and in other news...minimum wage increase legislation failed again

[ourbluenation]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-min20.html

Senate proposals to raise the minimum wage were rejected Wednesday, making it unlikely that the lowest allowable wage, $5.15 an hour since 1997, will rise in the foreseeable future.

snip

Kennedy (D-Mass.) said Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the depth of poverty in the country and he pointed out that a single parent with two children working a minimum wage earns $10,700 a year, $4,500 below the poverty line.

But Republican opponents, echoing the arguments of business groups, said higher minimum wages can work against the poor if they force small businesses to cut payrolls.

''Mandated hikes in the minimum wage do not cure poverty and they clearly do not create jobs,'' said Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.)

[ourbluenation]

1. they are down right giddy....get your bucket alert...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1506412/posts?page=51,7

"What I don't get is why the government feels it has the right to force one group (business owners) to provide charity for low skill workers.
Of course it creates unemployment, but the GOAL is to help those people out. Why must a presumably public social good be entirely paid for by private businesses?The minimum wage law is so bad in so many ways."

"If someone doesn't have the skills to earn more than minimum wage, they have no business having children. Nobody's entitled to a certain income just because they have a family to support."

Christ

[don954]

3. so now they are calling a fair wage charity?

only a republican could come up with that crap..

[ClintonTyree]

2. What a crock of shit......

"But Republican opponents, echoing the arguments of business groups, said higher minimum wages can work against the poor if they force small businesses to cut payrolls." :eyes:

It isn't small business groups the Repiglicans care about, it's the multi-nationals, the big boys who contribute millions to their campaign funds. THOSE are the people the Pigs are working for, literally as well as figuratively.

I challenge any of these asshole Repiglicans to live one month with nothing but that which minimum wage can buy. As a matter of fact I think I'll publicly challenge my Repiglican Congressman to do just that. I think a nice LTTE with that challenge will raise a few hackles. :)

[MindPilot]

6. That's a good idea

Morgan Spurlock did exactly that on his show 30 Days.

[Egalitariat]

7. Small businesses emply far more minimum wage employees than the multis***

nm

[sarcasmo]

4. How can the brain washed right voter not see that these ASSHATS

don't stand for anything but the Corporate elite.

[ourbluenation]

5. It's the mystery of mysteries.... vote against your best interests....

they're stuck on stupid.

In the meantime it is outrageous what our minimum wage is in this country...it's shameful.

[Darranar]

8. Another vote against the working poor.

Our government is bought.

[ourbluenation]

9. Our right-wing controlled government, that is...eom

[Darranar]

10. Is there another one? n/t

[madrchsod]

11. the minimum wage increase per year since

the program started is somewhere in the 3-5 cents range...it`s raining pennies from heaven

[Telly Savalas]

12. Pay Senator Enzi $5.15 an hour, since he's OK with it as a wage.

[Broken_Hero]

14. Yeah, no doubt...

You cant live on minimum wage, even if you have no kids, unless you live in a super low cost area.....and even that, is probably a fantasy land (Super low cost area)....

[Coyote_Bandit]

13. Skills are irrelevant

Ten years of college. Three graduate degrees and two professional licenses. I've been jobless fo nearly three years now. I've even been turned down for one of those minimum wage jobs - part-time work in a thrift store.

The problem here is not a lack of skilled workers. The American workforce is far more educated and skilled than at anytime in history.