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Democrats Prepare to Raise Minimum Wage
AP via Newsday ^ | November 16, 2006 | Dennis Freking

Posted on 11/16/2006 11:10:42 AM PST by Quilla

It looks like full steam ahead for a significant boost to the federal minimum wage when Democrats assume control of Congress in January.

Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts said Thursday that increasing the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 would be his top priority as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

On the House side, incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., already has listed an increase in the minimum wage as one of the issues that would be taken up during the first 100 hours of the next Congress.

"Americans are working harder than ever, but millions of hardworking men and women across the country aren't getting their fair share," Kennedy said during a speech outlining his legislative agenda for next year. "We're not rewarding work fairly anymore, and working families are falling behind."

President Bush signaled readiness last week to consider some Democratic priorities such as a minimum-wage increase, overhauling immigration policy and finding compromise on renewing the No Child Left Behind education law.

Critics of boosting the minimum wage say it kills job creation as employers hire fewer entry-level workers to compensate for the higher wage expenses. Kennedy said the minimum wage has remained at $5.15 an hour for nearly 10 years.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: congress; election2006
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To: Quilla
Democrats Prepare to Raise Minimum Wage Destroy Economy
21 posted on 11/16/2006 11:21:23 AM PST by jdm
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To: Quilla

Clearing the way for more "jobs Americans won't do".


22 posted on 11/16/2006 11:21:27 AM PST by Thrusher ("If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.")
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To: Izzy Dunne
"Now he's gotta watch as the new kid (if they hire one) gets the same thing he gets."

Naw, his company will have to bump his salary accordingly or he'll leave for a new company. Also, all the professionals who make just enough to not qualify for OT (this number is based off of the min wage) will get salary increases as well. Prices will go up accordingly and everyone's back to where they started at. Then you get to start over.
23 posted on 11/16/2006 11:21:29 AM PST by tfecw (It's for the children)
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To: Quilla

When small business owners have to layoff because they cant afford the higher wages, those laid off will seek unemployment-a double whammy..


24 posted on 11/16/2006 11:22:18 AM PST by cardinal4
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To: Quilla
This will be disastrous to many small businesses

What these stupid morons fail to realize is that it will have precisely the opposite impact - it will force many small businesses to lay off minimum wagers or force them to reconsider hiring in the first place, thereby hurting the very people they claim to represent.

But for the party of smoke and mirrors and feel-goodism, the imagery is all that matters I guess.
25 posted on 11/16/2006 11:22:34 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." (Psalm 53:1))
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To: MovementConservative

Nothing. You'll just get less of the crap.


26 posted on 11/16/2006 11:23:02 AM PST by MrCFdovnh
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To: Quilla
Why Quilla, what makes you think that how much your employees are worth (i.e., how much added value they provide to the productivity of your business) has any relationship to how much you should pay them?

After all, whether or not your business income exceeds your outgo isn't germane to your role as provider of social welfare...

27 posted on 11/16/2006 11:23:42 AM PST by Texas dog
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To: Izzy Dunne

And what about the guy who was hired two years ago at $5.15?
He worked hard, got a raise to $5.50.

He worked well, got a raise to $6.00.

He worked very well, got a raise to $6.50.

Now he's gotta watch as the new kid (if they hire one) gets the same thing he gets.


..."I agree with you 100%! Except now he'll get his raise to $7.25 instead of to $6.50. (unless he gets laid off)


28 posted on 11/16/2006 11:23:48 AM PST by albie
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To: MovementConservative

lmao


29 posted on 11/16/2006 11:24:06 AM PST by advertising guy (If computer skills named us, I'd be back-space delete.)
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To: Quilla

Too late dems, you've already been out-RINO'ed by my state house/senate/gubner in MI., no brownie points for you.


30 posted on 11/16/2006 11:24:12 AM PST by quantim (Universally incurable => Senators that think they should be President.)
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To: Quilla

Hey, but at least they're not raising the minimum wage for illegals, so the Pelosi vineyards will be unharmed.


31 posted on 11/16/2006 11:24:18 AM PST by Azzurri
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To: MrCFdovnh
You'll just get less of the crap.

It may be crap, but it's fast and tasty crap.

32 posted on 11/16/2006 11:24:23 AM PST by MovementConservative (Getting back to principled conservatism.)
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To: gov_bean_ counter; Dr Stormfist

The Republicans tied an increase in minimum wage to ending the death tax.


As usual, the Dems hate the rich more that they love the poor, so they opposed it, and thanks to the RINOs, it was killed.


33 posted on 11/16/2006 11:26:32 AM PST by rottndog (WOOF!!!)
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To: albie
Except now he'll get his raise to $7.25 instead of to $6.50.

That's what I meant - the rookie gets the same pay as the guy who's been there two years.

So the boss has to raise HIS pay a couple of bucks, watch him go somewhere else, or raise him to min wage and do without the new guy.

Good choices those are not.

34 posted on 11/16/2006 11:28:58 AM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Quilla
yes it will be bad for small businesses which will be good for democrats, more people on welfare to vote dem.


if I had 4 employees making $6 per hour now and I was told I had to raise their pay to $7.25 per hour I would just fire one person, I would then be paying 3 people $21.75 per hour total instead of 4 people $24 per hour total

I would give myself a raise of the $2.25 per hour and demand the workers work harder after all I am now paying them more for the same job they had before.

35 posted on 11/16/2006 11:29:09 AM PST by edzo4
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To: Quilla

See, part of the issue here is that Kennedy and such talk about the min wage increase as in "it's only another $2.10 per hour", but no one talks about the other monies. As I recall, there would be more $$ going into Unemployment, into insurances (not just their medical), into soc security, into 401K.


How much more does it really cost? That needs to be brought up each time.


So, Q, when you have a moment, see how much more that would cost you for 1 employee and let us know.


36 posted on 11/16/2006 11:29:13 AM PST by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: Irisshlass


37 posted on 11/16/2006 11:30:10 AM PST by UpAllNight
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To: Quilla; All
"Americans are working harder than ever, but millions of hardworking men and women across the country aren't getting their fair share," Kennedy said . . .

Why is it that these liberals just don't understand basic ecomonics? Forcing an increase in the minimum wage is not providing a "fair share" for people working in entry level jobs. When the minimum wage is increased employers have to either raise prices or cut jobs to afford the forced increases. If they raise prices, then all consumers have to pay out more - leaving them with less discresionary income. This includes those who just received the wage increase. So, the prices of goods and services still remain out of their economic reach and they actually lose ground as a result. People living on higher wages also lose out - so everyone suffers. Maybe that's what the dims regard as "fair". Then there is the issue of lost jobs resulting from forced increases in the minimum wage. So, the dims want these entry level employees to become unemployed and not have any income to live off of. Yeah, they're the party of the "little guy" alright. Now, let's take Quilla's 15 employees. If they are all at $6.00 an hour, the increase goes like this = 15 X $1.25 increase X 8 hours per day = $150 per day increased wage costs for this one employer. If they are paid for 52 weeks out of the year, then the increase in wages Quilla has to pay out is $150 per day X 5 days per week X 52 weeks = $39,000 per year just in wage increases. Unless Quilla increases his prices, he will have to pay out the equivalent of an additional 3.125 employee wages per year, or he will have to cut two jobs at least to keep competitive. Yeah, the dims have a great solution there, don't they? Why doesn't the entry level employee take the initiative to go get additional education/training so that they can obtain a higher paying position? That's what most of the rest of us do in life. I'd even be willing to consider programs aimed at increasing the work force skills so that people have the option of moving into better paying jobs. But an arbitrary increase in the minimum wage is idiotic at best. Why do people vote dims into office when we know that all they wish to do is decrease options for all of us.

38 posted on 11/16/2006 11:30:13 AM PST by SoldierDad (Proud Father of a 10th Mountain Division 2nd BCT Soldier Home on Leave)
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To: tfecw
"Naw, his company will have to bump his salary accordingly or he'll leave for a new company. Also, all the professionals who make just enough to not qualify for OT (this number is based off of the min wage) will get salary increases as well. Prices will go up accordingly and everyone's back to where they started at. Then you get to start over."

Pretty darn close! Don't forget every time minimum wage goes up so does monthly treasury deposits (federal, SS & Medicare) oh and don't forget Federal and State Unemployment! They'll raise that minimum of the first $7,000 to $10,000. THEN they start all over!
39 posted on 11/16/2006 11:30:25 AM PST by poobear (Political Left, continually accusing their foes of what THEY themselves do every day.)
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To: Quilla

Why don't they just have a cost of living raise every year. That would get rid of the entire need for minimum wage. Would that work better? I think that would be the best way to solve this and people won't have to get rid of people and people pay checks will got up a couple dollars and the extra money will help with the economy. I have thought about this for a while. Are you ready to hire me for your accountant? lol.


40 posted on 11/16/2006 11:31:16 AM PST by napscoordinator
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