minimum wage

We're pushing this a lot today, but that's because this is happening right now in the Senate. We really need to up the pressure to get some action.

The Democrats in the House and Senate backed by some House Republicans are pushing for the first increase in the minimum wage since 1997. Their efforts are being blocked by a Republican filibuster in the Senate and is being held up by no fewer than 121 amendments, mostly benefitting special interests. The pressure has to come from us to get the Republicans in the Senate to stop blocking the first pay raise for America's working poor in 10 years.

This comes from 21st Century Democrats:

Today, the U.S. Senate is poised to vote on finally giving the hard working people in this country a raise. The only thing stopping it… the Republicans are filibustering a final vote by opposing closing debate of the bill and moving to final passage of a increased minimum wage. As of this morning, 121 amendments to the increase in the minimum wage have been filed - largely to benefit special interests or put anti-labor language into the bill. Even though the legislation is enormously popular across the country, the Republicans in the Senate are using this as a way to stall the one thing they don’t want to deal with; the Iraq War...

The fact that this bill sped through the House of Representatives and is only being held up in the Senate by the Republicans as a purely political move is simply horrendous. We cannot stand idly by as they play politics on the backs of hard working people in America.

Two hundred and forty billion dollars in tax breaks for corporations ... but do you think there has been any consideration on the minimum wage? No... What is it about you republicans ... what is it about working men and women that you find so offensive?

Honorable Mention:
Seven Days at Minimum Wage

[Note: I am putting the video after the jump for better loading]

Two issues are coming up in Congress that deserve our attention. Both issues have been blocked by Republicans for years. Now we have a chance to pass them.

The much needed minimum wage increase has already been passed by the House with overwhelming, bipartisan support, but is being filibustered by Republicans in the Senate. Funny how the press criticized even the hint of a Democratic filibuster, but ignore a Republican filibuster that is blocking much needed help for America's working poor.

Here is a message from John Edwards (not to be taken as an endorsement of Edwards, but he seems to be focusing on it):

In less than 72 hours, the Senate will likely vote on a proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. It's a long overdue change that will immediately help over 13 million people, many living at or below the edge of poverty. But it will only happen if you speak up.

Last week, the Senate Republicans filibustered a clean version of the proposal, and now they're trying to force Democrats to either pass billions of dollars more in corporate tax breaks or give up raising the minimum wage.

The only way to beat the special interests is to prove to every Senator that the American people are watching. It's time to tell the Senate that American workers deserve a raise - no strings attached:

Click here to sign our petition to the Senate, urging them to pass the minimum wage raise without delay.

Iowa has done what the US Congress has yet to do: get a minimum wage increase completely enacted. Federally, the Democrats in the House fulfilled their pledge of enacting a minimum wage increase within the first hundred hours. But Senate Republicans have been holding it up.

In Iowa, though, a minimum wage increase has been enacted by both houses and signed in by the new, Democratic Governor. Once again this long overdue help to America's working poor was done by Democrats who have gained a new position of strength in Iowa.

From State Representative Elesha Gayman's newsletter:

MINIMUM WAGE HIKE SIGNED INTO LAW

Governor Culver is expected to sign the first bill produced by the new Democratic majority, a hike in the minimum wage. The bipartisan-supported bill passed the House on Tuesday, the Senate on Wednesday, and is expected to be signed by Governor Culver on Thursday.

The increase will be in two steps, from $5.15 to $6.20 on April 1, 2007, and to $7.25 on January 1, 2008. This is a total increase of $2.10. The minimum wage has not been increased since September 1, 1997, almost ten years ago.

This is just the first step in the Democrat’s “Plan for Prosperity,” which seeks to balance the interests of workers and businesses. Other goals to reward hard work include: 1) expanding job training opportunities for high-tech workers of the future, 2) allowing small business to pool their workforces so they can obtain cheaper health insurance, and 3) reducing commercial property taxes.