Ted Kennedy gets angry (no spam)

[fable]

Actually, he probably does that a lot. He's one of perhaps two or three genuine liberals left in the Senate, one of the two bodies that make up the legislative branch of the US federal government, and he's had to keep his mouth shut and smile for years at a large Republican majority that had cut off its moderate base and gone far, far into the hands of corporate America and the religious right. Now, the Dems have just a one seat working majority in the Senate, and Kennedy's long-standing support for the poor over several decades has come to the fore. What's more, one of his pet projects, a hike to the minimum wage, is getting shot down by endless serious and frivolous amendments being attached to it by Republicans.

Temporal parentheses: Bear in mind, the federal minimum wage hasn't been raised in 10 years, here. On the other hand, the Congress (Senate and House) have voted themselves eight salary increases during that time. The minimum wage in the US adds up to less than $8,000 a year fulltime, which is simply not liveable.

Kennedy was always a good orator. He knows how to communicate, he speaks always from a high moral vantage point that's fun to hear, and he's honest and hardhitting about what he wants. So when the Republicans started dragging down the new minimum wage bill that had passed the newly Democratic House, he "took stage," as actors like to say:

"240 billion dollars in tax breaks for corporations. 36 billion dollars in tax breaks for small businesses. Increase in productivity -- 42 percent over the last 10 years. But do you think there's any increase in the minimum wage? No. At 12 after five today, on Thursday, I speak for all of our Democrats and say we're prepared to vote now. Now!

"Do you have such disdain for hard-working Americans that you want to pile all your amendments on this? Why don't you just hold your amendments until other pieces of legislation? Why this volume of amendments on just the issue to try and raise the minimum wage? What is it about it that drives you Republicans crazy? What is it? Something. Something! What is the price that the workers have to pay to get an increase? What is it about working men and women that you find so offensive?"

There's more. You can watch it here, and there's a link to a site where you can read more about it. As well as read a list of all the Republican Senators who voted in favor of a measure defeated yesterday that would have literally eliminated the minimum wage. Note the presence of three names:

Hagel. Some Democratic progressives are in a pro-Hagel flutter at the moment because he's broken ranks with his fellow Republicans over Iraq and sharply condemned Dubya. But this leopard hasn't changed his spots.

McCain. Front-runner for the Republicans to run for the 2008 presidency. Likes to call himself "a compassionate conservative." His compassion must have been sunning itself on a beach somewhere when he voted, yesterday.

Brownback. Anti-Bush on Iraq, but diehard Christian fundamentalist on all else. He's announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidency, as well.

[Curdis]

I went to school in America for a year at elementary school and this gives me some insight. There is a widespread view (in the US) that where you end up in lfe is entirely your own making and it is so beaten into people that even when they are at the bottom of the heap they still seem able to beleive that this is both true and somehow their fault. The now enormous gulf between the haves and the have nots is going to end in tears unless radical action is taken, and soon.

That Ted Kennedy is the only voice being heard for the rights of WORKING people should be cause for the start of a huge shaming campaign against all the other politicians. The republicans are making it sound like this is a request for more welfare spending.

If, in a nation that holds the use of firearms to be a right, you want a bloody revolution then grinding the heel of the boot down on the working poor is a great way to go. I heard today that there is a program in LA which tries to improve dental hygene in poor areas. Turns out that in many families where the use of a toothbrush is encouraged it is with a single shared one because that is all that they can afford. The bread winners in such a family may be holding up to three jobs each. [/rant] - Curdis !

[Magrus]

Just some thoughts on this in general:

First of all, this is the first instance that I, as having been born in the early 80's, have seen or heard of this man seeming responsible and intelligent. All previous accountings of him that I have been witness to in passing have been mocking this man. I have to say, this makes me respect him.

Second, this needs to be done. The minimum wage in NY was raised over a 2 year length to end up at $7.15 from it's $5.25 base. This just finished on January 1st in NY, and for a point of reference. I happen to live alone, and I am making $8 an hour at the job I just got 3 1/2 weeks ago. I am in low-income housing, and I am making over 50% higher than the federal minimum wage. I must repeat and stress this, I am in low-income housing. Even if it weren't for my health problems with make me restrict myself from driving, I could NOT afford to own a car and insure the vehicle and afford repairs and gas prices. I cannot afford to save in order to get out of this low-income housing, or decent furniture either.

Third, I distinctly recall a former co-worker working full time, at minimum wage in NY last year. Which, happened to have been $6.25 an hour. He could not afford to pay his rent or feed his daughter. As a hard working citizen, he could not find a second job, as in the business world, it is not "good business" to hire on someone who happens to already be working a second job, as the second job will take a lesser priority for an already tired and worn out worker. This young man that was working a full time job, and making minimum wage, which was a roughly a 20% raise over the federal minimum wage, was still unable to care for his family.

The image of a country that exudes wealth and prosperation is gone from this country. The only way your average citizen can live easily is to apply for welfare in this country now. Why? Politicians are making it so that average Americans cannot get ahead in life. Their compromise over the past 20 years? Social systems that support those that cannot work. People wonder why people abuse the social systems that are set up in this country. This is why. If I were to sit on my rear all day and NOT work, instead of work 40 hours a week at a minimum wage job...after taxes I would only lose roughly $100 a month in pay. A difference of $100 overall between working 160+ hours a month, and sitting at home watching TV is a huge thing to those who know the system will not allow them to advance.

The problem with this? Most Americans think America is the best place in the world to be. Sooner or later, this delusion will dissapear, and whenever the deluded are faced with reality, anger is usually the first and foremost response. Given the sheer amount of people with this delusion, and the things they have done to support it which have in turn screwed them...sooner or later the general populace will respond in a violent and sudden manner.

Now, this may seem like a good thing to those outside of the US, but I must remind people of the defecit that has been racked up by the US government. We cannot pay it. We being the average citizen. Trillions of dollars in debt to multiple countries going unpaid when an attempt at collection upon a citizenry that was duped will not be a pretty sight. That will be war.

[fable]

In the end, the amendments were withdrawn--though not out of the goodness of the hearts of those who did so. I'm sure there were backroom deals cut, and we'll see no opposition to many of those amendments when they show up in other, less closely scrutinized legislation than the minimum wage bill.

But at least, it has now gotten through the Senate. The way USian law works, a joint committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate get together to work up a compromise for the differences.

Interestingly enough, 3 senators continued to resist the minimum wage increase to the bitter end. One of these was Republican Tom Coburn from Oklahoma, which has some of the most rabidly rightwing people representating them in federal law. After the Minimum Wage Bill passed despite his voting against it, Coburn issued a press release headed, "Dr. Coburn Votes to Protect Salaries of Low-Income Families from Flawed Wage Bill."

His main argument seems to be that by increasing the minimum wage, those poverty stricken individuals and families would become less available for welfare--so the improvement to the minimum wage would actually hurt them.

I'm not joking about this. You can read it here.