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Senate Hikes Minimum Wage
ABCNews.com ^ | 2/1/07 | Z. BYRON WOLF

Posted on 02/01/2007 3:00:57 PM PST by conservative in nyc

After weeks of debate and parliamentary wrangling, the Senate passed a long-awaited $2.10 increase in the minimum wage by an overwhelming margin of 94-3 — the first such hike in a decade, though it will be spread over two years.

Raising the minimum wage, usually a rallying cry for more progressive or liberal Democrats, became an unlikely but effective campaign issue in the 2006 midterm elections that, along with voter frustration over the war in Iraq and perceived corruption on Capitol Hill, brought them back in control of both houses of Congress for the first time in 12 years.

A similar bill to increase the minimum wage passed the House of Representatives in January, but that measure did not include tax breaks for small businesses, which have been tacked onto the Senate bill so that it can gain enough votes to overcome Republican opposition.

House and Republican negotiators will have to hammer out a compromise bill before the wage hike can be sent to the President for his signature. Bush has indicated he will sign the legislation as long as it still includes the small business tax breaks added in the Senate.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: minimumwage; senate
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To: The Blitherer; Txsleuth; Mo1; Howlin
It needs to go to a conference committee to iron out differences between the House and Senate versions, and the conference committee report has to be voted on again. Then, it will go to the President, who I'd bet my bottom dollar will sign it.

As best I can tell from looking at the amendments offered in the Senate, the minimum wage wasn't extended to American Samoa - unless something snuck in today. I don't even think the issue was raised.
21 posted on 02/01/2007 3:22:34 PM PST by conservative in nyc
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To: conservative in nyc

The minimum wage hike is one of the biggest fiascos out there.

It benefits relatively few. When even formerly "Minimum wage" jobs don't even pay that low, what is the point?

Further - the unions like it because so many of their contracts are based on a multiplier of the minimum wage.

Politicians like it because they then claim to "care for the poor worker". I don't know about you - but the only people I know working for "minimum wage" are entry-level jobs primarily occupied by high school students. Heck - I made more than the current minimum wage while I was working at a pizza joint in college...and that was 14 years ago...

And as I heard discussed a few weeks back when this minimum wage junk first started getting lots of press - it says something for the "quality" of worker if they continue to make minimum wage for ANY significant length of time after hire...

Heck - even the illegal Mexican & Central American laborers around here make a lot more than minimum wage (within 2 miles of where I sit typing this post, there are probably 20 illegals who make between $10 and $12 per hour, not to mention that housing is provided).

There is a grand total of TWO businesses within two cities of me that pay minimum wage - a grocery store and a Sonic Drive In. And even those don't keep you at minimum wage for too long...


22 posted on 02/01/2007 3:22:39 PM PST by TheBattman (I've got TWO QUESTIONS for you....)
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To: UncleDick

Bush should veto this. Of course, he won't. He's too busy railing against CEO salaries to fuss with this.


23 posted on 02/01/2007 3:23:35 PM PST by Desperately Seeking Freedom
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To: right-wingin_It
Is this the version with or without the "Schumer-Gordon Smith (R-Ore)" domestic-partner benefit provision slipped into it (in the dark of night)?

Are you serious? Chuckie didn't even bother to show up to vote for the bill.
24 posted on 02/01/2007 3:23:53 PM PST by conservative in nyc
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To: conservative in nyc

Well these anti-American bastards had better not whine about the balance of trade any more --- they just drove off about another million jobs offshore. If there any left to drive off.....

Freaking idiots. All for votes and buying more socialism.


25 posted on 02/01/2007 3:25:20 PM PST by EagleUSA
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To: Desperately Seeking Freedom

Bush should veto this. Of course, he won't. He's too busy railing against CEO salaries to fuss with this.
------
He is useless. He does not know what a veto pen is ---


26 posted on 02/01/2007 3:26:32 PM PST by EagleUSA
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To: Para-Ord.45

And here comes more illegals being hired.


27 posted on 02/01/2007 3:27:15 PM PST by Screamname (Guinness world records reports that the record for youngest living person is constantly being broken)
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To: conservative in nyc
Are you serious? Chuckie didn't even bother to show up to vote for the bill.

oh, I guess it's a no then...which is a relief. See I heard it was going to be blocked...but then I read something from the FRC I think that said Chuckie was gonna try to sneak it in..Maybe what I read was dated

28 posted on 02/01/2007 3:31:56 PM PST by right-wingin_It
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To: xcamel

I like it! Someone needs to do a Photoshop of that idea!


29 posted on 02/01/2007 3:33:22 PM PST by TheBattman (I've got TWO QUESTIONS for you....)
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To: Para-Ord.45
You got that right. The guy with two year's tenure currently making $7.25 will want a raise, as will the guy making $10, $15, etc.

The most hysterical part will be when this happens, Democrats will condemn the greedy shop owners for passing these increases along to customers...

30 posted on 02/01/2007 3:33:58 PM PST by Jagman (I drank François Rabelais under the table!)
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To: right-wingin_It

If it did get slipped in, do they have to pass it back to the house ?


31 posted on 02/01/2007 3:35:30 PM PST by stylin19a
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To: Jagman
The most hysterical part will be when this happens, Democrats will condemn the greedy shop owners for passing these increases along to customers...

That's gonna be kinda hard for them to do, though, if Starkist gets to opt out....

32 posted on 02/01/2007 3:38:07 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: California Patriot
With few exceptions, Senate Republicans are a cowardly, unintelligent, unprincipled lot. Pathetic.

And they refuse to understand that those traits cost them more in the last election than did the supposed "Iraq problem"...

33 posted on 02/01/2007 3:40:08 PM PST by TheBattman (I've got TWO QUESTIONS for you....)
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To: SeanOGuano
I'm surprised that ABC used such a mild term as perceived. I would have expected them to use "blatant."

They should have. I'd say that blatant is the most accurate descriptor available.

34 posted on 02/01/2007 3:41:03 PM PST by NittanyLion
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To: conservative in nyc

What are the tax breaks for "small businesess"?


35 posted on 02/01/2007 3:43:43 PM PST by MrLee
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To: conservative in nyc

Schumer didn't VOTE on such an IMPORTANT thing????? Out HAwking his book!!


36 posted on 02/01/2007 3:44:32 PM PST by Suzy Quzy
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To: California Patriot
With few exceptions, Senate Republicans are a cowardly, unintelligent, unprincipled lot. Pathetic.

Sorry to say that you are RIGHT ON!!

37 posted on 02/01/2007 3:49:29 PM PST by dearolddad
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To: conservative in nyc

I haven't seen it the Senate .. but in the house there was this ... it was introduced AFTER the bill was passed in the House


http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d110:5:./temp/~bdD8DZ::|/bss/110search.html|


H.R.509
Title: To apply the Federal Minimum Wage to American Samoa.
Sponsor: Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] (introduced 1/17/2007) Cosponsors (4)
Related Bills: H.R.2, S.2
Latest Major Action: 1/17/2007 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.


38 posted on 02/01/2007 3:50:10 PM PST by Mo1 ( http://www.gohunter08.com)
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To: EagleUSA

I hope "they" are glad they didnt vote, wanting Bush to veto bills that get passed is not going to happen, voting in the next election would handle that


39 posted on 02/01/2007 3:56:33 PM PST by italianquaker (what are the democrats doing about there war now)
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To: conservative in nyc
Crime will rise with teen unemployment. What's more, we'll probably see more teens involved in drug crimes.

In fact, the lowest soldiers in drug gangs actually make less than minimum wage - legit work that pays below minimum wage is illegal. We know this from financial records that have been recovered.


40 posted on 02/01/2007 4:01:03 PM PST by mc6809e
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