House to vote on Minimum Wage Increase

If you think about it, at least in my opinion, the wage increase of $7.25 set to change over the next 3 years, will end up like the $5.15 we have now. Standards of Living increase, Gas, Tax's may and such...I agree with the person who said raising it to $20 haha.....but i've worked a minimum wage job before, like i'm sure most have, I had to work many hours to get a decent paycheck every week (haha GO KROGER). Anyway, thats just my opinion on the whole situation of tax increase. Though I hate how there are the politicians born into the gold and silver, world not having to do much. Hopefully I don't sound jealous, but I wish they could see how average americans have to live.

Update

Now there is a provision in the min wage bill that has Tip earners in seven states worried that the new Bill could negatively effect them. While the GOP and the National Restraunt Association(lobbying group) have pushed for this provision.

CNN.com

Minimum-wage bill threatens workers' tips, opponents say
Labor Department says tips would be protected

Thursday, August 3, 2006; Posted: 10:54 a.m. EDT (14:54 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tip money earned by waitresses in Las Vegas, manicurists in Hollywood and bartenders in Seattle is on the table in the nation's capital as lawmakers scrap over an election-year minimum wage bill.

Nevada, California and Washington are among seven states where workers get to keep their tips on top of getting paid their state's full minimum wage. In other states, tip-earning workers get paid less and make up the difference with tips.

A provision in GOP-written minimum wage legislation passed by the House and under consideration this week by the Senate could change the law in those seven states -- the others are Montana, Alaska, Minnesota and Oregon. It would deal a pay cut of $3 or more an hour to thousands of waiters, bellhops and hairdressers in those states, according to Democrats and labor groups.

rest of story here

How much more pathetic can they make this bill? dont ask. By the time the GOP is done with this thing the poor will end up with even LESS money than they have now. I just keep getting more and more upset about this as it travels through the corridors of Washington. Only the seven states mentioned pay waiters/waitresses min wage and still give them tips. The rest of the states pay much less per hour. This is what they want to fix... They want to make sure that ALL states pay much less than Min wage.

The meek shall inheret the earth......When there isnt anything left worth inhereting.

I still don't see how they can do this, how can they force a state, or a resturante, from not increasing their minimum wage or changing it anyway they want, as long as the changes cover what the federal law does, all should be fine if they want to add to it....

I think it is overstepping their jurisdiction just a tad.

update-8/4/06

Well, it seems as though the bill has been stalled out on the Senate floor. Party lines were divided in the vote which needed 60 to pass. The vote came out at 56-42. Democrats voted down the bill mainly because of the estate tax section of the Bill.

Minimum wage bill stalls in Senate
Republican bill, denounced as 'ploy' by Democrats, would also cut estate taxes.
August 4 2006: 6:27 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Republicans Thursday night failed to advance a bill coupling a 40-percent increase in the minimum wage with a cut in estate taxes, which Democratic leaders had denounced as an election-year ploy.

A move by GOP leaders to cut off debate and move to a final vote on the bill failed to get the 60 votes it needed under Senate rules. The vote, which fell mostly along party lines, was 56 to 42.

After the vote, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist pulled the measure from the Senate floor. However, he switched his vote on the motion to cut off debate from "yes" to "no," a procedural maneuver which allows him to try to advance the bill again when lawmakers return from their August recess.

rest of the story here

This Bill was pretty much tainted from the start. Did the Reps know that If they pushed the estate tax clause that the Dems would vote against it. Was that really the intention all the while? The Original bill got shot down in the Senate the first time around then went to the House and got the additions. It passed the House vote and went back to the Senate. Back and forth like a ping pong ball. And the lowest income earners in the country are still not going to see a pay raise. Now the issue is stalled out until sept. when the free loading,80 day working(this year), jack-asses in the Senate can mull the Bill over during their 5 week vacation(as if they needed one
).

God help the poor(because our politricksters sure as hell wont!)

I can't believe the Democrats killed the minimum wage increase.

I bet there are alot of 16-20 year olds that are t'd off about this.

Not only did they lose out on a pay raise, but they are still in jeopardy of having their estate taxed again at death.

The Republicans bill was a win-win situation for the 16-20 year olds, and the Democrats blew it for them.

Originally posted by RRconservative
I can't believe the Democrats killed the minimum wage increase.

I bet there are alot of 16-20 year olds that are t'd off about this.

Not only did they lose out on a pay raise, but they are still in jeopardy of having their estate taxed again at death.

The Republicans bill was a win-win situation for the 16-20 year olds, and the Democrats blew it for them.

I was all set to jump on your about the 16-20 year olds being the majority that would benefit the Min wage increase, but it seems you were right

Min wage fact sheet

Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2005
According to Current Population Survey estimates for 2005, 75.6 million American workers were paid at hourly rates, representing 60.1 percent of all wage and salary workers.1 Of those paid by the hour, 479,000 were reported as earning exactly $5.15, the prevailing Federal minimum wage. Another 1.4 million were reported as earning wages below the minimum.2 Together, these 1.9 million workers with wages at or below the minimum made up 2.5 percent of all hourly-paid workers. Tables 1 - 10 present data on a wide array of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics for hourly-paid workers earning at or below the Federal minimum wage. The following are some highlights from the 2005 data.

Minimum wage workers tend to be young. About half of workers earning $5.15 or less were under age 25, and about one-fourth of workers earning at or below the minimum wage were age 16-19. Among employed teenagers, about 9 percent earned $5.15 or less. About 2 percent of workers age 25 and over earned the minimum wage or less. Among those age 65 and over, the proportion was about 3 percent. (See table 1 and table 7.)

see link above for full transcript

But still...it would help about 1.9 million americans overall...wich is still a pretty sizable number.

As far as the estate tax goes, well the extremely wealthy can kiss my arse...they need a handout like the pope needs hookers.

The Bill is down, but not out, however. Overall, even with the pitfalls, I would still like to see the lowest earners in the country get at least alittle leg up.
Inflation is going to continue to rise whether these people get the raise or not. And, anything that we can do to help those that at least try, would be for the better good IMO. These are NOT the people that are always looking for handouts and sucking from the social nipple. They are people that get up and bust their asses everyday, for minimal pay. Some would say that it is their own fault and for some that may be the case. But not everyone has opportunities and can only do the best with what they have. Fortunately, I am not one of them.....anymore. But even I have trouble making ends meet sometimes and I make three times what the min wage is. So my heart really goes out to those that are trying to support families on this wage.

The political ball game here will be played out for some time to come as the Bill will contimue to hang in limbo until sep. when the Senate comes back.

What kills me is there was no piggybacking on their own vote for a pay raise for themselves. there was no stalling.. Both the Dems and the Reps quickly and quietly passed their own raise with no problems (every year for the last ten years, mind you). Gotta love it. Playing politricks with over 1.9 million peoples lives. Yeah these guys are definately looking out for the little guy. And Stevie Wonder does visual Analysis of the WTC.

[edit on 4-8-2006 by TONE23]