Posted on 01/12/2007 12:52:23 PM PST by GeorgiaDawg32
Video link on foxnews website, www.foxnews.com left side of the screen..
According to FoxNews, pelosi now says Samoa is INCLUDED..
Her trickle-up theory apparently won't go over very well with the people there, as their representative had this to say (pay attention to para 2) regarding the devastation of the Samoan economy if this goes through:
"In a statement in response today, Faleomavaega (American Samoa delegate) said "despite recent claims made by the Washington Post which suggest that American Samoa is exempt from the federal minimum wage process, I wish to set the record straight." He says since 1956, the Wage and Hour Division of the US Department of Labor has conducted Special Industry Committees every two years in American Samoa to determine minimum wage increases.
"While these Industry Committees have been phased out in other US Territories due to their more diversified economies, American Samoa continues to be a single industry economy. In fact, more than 80% of our private sector economy is dependent either directly, or indirectly, on two U.S. tuna processors, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist. As has been repeatedly stated at our Special Industry Committees, a decrease in production or departure of one or both of the two canneries in American Samoa could devastate the local economy resulting in massive layoffs and insurmountable financial difficulties," the Congressman says.
"For this very reason, I do not support efforts to apply mainland minimums to American Samoa at this time. The truth is the global tuna industry is so competitive that it is no longer possible for the federal government to demand mainland minimum wage rates for American Samoa without causing the collapse of our economy and making us welfare wards of the federal government."
I mean yes. What was the question?
She thought she wouldn't get caught. When the Dems were last in power they had much more of the press in their pocket.
I'm willin to bet she thought this would slide under the radar..
Is she going to get away with this???
The democrats convention theme song should be
Money for Nothing
the question was whether the samoans would be getting the higher wages - I guess the answer is NO. so Pelosi still accomplishes her goal of protecting starkist.
FR may have made a big stink about it, but I heard this on "Paul Harvey" with Senator Fred Thompson this morning before it hit the FReeper wires.
Too bad he's retired from politics. I bet he'd make a formidable foe for the Hildabeast and others on the "that" side of the aisle.
Technically, but their kickbacks to the canneries and bribes to the bosses to keep their jobs will increase accordingly.
The good stuff (white albacore) is aleady $1.79 for one of those little cans. I just bought some yesterday. But if Pelosi makes money off of Starkist, those are my last cans.
Looks like Pelosi is now between a rock and a hard place. Either way, she looks pretty bad........LOL
All American Samoa needs is a Wal-Mart, for gawd's sake.
They could be the central distributor for the whole South Pacific. Pago Pago, the CIA World Book says, has one of the best natural harbor to be found in the region.
Yeah, that's the ticket. Open a Wal-Mart.
No more fishy tuna smell.
"...it is no longer possible for the federal government to demand mainland minimum wage rates for American Samoa without causing the collapse of our economy and making us welfare wards of the federal government."BWAha! Isn't that a democRat objective?
Does this make sense to any of you?
On the one hand they're exempt but on the other hand they're included in the legislation? I don't get it.
First 100 hours and already making blunders.LOL
Yeh, my cat is going to be totally upset when he goes to an all Friskies diet. I'll attempt to tell him about San Fran Nan, and her 100 hours of flip flopping, but I doubt he will really give a s#$%.
LOL...caught in the act. The perfidy has only just begun.
sorry charlie
Have you seen the price of tuna lately?
Those little 2 ounce packets in tin foil are $2.50. That is $20 a pound. Czn you imagine what it is going to cost if the workers get the new minimum wage. (You can not fool me, I know who will wind up paying the new wages, and it ain't Starkist or Chicken of the sea.)
So she changed the wording of the Bill AFTER it was voted on???
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