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Title: Rich Senators Defeat Minimum-Wage Hike
Source:
WESH - Channel 2 in Winter Park Fl
URL Source: http://www.wesh.com/helenthomas/5183628/detail.html
Published: Oct 29, 2005
Author: Helen Thomas
Post Date: 2005-10-29 15:10:40 by Red Jones
Keywords: Minimum-Wage, Senators, Defeat
Views: 147
Comments: 41
Rich Senators Defeat Minimum-Wage Hike Congressional Pay Rises While Minimum Stays Same Helen Thomas, Hearst White House columnist U.S. senators -- who draw salaries of $162,100 a year and enjoy a raft of perks -- have rejected a minimum wage hike from $5.15 an hour to $6.25 for blue-collar workers. Can you believe it? The proposed increase was sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and turned down in the Senate by a vote of 51 against the boost and 49 in favor. Under a Senate agreement, it needed 60 votes to pass. All the Democrats voted for the wage boost. All the negative votes were cast by Republicans. Four Republicans voted for it. Three of the four are running for reelection and were probably worried about how voters would react if they knew that their well-heeled senators had turned down a pittance of an increase in the salaries of the lowest paid workers in the country. The minimum wage was last increased in 1997. Kennedy called the vote "absolutely unconscionable." The lawmakers are hardly hurting. They get health insurance, life insurance, pensions, office expenses, ranging from $2 million on up, depending on the population of a state. The taxpayers also pay for their travel, telecommunications, stationery and mass mailings. AFL-CIO president John Sweeney said the rejection was "outrageous and shocking." Sweeney said minimum-wage workers "deserve a pay raise -- plain and simple -- no strings attached." He said it is "appalling that the same right-wing leaders in Congress -- who have given themselves seven pay raises since the last minimum wage increase -- voted down the modest wage increase proposed by the Kennedy amendment." During the same period since 1997, raises that the Senate has given itself bolstered senatorial pay by $28,000 a year, Kennedy said. "If we are serious about helping hard-working families, we will give a fair raise to America's low-income workers without taking away essential protections," he added. The Senate also killed an amendment proposed by Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., which also would have increased the minimum wage by $1.10 but included drastic measures such as wiping out the 40-hour work week, cutting overtime pay and weakening job safety and health protection. At the same time, Enzi wanted to sweeten the pot for small business by providing tax and regulatory relief and to exempt small business from the Fair Labor Standards Act. Kennedy likened the Enzi bill to an "anti-worker poison pill" and said it would "severely hurt millions and millions of workers." According to the Census Bureau, there are 37 million Americans living in poverty, up 1 million in just a year. Statements by President George W. Bush since the Gulf Coast hurricane disasters indicate he has a new awareness of the plight of the poor in this country. Katrina and the devastation of New Orleans have made the more affluent realize the hardships suffered by poor families. When asked about the Kennedy measure, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Bush "believes that we should look at having a reasonable increase in the minimum wage ... But we need to make sure that, as we do that, that it is not a step that hurts small business or prices people out of the job market." Bush has not weighed in with his own proposal for a pay hike. The Senate's action comes at a worrisome time when motorists are paying much more for gasoline and heating bills are expected to rise by 56 percent this winter, according to Kennedy. As a result, families will have to tighten their belts to pay for the basic necessities. "It is shameful that in America today, the richest and most powerful nation on earth, nearly a fifth of all children go to bed hungry at night because their parents, many of whom are working full time at the minimum wage, still can't make ends meet," Kennedy said. Kennedy has been in the forefront of the fight for increases in the minimum wage for years, and I don't expect him to throw in the towel now. Congress still may have a chance to redeem itself in the eyes of the less fortunate -- before the 2006 elections.
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#1. To: All (#0)
I always like to quote that if the minimum wage of 1969 were merely adjusted with the government's inflation rate (which undercounts inflation) then the 1969 rate would translate into $9.50 an hour in today's money. Truly if you look at it honestly and count the cost of living increases as they are you have to go back to the late 1940's to find a time when the minimum wage was as low as it is today. There was tremendous economic progress for the ordinary people during the late 1940's, the 1950's and through the 1960's as well. Our peak was around 1970. It's been downhill since then. The decline is accellerating now. You know Karl Marx favored extreme free trade because he said it would drive wages down and profits up, thus quickening his communist revolution. And adam smith opposed unfair trade practices such as currency manipulation. Today currency manipulation is widespread with the US dollar being held artificially high relative to most of the world's currencies. Adam Smith would oppose trade under those terms strongly, he said so in his book Wealth of nations.
That's not the job of congress. A minimum wage is just that, minimum. It is not a living wage or something that is meant to make a career of. It is a starting point. It should be an incentive to make something of yourself, but it isn't. I'm willing to give someone a hand up, but not a hand-out. People that want to make a career out of minimum wage jobs will never amount to much. We will always wind up subsidizing their health and general welfare. That is not something I want to do with my tax dollars. If an employer can not fill a position at a low wage, he will offer a higher wage.
"The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all." - John F. Kennedy
Just goes to show how much of a mental midget Kennedy is, raise the base price of labor and the costs go up for everyone....including the ones making minimum wage. Basically canceling out any perceived increase they got. Just plain old simple economics I'm afraid.
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." - Albert Einstein
I disagree. The component of the costs that we pay for things that actually is the cost to pay the low-wage workers is a very small sliver of the total costs. You raise that small sliver and it has a small impact on overall costs. High wages are good for our country and good for the economy. America has had high wages by comparison to other nations since prior to 1700. It is only since 1970 that real wages (for at least half of us) have been falling. Today the poor in America don't have it as good as the poor in France in terms of their opportunity to earn a living in the economy. That does not speak highly of our nation, it speaks very poorly.
even though I disagree with you - I still congratulate you for having a good time today and being in the 'everybody is my friend' stage of imbibing.
No. He'll hire illeagals.
If a fifth of all of America's children truly go to bed hungry at night then I would balme the parents. This country has food stamps and other programs to help ensure this doees't happen.
God is always good! It's all relative.... Let's make it simple....let's change it by a multiple of 10...Ok, now the minimum wage is $58.00/hr ($5.80 now??). for a short period of time the minimum wage (which would end up being most of us) earner would be wealthy but it would all soon level out as costs caught up. It's just a number or a reference point to compare my earning to those of others. Numbers mean nothing, but buying power does and that would adjust. I will give you this....with all the crap coming in from slave labor nations there might be a slight leg up for the minimum guy but the rest of us would take a relative pay cut in buying power.
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." - Albert Einstein
Thanks my friend and beleive me.....I'm there.... the sweet sweet fragrance of euphoria is mine, if only for the fleeting moment...it is mine!
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." - Albert Einstein
No they won't. It use to be like that, but not anymore. They will get the people they want at the price they are willing to pay even if it means hiring illegals, H1-B visa holders, or outsourcing the work to other nations. We live in a global economy now, yet many haven't figured that out yet.
God is always good! just between you & me I'll be experiencing that also today.
Listen to RickyJ, he knows what he's talking about. My big beef about minimum wage is not that I'm a super-supporter of minimum wage. I see the dramatic decline of minimum wage as a sign that our economy is deteriorating dramatically. And I think we should be sympathetic to the poor and that we are not. Sure it's possible to kill jobs with a minimum wage set too high. But when minimum wage was high in the 1960's we had very low levels of unemployment compared to today. I am not one who thinks that the unemployment rate today is counted honestly. I think it is in reality much much higher than what it was in the 1960's, if it were measured honestly.
Very few illegals work for minimum. Most doing yard work and construction average twelve to eighteen an hour. Only maids will work for minimum. And not for long.
Cheif'n down?
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." - Albert Einstein
Is that right? Why don't you save your sorry shit for _Jim.
What most u.s. natives don't understand is the extent to which legal immigrants and illegals are intertwined. Mix that with adult anchor babies and the craven sellouts in DC and the MSM and Mexico has already pretty much won.
"I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S. Burroughs
Rich Senators Defeat Minimum-Wage Hike With a title like that this could have been a lead story in the Worker's World Daily ...
Sounds exactly like someting Fuhrer Bush might say. Social justice...power to the parasites!
"I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S. Burroughs
Why are you such a low class cretin. Maybe in Hog Suck where you live illegals work cheap. They sure don't in San Diego.
fuck off, stinky
"I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S. Burroughs
You are such a class act. Is this forum your whole life loser?
As a matter of fact it is, stay tuned 24/7 for further affrontery, coon.
"I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S. Burroughs
Well good for you. Coon? Haven't heard that in a long time.
I thought you were cajun, asshole.
"I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S. Burroughs
I never heard nobody but cajuns say that
"I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it." - William S. Burroughs
Yes, it is. You don't get we in These United States operate under a DEBT fiat money system. I'm not going to explain it to you. There have been a number of posts about this, and there is more that enough info on the Web about it. Educate yourself. As for "subsidizing," again, try reading something about "honest money." Here's a chart from: http://mwhodges.home.att.net/inflation.htm Ain't that cute? Can you read a chart? Do you know what it means? HINT: Cut you earnins in half and don't bitch about it. Are you happy? You should be because that is what you are promulgating. Want to stop this nonsense? Then push to remove FDR's bullshit.
Another Mogambo Day
What about the fact that people earn more money now than in 1950? Statistics can be manipulated to suit your needs. That is common knowledge. I don't bitch about my income, because I dictate how much I make. I didn't need someone else to tell me what they thought I was worth. I still go to school at night to gain more certifications and advance my ability to earn more money. It's called a desire to succeed. I don't feel sorry for anyone who is satisfied with a minimum wage job. They have the same opportunities as me. If they don't take advantage of them, it's their fault, not mine.
"The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all." - John F. Kennedy
You don't know what opportunities they have or do not have. Not every one has the same capabilities or opportunities as others. We are not all created equal in this regard. I do not blame or judge anyone for working a minimum wage job at any point in his/her life; at least they are trying to earn their livelihood instead of relying on handouts.
God is always good! I don't blame them either. I said I didn't feel sorry for those who are satisfied with it. As for opportunities, we all have them. You just need to have the desire to search for them.
"The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all." - John F. Kennedy
What kind of classes are you taking?
I'll suggest that at the next party meeting. It is still an accurate and descriptive title.
Water Resources. Backflow prevention and cross-connection control.
"The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all." - John F. Kennedy
I agree.
Sounds like your expanding.
Every single time the minimum wage has been increased it has driven massive numbers from the workforce, or pushed them into exempted jobs. Every time it is raised it gives someone somewhere the incentive to create an automated burger flipper, or automatic car wash, or a robotic lawn mower. The higher the minimum, the faster jobs will flee to Mexico and China. Automatic Union wage increases are frequently keyed to the minimum. It's time people concetrated on getting out of debt and stashing some for hard times because it's not going to be a choice of whether you want to accept low wages or not, it's going to be a choice between accepting low wages and having any job at all...
Government blows, and that which governs least blows least...
the actual facts are that since 1970 the real minimum wage taking into account simple inflation has gone down dramatically and the unemployment rate has gone up during that same time. this should discount any assertion that raising the minimum wage causes unemployment, at least in our practical experience. i'm sure if you raised minimum wage beyond some point it would harm employment. perhaps there are some other causes of the high unemployment we've been experiencing since 1970 besides the drop in minimum wage as well.
Unions would be crushed without a minimum wage, they'd never survive the low wage competition. Granted, the economic effects can be debated for ages but Rothbard points out the key issue, the removal of the freedom for parties involved in economic activity to conduct business without the nanny state being involved. And it's not like we'd be removing any "safety nets", you can still get years of welfare. Real money would aid in killing this discussion posthaste too!
Government blows, and that which governs least blows least...
Yeah I bet you have to pay those lil illeagal boys a lot to booty bang you.
You gotta point. I've seen folks working two or three minimum wage jobs to survive. there were a lot of folks that worked for companies for a LONG TIME that have gone offshore...they own homes here, have family, can't/don't want to relocate so they are kinda screwed. Once the industrial base was pulled out, they were screwed. It can happen anywhere to anyone.
you could look at it that way. but the growth of the 1980's was not caused by the decline in (inflation adjusted) minimum wage. It was caused by letting the US dollar float from 1981 to 1984. It adjusted downward in price. American producers were competitive on world markets. The domestic economy boomed. That is why the unemployment rate came down in 1981 to 1988. But the peak on the inflation adjusted minimum wage occurred in 1969. In that year unemployment was very low. I think 4%. But in those days they actually measured unemployment. Today we measure 5%, but we stopped actually doing the survey work to measure unemployment in 1993. So today's 5% unemployment rate is not a real measure. If we measured it the way we did in pre-1993 period, then unemployment would be 7-9%, much higher than when mini wage was at its peak. There is no statistical relationship in our experience the last 55 years between minimum wage and unemployment rate.
Which kinda reiterates the fact that it's essentially pointless to give serious consideration to a crapload of domestic policy issues these days because the metrics we attempt to understand them by are essentially shit now... WASS...
Government blows, and that which governs least blows least...
#2. To: Red Jones (#0)
Congress still may have a chance to redeem itself in the eyes of the less fortunate -- before the 2006 elections.
#3. To: Red Jones (#0)
"It is shameful that in America today, the richest and most powerful nation on earth, nearly a fifth of all children go to bed hungry at night because their parents, many of whom are working full time at the minimum wage, still can't make ends meet," Kennedy said.
#4. To: timetobuildaboat (#3)
Just goes to show how much of a mental midget Kennedy is, raise the base price of labor and the costs go up for everyone....including the ones making minimum wage. Basically canceling out any perceived increase they got. Just plain old simple economics I'm afraid.
#5. To: timetobuildaboat (#3)
#6. To: 82Marine89 (#2)
If an employer can not fill a position at a low wage, he will offer a higher wage.
#7. To: Red Jones (#0)
"It is shameful that in America today, the richest and most powerful nation on earth, nearly a fifth of all children go to bed hungry at night because their parents, many of whom are working full time at the minimum wage, still can't make ends meet," Kennedy said.
"It was an interesting day." - President Bush, recalling 9/11 [White House, 1/5/02]
#8. To: Red Jones (#4)
America has had high wages by comparison to other nations since prior to 1700. It is only since 1970 that real wages (for at least half of us) have been falling. Today the poor in America don't have it as good as the poor in France in terms of their opportunity to earn a living in the economy. That does not speak highly of our nation, it speaks very poorly.
#9. To: Red Jones (#5)
I still congratulate you for having a good time today and being in the 'everybody is my friend' stage of imbibing.
#10. To: 82Marine89 (#2)
If an employer can not fill a position at a low wage, he will offer a higher wage.
"It was an interesting day." - President Bush, recalling 9/11 [White House, 1/5/02]
#11. To: timetobuildaboat (#9)
fragrance of euphoria
#12. To: RickyJ, 82Marine89, timetobuildaboat (#10)
No they won't. It use to be like that, but not anymore. They will get the people they want at the price they are willing to pay even if it means hiring illegals, H1-B visa holders, or outsourcing the work to other nations. We live in a global economy now, yet many haven't figured that out yet.
#13. To: Soda Pop (#6)
#14. To: Red Jones (#11)
just between you & me I'll be experiencing that also today.
#15. To: willyone (#13)
Very few illegals work for minimum. Most doing yard work and construction average twelve to eighteen an hour. Only maids will work for minimum. And not for long.
#16. To: Soda Pop, willyone (#15)
#17. To: Red Jones (#0)
#18. To: _Jim (#17)
#19. To: Soda Pop (#15)
#20. To: willywanker (#19)
#21. To: Dakmar (#20)
#22. To: willyone (#21)
#23. To: Dakmar (#22)
#24. To: willyone (#23)
coon?
#25. To: willyone, Soda Pop (#19)
Hog Suck
#26. To: 82Marine89 (#2)
That's not the job of congress.
#27. To: rack42 (#26)
#28. To: 82Marine89 (#27)
I don't feel sorry for anyone who is satisfied with a minimum wage job. They have the same opportunities as me. If they don't take advantage of them, it's their fault, not mine.
"It was an interesting day." - President Bush, recalling 9/11 [White House, 1/5/02]
#29. To: RickyJ (#28)
I do not blame or judge anyone for working a minimum wage job at any point in his/her life; at least they are trying to earn their livelihood instead of relying on handouts.
#30. To: 82Marine89 (#27)
still go to school at night to gain more certifications and advance my ability to earn more money.
#31. To: _Jim (#17)
#32. To: A K A Stone (#30)
#33. To: 82Marine89 (#29)
As for opportunities, we all have them. You just need to have the desire to search for them.
#34. To: 82Marine89 (#32)
Water Resources. Backflow prevention and cross-connection control.
#35. To: Red Jones (#0)
#36. To: Axenolith (#35)
#37. To: Red Jones (#36)
the actual facts are that since 1970 the real minimum wage taking into account simple inflation has gone down dramatically and the unemployment rate has gone up during that same time.
#38. To: willyone (#19)
They sure don't in San Diego.
#39. To: RickyJ (#28)
#40. To: Axenolith (#37)
#41. To: Red Jones (#40)
There is no statistical relationship in our experience the last 55 years between minimum wage and unemployment rate.
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