hosted.ap.org — The GOP strategy put Democrats in an uncomfortable position. Either they could vote against the bill - thus rejecting a minimum wage increase - or they could vote for it - thus agreeing to cut taxes on multimillion-dollar estates. Most rejected the bill, blocking a GOP victory months before the election
Aug 4, 2006 View in Crawl 4
cornstarchAug 4, 2006
The increase was needed, but that bill... that bill was a mess.
bizzvuAug 7, 2006
The Republicans, and especially Bill Frist, are scum of the Earth! Frist held the minimum wage vote hostage by attaching the estate tax rider. The estate tax permanently exempt all estates of under $5 million, and $10 million for a couple, so that less than 1 percent of estates would pay any tax. Meanwhile the poor get poorer.Here's what the second richest man in the world, Warren Buffet, had to say about the prospect of an estate tax change. "I would hate to see the estate tax gutted. It's a very equitable tax," Buffett said. "It's in keeping with the idea of equality of opportunity in this country, not giving incredible head starts to certain people who were very selective about the womb from which they emerged."
striker840Aug 7, 2006
Good points but one thing, why should the fedgov get involved with just one more aspect of our lives?
striker840Aug 7, 2006
Osjpr"As a consumer, I would cease to buy your product, hence you losing more than business than you . Consumers don't have infinite resources (unless you are making enough money that if has no effect on you)."So your saying that if a small business has to increase prices and/or lay off employees because the feds mandate a higher wage in order for said small business to stay IN business you would refuse to frequent said business?What if the federally mandated pay increases put the small business in jeopardy of closing? Many small businesses don't operate on a large profit margin, and in fact many operate at a break even for the first several years of existence. In that case, its either raise prices, lay off a few employees, or close and lay off several.
tthomas1529Aug 7, 2006
Are there no prisons?'' asked Scrooge. ``Plenty of prisons,'' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again. ``And the Union workhouses?'' demanded Scrooge. ``Are they still in operation?'' ``They are. Still,'' returned the gentleman, `` I wish I could say they were not.'' ``The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?'' said Scrooge. ``Both very busy, sir.'' ``Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,'' said Scrooge. ``I'm very glad to hear it.''
kuzotzAug 8, 2006
As me being a person who grew up below the poverty line. You can get stuff like PCs and the internet...I mean my friend Gerardo grew up the same way and he was able to get access to it. I mean helll you can get it for free at libraries also... Anyway the working poor work hard. Certain circumstances causes them to become working poor...Anyway the same conservatives that hate minimum wage are the same ones who support firearms...Even though many people in heavily developed urban areas are aainst(for good reason too!).Anyway my mom worked two jobs and it still wasn't enough. She had ot move in with her parents so that me and my sister could still be raised because how is a single mother going to raise two kids while working 2 jobs that pay minimum wage? Anyway things turned out for the best with us. That's only because my mom wasn't demoralized. Morale is a big deal when it comes to success,and if your in the working poor. You're usually depressed,angry,and fustrated.. Then you hear about the GOP wanting to oust minimum wage,and then you just get plain tired of it all.I mean and most of the people who support the republicans are the blue collars that think that naything that benefits the people with tax money is communism and shouldn't be done.. Blue collars believe that there should be a two tier system and are in full support of getting screwed over when they have a HMO.
kuzotzAug 8, 2006
Yeah I'm for higher taxes if Healthcare is paid for by our government. That means I don't have to pay for health insurance which cost me roughly 300 dollars a month, and thats just for the s**tty ones..I mean in tax dollars I would pay less if there was a healthcare system like Canada. REpublicans are idiots and they are afraid of taxes even though it can benefit them if you know what you're doing. Tkae Europe's example,and take CAnada as an example. They have safety nets for a lot of things..When I was in Germany I didn't see one homeless person... When I was in Turkey Is aw a whole part of Istanbul that the tourist will never see... Beggars..Reminded me of home..Anywaysocial programs help for the long run of things,and not the short term.. Republicans only think in the short term. I mean the crime and poverty rate is horrible in the US,and the fact that we openly support rich people in not going to jail for 10 to 20 years for things such as White collar crimes that are way more costly to society than street crimes are.
pixelbathAug 11, 2006
Completely agree. Every time a minimum wage increase is even superficially discussed, all the doomsayers come out and complain about how this will destroy the economy, and inflate prices, causing the poor to become poorer, eventually cascading into...what, another depression? I don't know what it is you think will happen there.It's not that this time is any different. The EXACT same thing happens. every. time.There will be a nominal increase in some products, mostly for companies who are able to slip in price hikes under the radar, but will eventually be normalized by market demand (if it's too expensive, buy a cheaper brand).People shouldn't even be focusing on this aspect. It's something that needs to be done. What they should really be looking at is why the GOP would attach this particular rider to this bill. If the bill passes, the richest people in the country (generally, Republican business owners) get a tax cut. If the rider ends up killing the bill, they get to not pay their employees as much. It's the cost benefit offshoring your labor without coming under fire for employing third-world workers at $0.50 a day.
lifeisapickleFeb 21, 2008
that is true, but what about getting your head out of your ass? what about the american made stuff. the prices will go way up because its more costly to buy it. and this just means MORE stuff will be outsourced, once the minimum wage gets increased
ryanw1184Jul 30, 2008
Yea somebody want to fill me in why us pussy americans stand by and do nothing while the government takes 25% of our paychecks? WTF ? We worked for it, yet they get it. F that. Screw taxes, tax the people that have money not us struggling paycheck to paycheck. You'd think that'd be common sense, but our country is ran by a bunch of criminal scam artists. America... If i didn't love it. I'd probably be a terrorist against it. We as the american people need to GROW OUR F'in BALLS BACK. w/e happened to Dont Tread on us??