Why Bush balked on the Gulf Coast Wage Cut - A Toast to Rep. George Miller

[VolcanoJen]

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This story, at Josh Marshall's TPMCafe, shows that we really can force their hand. Rep. George Miller (D-CA) shows that when brave Democrats stand up and defend American workers, they win.

Saving Davis-Bacon - by Rep. George Miller

It was announced today that the President will overturn his Gulf Coast wage cut on November 8. This was a direct result of intense pressure from Democrats and labor and religious leaders.

Every single House Democrat has been on record since September in opposition to the President's wage cut. I recently wrote on this site about an unprecedented Joint Resolution I introduced last week that would have forced a vote in Congress to overturn the President's wage cut. That vote would have had to happen - you guessed it - not later than the week of November 7. With the support of every House Democrat and 37 House Republicans, we would have won that vote. Boxed in by that embarrassing scenario, the White House chose to reverse itself.

This wage cut was a mistake from the beginning and never should have been ordered. But today's news is a victory for workers in the Gulf Coast and all over America. The President chose to undermine workers' wages at a time when they needed the most help. Democrats had a better idea: pay people a decent wage for the hard they work do. Democrats will fight the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress every time they try to undermine American workers.

May I propose a toast to Rep. George Miller, for standing firm, twisting arms, working back-channels, forcing a White House flip-flop, and then telling us all about it?

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