http://home.peoplepc.com/psp/newsstory.asp...503071740636937

WASHINGTON - The Senate lined up Monday to defeat dueling proposals to raise the minimum wage, one backed by organized labor, the other salted with `pro-business` provisions, in a day of skirmishing that reflected Republican gains in last fall's elections.

Aides in both parties agreed mutually assured defeat was the likely outcome, with both alternatives falling short of the 60 votes needed to prevail.

Well every single Dem voted yes plus the 1 indy for Kennedy's minimum wage to go to 7.`25-2`.10 more an hour.
And every repug voted no. They say you don't need it.
It needed 60 to pass.
Yeah compassionate `repugs-minimum` wage workers are the ones without health care for the most part and they couldn't give them a crummy 4 grand more a year. Instead of making 10,712 they would have 14,744 still below the poverty level. It also would have put more money in Social `Security-but` we wouldn't want that would we.

They are now voting on Santorums bill that will takes away 10 million workers overtime pay. It would have raised the minimum to 6.25 for only 1.6 million people. It also takes away the fair pay law, meaning women will make even less for every dollar a man makes. :twisted: This Santorum said would protect the small businesses who make 1 million dollars or less a year. :shock:

Still waiting on the final vote. 30 minutes later not one Dem is on the floor. And still no vote count. What are they waiting for!? WTF 40 minutes and still no vote. They ran Kennedy's in 30 min. I don't think they'll get 11 Dems to change their minds. It needs 60 to pass
61 NO's
34 Yes
OMG look at all the repugs who broke ranks. HA HA

So my jreg friends pass it on to all the minimum wage workers you know that the repugs said they can make due on 5.25 :twisted:
When you go to Micky D's et el tell those workers "I'm sorry but the repugs said no." That it's your fault that you dropped out of school and didn't go to college and now have to work here. They denigraded you and your `job-that` is what Harry Reid said in a nut shell. Because you didn't do better in life. The repugs think it's your own damn fault.
Spector just walked in and said he would have voted for it but he was in PA with Bushco.

Judy how can you say Graham is moderate when he voted for this bill.
This bill was THE biggest attack on the poorest people in the country. They live for overtime cause that's what gives them HOPE for a better life. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

I never said that Graham was a moderate. I have always said that he is a conservative, which he has proudly stated himself.

I am looking for the Amendment itself. I never judge until I know what it says. I listened to part of the debate because I had class this afternoon.

Neither amendment adequately addresses the minimum wage issue because in order to raise the minimum wage you would have to look at the cost of living in each place and index it so all concerned actually get out of poverty. A flat increase as presented by either amendment would not help those in larger cities where the cost of living is higher.

I also think that concerns of small businesses need to be addressed so that they are not unduly harmed by the increase. I am sure there should be an exemption, but not how much. This should also be indexed fro inflation.

Look Judy the heck with indexing. When I was 14 I made 1.25 an hour.
33 years later people are only making 3.10 an hour more. OMG . This is..... grrrrrrrrrrrrr really messed up. Minimum wage is SLAVE WAGES.

Sorry 3.90

Some states have minimum wage laws. Illinois would not have been effected by Santorum's Amendment because our minimum wage just went up to $6.50 per hour in January. Some states have laws other's do not. Santorums bill would have only effected those states that did not have laws on the books.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/`wp-dyn`/artic...av=rss_politics

Senate Votes Against Higher Minimum Wage
The `GOP-controlled` Senate defeated a `labor-backed` increase in the $5.15 wage floor on Monday, saying it would only hurt the `entry-level` workers it was designed to help.
Democrats then helped kill a Republican alternative, arguing it would have weakened existing worker protections.
"I believe that anyone who works 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year should not live in poverty in the richest country in the world," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (`D-Mass`.), arguing for the Democratic proposal to increase the minimum wage by $2.10 over the next 26 months.
Republicans countered with a smaller increase, $1.10 in two steps over 18 months, they said would help workers without hampering the creation of jobs needed to help those with low skills. "Wages do not cause sales. Sales are needed to provide wages. Wages do not cause revenue. Revenue drives wages," said Sen. Mike Enzi (`R-Wyo`.).
The Democratic amendment was defeated, with 46 votes for and 49 against. The GOP alternative fell by a wider margin, 38 for and 61 against.
con't
http://www.washingtonpost.com/`wp-dyn`/artic...av=rss_politics