Posted on 01/12/2007 6:33:26 AM PST by GeorgiaDawg32
As part of their first 100 hours plan, Democrats are pushing a hike in the minimum wage. It's going to happen, with several Republicans and even President Bush prepared to go along with it. But did you know that American Samoa...a Democrat stronghold...is being exempted from the minimum wage increase?
And just what are the reasons being given for this? According to the chairman of the House, Education and Labor Committee, Democrat George Miller of California, the economy of American Samoa doesn't have the ability to handle the United States' minimum wage and should be exempt. Nice try...want to know the real reason? The answer is the tuna industry and like the product itself, this one stinks to high heaven.
The average wage for tuna workers in American Samoa is $3.60 an hour. One of the biggest employers there is Starkist Tuna...which is headquartered in San Francisco...Nancy Pelosi land. Anybody care to take a closer look at the campaign contributions of Democrats in the last election? One thing is for sure, the delegate from American Samoa, a Democrat, is loaded down with campaign cash from the tuna industry.
So there you have it...a double standard. On the one hand, we're told you can't raise a family on $5.15 an hour and the minimum wage must be raised to $7.25 an hour. But for the right price in campaign contributions, the tuna industry in American Samoa can avoid the minimum wage altogether...they just have to stuff the pockets of the right Democrats. Where is the media on this one?
Will the press be taking a closer look at Nancy Pelosi's campaign finance disclosures? Probably not. But somebody will.
Ping
GOP hits Pelosi's 'hypocrisy' on wage bill
Hypocrisy's a nice word for it...
I'm shocked, shocked that our government works this way!
BTW, doesn't Heinz own Starkist...?
Del Monte owns it. This is being covered on Fox right now.
MSM: Move along. Nothing to see here.
Judging from the stuff on FR, it must only be the democrats that do this sort of thing...
OK...if our guys have any guts, they should try to attach an amendment that removes the exemption for American Samoa.
Think I'll take a minute and check their donor records :)
/s
Therefore, nothing will be done about it. In fact, Pelosi will be rewarded for "being courageous", or something like that...
America Samoa sounds like the Democrats version of the Mariana mistake. Someone needs to find their bagman and turn them in.
The most ethical House ever./
Run by the most unethical crooks that ever held the position of Congressperson.
Culture of Corruption Redux...
"The average wage for tuna workers in American Samoa is $3.60 an hour."
That's slave labor in today's world. You would have at least thought that Queen Pelosi could have brought the wage up to $5.00 per hour!
What a bunch of hypocrites. The Republicans should shout this from the rooftops!!
Anyone know the average income in Samoa? $7+ p/h might be like $20 in Oregon. I would imagine the cost of living is pretty low.
Still stinks like the s**t house door off a tuna boat tho'
TUNAGATE-Something smells fishy, here......
you open a can of worms when you do that though..$7 per hour is worth a lot more in the mississippi delta than it is in NYC..minimum wage based on where someone lives would be a nightmare..
"OK...if our guys have any guts, they should try to attach an amendment that removes the exemption for American Samoa."
From the other link on this thread: (this should answer your question)
"During the House debate yesterday on stem-cell research, Mr. McHenry raised a parliamentary inquiry as to whether an amendment could be offered that would exempt American Samoa from stem-cell research, "just as it was for the minimum-wage bill."
A clearly perturbed Rep. Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat who was presiding, cut off Mr. McHenry and shouted, "No, it would not be."
"So, the chair is saying I may not offer an amendment exempting American Samoa?" Mr. McHenry pressed.
"The gentleman is making a speech and will sustain," Mr. Frank shouted as he slammed his large wooden gavel against the rostrum."
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