Senate blocks minimum wage raise

[Your Paragon of Virtue]

Senate blocks minimum wage rise

 

Democratic Senators have voted to block a measure that would have increased the US minimum wage from its current level of $5.15 (£2.80) an hour.

The bill, already passed by the US House of Representatives, would have raised wage levels to $7.25 by 2010.

 

But Democrats were unhappy that it was tied to a Republican plan to cut inheritance taxes paid by the rich.

 

The Republican-led Senate did not gain the 60 votes needed to enable final congressional passage of the package.

 

Opponents of the joint bill had previously said they were not expecting the bill to gain approval in the Senate.

 

'Fattest cats'

 

On 30 July, the House of Representatives voted in favour of increasing the minimum wage from the existing hourly rate of $5.15 to $7.25 by the middle of 2009.

 

But the bill also included plans to cut estate taxes, which are a form of inheritance tax levied when a property transfers from one person to another following a death.

 

Republicans say small businesses and farmers would benefit.

 

But many economists argue that expanding the estate tax benefit would only serve a small slice of the US population, who are already rich.

 

"The Republicans can get 6.6 million Americans an increase in their basic minimum wage, as long as we promised that the fattest cats in America would get a great big bowl of tax cuts," said Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate.

 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5244518.stm

[MarvinisaLunatic]

7.25 in 2010 would be like 5.15 now so whoopdidoo.

 

Just let the states do it themselves.

[Guest InuYasha]

As soon as I heard the GOP Senators had added their usual date-rape pill to the minimum wage hike, I knew it was going to get voted down.

[Guest asher66]

Now the Republicans can accuse the Democrats of not caring about the poor. Bravo, GOP! Nobody does treachery like the Republicans.

[Dr. Zaius]

Nobody's going to argue that only market forces should control wages?

 

Anyone? Anyone?

[Dobbs 3K]

Nobody's going to argue that only market forces should control wages?

 

Anyone? Anyone?

 

Well, that's how I feel. Seems like we just had this discussion pretty recently, though.

[Guest DRH 502]

I'm just glad I have never been, and knock on wood, never will be in a position to accept a minimum wage job. I do feel that it should be raised however. The price of living goes up and the wages stay the same??? SINCE THE FUCKIN 80S?

[Art Sandusky]

No, since 1996. Back when 56k was a big deal, The Pentium II was all the buzz, saying "nWo" would get "huh?" and blowjobs, not terrorists, represented the greatest threat to our nation.

[Dr. Zaius]

Isn't there proof that market forces are pulling up wages on their own? Remember, there's some things you can buy that are either the same price or cheaper than they were in mid-90s.

[Guest DRH 502]

Dude the price of gas alone warrants a raise in minimum wage. Imagine working at a place, making 5 bucks (or whatever it is) an hour...you work 40 hours and make 200 bucks, 150 probably when taxes get taken out. You have a cell phone? There goes 40. You buy misc other stuff and spend 50. But hey you have 50 left right? Until you fill up your broken down Honda Accord...now you are flat broke and ready to start work again Monday.

 

I feel for those people. I grew up poor as fuck, and everything I have, i've worked for. Not easy work either, i've packed/cut lumber since I was 12 years old. Now at age 20 i'm running a crew and not only making hourly(13) wages, but i'm getting pretty decent amount of the overall profitt on the house (all in cash...tax free). I'm lucky, but the other 20 year olds who can't get a job anywhere but GAP (or are just too fucking lazy to work anywhere but GAP) CAN'T be eatin...unless they have rich mommies and daddies.

[Dr. Zaius]

How many full time jobs actually pay minimum wage? Sure, I feel bad for the few people who work 40 hours making $5.15, but most of them are part-time workers and kids living with their parents. I'm not necessarily against the minimum wage being raised, but the flip side (you're not really helping the people you think you are, and there's usually a spike in unemployment after the wage is raised) needs to be looked at.

[snuffbox]

It's not just minimum wage...$6 an hour isn't a living wage in this economy...nor is $7...

[EricMM]

The response would be something like, "get rid of the phone and the car"

[snuffbox]

Paying people for their work is an Ultra Socialist Whack Job idea.

[EricMM]

No, just paying them more than the minimum the market will allow is.

 

After all why pay someone ten dollars what someone will do for six?

 

Psst I have these guys that will do it in China for a fraction of that.

[snuffbox]

As long as the foreigners are in their own countries...they should get as many American jobs as possible. That's Patriotism, babay!

[Your Paragon of Virtue]

Keep building that debt up with China, that will catch up to you.

 

Illegal aliens are willing to do jobs for like $4/hr. Does that mean the government should just scrap the minimum wage and allow companies to pay them like that?

 

Eric stop talking out of your ass.

[Stephen Joseph]

Nobody's going to argue that only market forces should control wages?

 

Anyone? Anyone?

 

Well, that's how I feel. Seems like we just had this discussion pretty recently, though.

 

 

 

I would, but then again, everyone knows my views around here.

[EricMM]

SJ is right.

 

We all know all of our views around here.

 

The market is just a race towards the lowest common denominator, and people aren't cogs.

 

Yep.

[Dr. Zaius]

So we're all in agreement that the minimum wage is the Montreal Screw-Job of CE folder topics? Alrighty, then.

[Art Sandusky]

In my own experience, a lot of jobs pay $5.25 an hour just to be able to say "you make more than minimum wage." $5.25 or $5.50 is the real life minimum these days.