Republican Congress: 9 straight pay raises for selves, zero for poor americans

[Taymelo]

Democrats vow to block pay raises until minimum wage increased
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A week after the GOP-led Senate rejected an increase to the minimum wage, Senate Democrats on Tuesday vowed to block pay raises for members of Congress until the minimum wage is increased.

"We're going to do anything it takes to stop the congressional pay raise this year, and we're not going to settle for this year alone," Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said at a Capitol news conference.

"They can play all the games the want," Reid said derisively of the Republicans who control the chamber. "They can deal with gay marriage, estate tax, flag burning, all these issues and avoid issues like the prices of gasoline, sending your kid to college. But we're going to do everything to stop the congressional pay raise." YES - SOMEONE SAID IT!!!

The minimum wage is $5.15 an hour. Democrats want to raise it to $7.25. During the past nine years, as Democrats have tried unsuccessfully to increase the minimum wage, members of Congress have voted to give themselves pay raises -- technically "cost of living increases" -- totaling $31,600, or more than $15 an hour for a 40-hour week, 52 weeks a year, according to the Congressional Research Service.

In floor debate last week Republicans argued the raise for low-income workers would hurt small businesses. They offered an alternative measure to raise the minimum wage that was tied to tax breaks for small businesses.

The main proposal fell eight votes short of the 60 it needed to pass with 46 opposing; the alternative measure mustered only 45 votes in favor, while 53 senators opposed.

Reid wouldn't spell out the specific tactics he would employ to block the congressional pay raise -- which is triggered each year with the passage of an appropriations bill not by a vote on a stand alone bill to increase pay for members.

But he warned, "I know procedure's around here fairly well."

Question: How can they possibly justify raising their own pay $30,000 and not a single penny for those making minimum wage?

Answer: Minimum wage earners do not contribute to republican election campaigns. However, big companies that pay miminum wage to their numerous employees donate hundreds of millions of dollars to republicans, to get them elected, so they can vote down raises to the minimum wage that would cost their huge corporations a lot more money than the campaign contributions they gave to the republicans in the first place.

In other words, republican politicians are whores who fuck the american public for money, and then feel they've done such a good job of fucking America, they give themselves raises every year as a pat on the back.

Or another way of putting it is that its a lot cheaper to buy a republican whore politician than it is to pay your employees enough for them to feed AND provide medicine for their children.

[DennyMcLain]

"Democrats want it raised to $7.25 an hour.."

Are they FUCKING KIDDING ME????? I would say $6.00 is fine, but that's just too much in one shot.

The Dems are playing used car salesman, here.

[Black Dynamite]

"Democrats want it raised to $7.25 an hour.."

Are they FUCKING KIDDING ME????? I would say $6.00 is fine, but that's just too much in one shot.

The Dems are playing used car salesman, here.

then workout compromise. dont just not raise it. then raise it for your homies. fuck that man. this isnt all or nothing. if they were being real, they would say "7.25 is too much maybe something little lower" like you did, but instead its "no, and lets move on".


i'd take a used car salesman over a guy who just says yes or no based on how he sees fit.

[Uncle Mxy]

"Democrats want it raised to $7.25 an hour.."

Are they FUCKING KIDDING ME????? I would say $6.00 is fine, but that's just too much in one shot.

The Dems are playing used car salesman, here.

It wasn't in one shot:

In the Senate, two amendments to the Defense Appropriations Bill were defeated that would have raised the minimum wage. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) offered an amendment that would have raised the minimum wage from the current $5.15 to $7.25 over two years: it would have gone from $5.15 to $5.85 beginning 60 days after the legislation was enacted; to $6.55 one year later; and to $7.25 a year after that. The amendment, which needed 60 votes for passage, was defeated 52-46 on Jun. 21.

The other amendment, offered by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), would have increased the minimum wage to $6.25 over 18 months and was bundled with a number of other provisions affecting the Fair Labor Standards Act. The amendment was defeated 52-46 and again failed to garner the requisite 60 votes.

[Taymelo]

Mxy, can you list the numbers of republicans and democrats who voted for each?

I'd like everyone here to see which party wants the bulk of the country to be poor, stupid, and in poor health.

[Uncle Mxy]

I don't have the figures on hand -- that was a super-quick Google News search. I'm on the road this week (maybe longer) and my connectivity is spotty and slow.

[Unibomber]

"Democrats want it raised to $7.25 an hour.."

Are they FUCKING KIDDING ME????? I would say $6.00 is fine, but that's just too much in one shot.

The Dems are playing used car salesman, here.

Min. wage is $7.50 over here and it's great. Maybe America should get back on track.

[Glenn]

Unibomber,

What's it like to live in a progressive state?

Must be nice.

If Dick DeVos takes over Michigan, I may think about moving.

[cruscott35]

Half the states have minimum wage laws that require getting paid more than 5.15 an hour anyway.

States should decide this, not the Feds.

Noone is FORCED to work in a min. wage job. Why should someone get more than 5.15/hr to mop a floor? Companies can determine what they think they want to pay for that job. If they aren't paying enough, noone will work it, and they'll be forced to pay more.

If you raise min. wage, that'll just mean the people who work harder, who are worth more than they are paid will be kept, and others will be fired.

Why is it always someone else's fault with you guys (the left)???

[Black Dynamite]

Noone is FORCED to work in a min. wage job.

Thats a very odd world you live in. Actually most people working minimum or close to that jobs arent doing it as one of many options. Funny that you said floor moppers don't deserve much more? what percentage of people making 5.15 phr are floor moppers man? You're reaching there. Janitors arent dominating the minimum wage market, in fact are somehow some are making more than that(not much more of course). Probally a bad example. I'm not totally against states deciding the wage. But your reasoning didn't make a good case for it IMO.

Nevertheless Democratic psycho Taymelo will be happy to have a conservative to battle with since Gecko took a vacation this offseason.