase passed the Appropriations Committee but has been kept from a vote by the GOP majority.

Kennedy's S.Amdt. 4322 was shot down by a vote of 52-46. While a simple majority (50 votes) would normally have been enough for passage, 60 were required in this particular instance due to a procedural agreement worked out behind the scenes -- to get Frist to withdraw the nonsensical anti-abortion amendment he had attached to the Kennedy measure.

Every vote against raising the federal minimum wage was cast by a Republican, while eight GOP Senators -- four of whom are up for reelection this fall -- voted with the Democrats.

Enzi's mock minimum-wage amendment proposed a $1.10 increase over 18 months but loaded it up with lots of onerous additions including exempting businesses with less than $1 million in yearly revenue from paying the wage. This would be an increase from the current $500,000 exemption while, if it had passed, still allowing Republicans to tell voters they care about American workers.

"The Enzi amendment is loaded with anti-worker poison pills," said Kennedy in a statement. "It would increase the minimum wage with one hand, while taking away minimum wage, overtime, and equal pay rights from millions of workers with the other hand. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and it’s a threat to American workers."

That amendment failed 45-53, with nine Republicans joining all Democrats in refusing to go along with Enzi's charade.

These kinds of bills are routine with the Republicans, who pulled a similar stunt in 2005 when they offered the same $1.10 wage hike, but with provisions that cut overtime pay -- without which, many minimum-wage earners cannot come close to making ends meet -- and lowered salaries for millions of workers who work for tips.

Kennedy also blasted his Republican colleagues for continuing to focus on helping the wealthy or pursuing ridiculous wedge issues while ignoring the fact that the wage’s buying power has fallen to a 51-year low, saying that they take "plenty of time to debate flag burning and I don't know the last time a flag was burned in my state of Massachusetts."

While Kennedy, who has long been the Senate's champion of worker rights, will undoubtedly bring up the minimum wage again this year, he vowed that the increase will happen if voters pay attention when heading to the polls in November.

"When the Democrats control the Senate, one of the first pieces of legislation we'll see is an increase in the minimum wage."

You can reach Bob Geiger at [e-mail] and read more from him at Democrats.com.

[uppityperson]

1. thanks, will read this later, appreciate it.

[Brigid]

6. Self-delete.

I goofed.

[classysassy]

19. The republican congress

a bunch of evil,heartless,SOB's,someday you bastards will pay and your children will reap what you evil bastards have sowed.

[demosincebirth]

2. What a bunch of heartless fuckers.!! To do this after giving themselves

a raise.

They will be judged on their actions!

[DemoTex]

4. "They will be judged on their actions!"

When?
By whom?

[demosincebirth]

14. their Maker

[Olney Blue]

3. Americans can see through this BS.

[Monkeyman]

5. Repose

They should try living off of 10,000 a year hmmmmmmmm lets vote for that

[Cell Whitman]

7. HUH? so the "procedural agreement" let a few repugs vote for it knowing

it wouldn't pass? People like Dewine, Chafee and Coleman can "claim" they were for it? I didn't watch the debate, did they fight for it or just use the Kitty Killer's agreement for cover? Anyone hear them speak forcefully for it?

This better be just the start of this fight.

While a simple majority (50 votes) would normally have been enough for passage, 60 were required in this particular instance due to a procedural agreement worked out behind the scenes -- to get Frist to withdraw the nonsensical anti-abortion amendment he had attached to the Kennedy measure.

[NJ Democrats]

8. God Damn Repukes

They don't care about anyone other then themselves and they always have the nerve to propose rip off bills that are shit.

[Brigid]

Self-delete.

Duplicate.

[Brigid]

9. The Repugs will pay for this in November.

Big time. :grr:

[WePurrsevere]

10. I was wondering WTH happened to Frist's "poison pill" & why Kennedy's

minimum wage bill didn't pass with a majority vote. They think THEY deserve a wage increase but the working class poor, who work their backsides off and haven't had a decent living wage in years don't? Bastards. I hope and "pray" that Frist and his greedy hypocritical cohorts in crime are all toast in Nov. and karma kicks them in the backside but good. :grr:

[citizen snips]

11. He should try living on minimum wage

And he is basically spitting on the poor

[Brigid]

12. These people couldn't last a day on minimum wage.

Or on most of the other laws they pass that the rest of us have to live under. :grr:

[cantstandbush]

13. OK to give huge subsidies to oil companies and corporations that are

gouging and bilking the public and ok to give yourself a raise but do not give those sniviling, working-class bastards a decent living wage. That's the Rethugs for you. And the Dems should be screaming this from the roof tops. They should demand coverage of an emergency new conference and spill their guts on this.

[The Wizard]

15. They hate us

for our labor, and heaven forbid there's extra money in circulation. Raising living standards is not in the Rethug playbook. They prefer borrow and embezzle and exploitation of those who can't fight back. What does it take to be a Republikkklan today? A total lack of humanity and worship of corporate profits coupled with inbred bigotry. They are no longer a political party, but rather a dangerous cult, bent on self destruction wanting to take down as many of us as possible. They are the bane of civilization and they have poisoned the well from which we all drink, figuratively and literally.

[paparush]

16. How? How? HOW? Do middle class people support this party?

Where is the populist voice speaking to the dissenfranchised masses who are paying more for insurance, more for food, more for electricity, more for education, more for gas, while the minimum wage has remained so stagnant?

[HughBeaumont]

20. "uh . . . uh . . . John Kerry's from FRANCE!"

"Where did John Kerry get his shrapnel . . . FRANCE?"

"Kerry's going to take my guns away and give them to the FRENCH!"

"Kerry's going to raise my taxes just like ALL FROG DemoFRENCHies!"

"Kerry's going to allow fuckin' French cornholin' fags to marrah!!"

"Do you want that FRENCH bitch Hillary Clinton to take over the White House?"

"I'd rather have a beer with Bush than a Quiche with that beret-wearing Herman Munster Kerry!"

"Bush keeps me safe. He keeps ME SAFE! Kerry would let his FRENCH buddies NUKE US!"

"Well, the unemployment rate is low . .. and . . . Kerry's FRENCH!"

. . . . and so on, and so on and so on . . .

[pooja]

17. Wrote Senator Martinez

"I find it rather interesting that you voted against the minimum wage increase. I see where your values lie... obviously with big business. Have you ever tried to buy a home making less than 11,000.00 a year? But then again who cares... you received your anual pay hike.

You do not represent the needs of Florida. You need to re-examine who you are working for. We hired you sir, and we will certainly fire you. You need to represent the people, not big business. It seems you forget the job you were hired to do. You represent me. This country is still By the People and For the People. Not for the guy who gives you a free trip or finances your campaign.

Sir, you are a true dissapointment to this nation."

Hope he gets a bunch more....

[flpoljunkie]

18. House today taking up virtual repeal of the estate tax today at Frists'

request. Frist asked Bill Thomas, head of the powerful Ways and Means committee, to do this, as it is Frist's goal to reduce the estate tax for the mega rich as much as they can while they can--in case they do not retain control of both houses of Congress in November.

Red states, you must understand that "it's money they love" first and foremost in the Republican party.

[Czolgosz]

21. 83% of Americans favor raising the minimum wage, including 72% Republicans

Here is a great article: <http://pewresearch.org/obdeck/?ObDeckID=18 >

Here's an excerpt:

"By an overwhelming margin (83% to 14%), the American public favors raising the federal minimum wage to $7.15 per hour -- a hefty $2.00 an hour increase. And nearly half (49%) say they strongly support such an increase. While there are differences in the extent of support across political and socioeconomic lines, raising the minimum wage receives widespread support from both Republicans and Democrats, wealthy and poor.

... In the 30 states where the federal $5.15 minimum applies, 82% say they support a $2-increase to $7.15, while just 16% are opposed. In states where a minimum wage of $7.15 or more has already been passed, 88% are in favor, a difference that is not statistically significant.

Democrats express more support for minimum wage hikes, but the gap between Democrats and Republicans is relatively small in this era of intense partisanship. Raising the minimum wage by two dollars to $7.15 is nearly universally supported among Democrats – 91% favor the idea and just 8% are opposed. Independents agree by an 87%-to-11% margin. A larger proportion of Republicans (24%) opposes an increase to $7.15, yet still 72% are in favor."

Here are a few tables: