"Obama says immigration, minimum wage top agenda"

[applegrove]

Obama says immigration, minimum wage top agenda

By Associated Press, at the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-says-immigration-minimum-wage-top-agenda/2014/02/14/49faef8a-9594-11e3-ae45-458927ccedb6_story.html

"SNIP..................................




CAMBRIDGE, Md. — President Barack Obama said Friday that top priorities for Congress should be increasing the minimum wage and overhauling the immigration system, while acknowledging that election year politics could complicate the effort.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden delivered pep talks to a House Democratic retreat on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, less than nine months before the lawmakers face re-election amid widespread voter disapproval of Congress.

The president and vice president called for sweeping changes to immigration laws, but Republican leaders have all but ruled out passage before the midterm election. Obama urged the Democratic crowd to keep working on the issue and insisted some Republicans want a deal.

“But they’re worried, and they’re scared about the political blowback. And look, everybody here is an elected official and we can all appreciate the maneuverings that take place, particularly in an election year,” Obama said.


..................................SNIP"

[applegrove]

1. Woohoo! Forcing the Republicans one way or the other. On both issues.

[Coyotl]

2. Issues which can really burn the Repubs in the Fall election.

Just coincidence

[lumberjack_jeff]

3. Headlines like this give me a headache.

Yay for american workers! You deserve better pay! And more competition for your job!

[okaawhatever]

5. That epends on how many H1-B Visas they allow as part of the deal. If they have strong

backing from the public they won't need to add a bunch to get it passed. The eleven million undocumented already here already have jobs and/pr businesses and they aren't expected to affect wages. Since converting those workers to tax paying workers will increase tax revenue, hopefully some will be diverted to a job stimulus bill.

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. Not everyone's labor competition comes from H1B visa holders.

Although it's obvious that unrestricted immigration only is seen as a problem when it does.

Taxes diverted to a job stimulus bill? Care to give odds on that prediction?

[okaawhatever]

7. A while back I read a CBO report and I think another from Brookings Institute. It basically said the

undocumeted workers were working for business people who were using the lower wages to charge less for their product in the market place and out bid/sell their competition. When these workers become legal, the employer would be forced to pay market wages and increase what they charged for their product/service. That will give businesses who never used undocumented workers a level playing field and will increase their business. That's an overly simplistic quote but I think you get the idea.

Yes, I do think we can get a stimulus bill passed around election time or shortly after the new crop comes in. Everyone will be running on jobs. Increasing tax revenue will give those in moderate red districts something to hang their hat on.

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. I doubt that illegal workers are necessarily getting paid less than minimum wage.

At least not in my area.

[msongs]

4. add student loan relief and access to voting (voting rights denied by repubs). winners for dems in

multiple demographics.

[Dirty Socialist]

9. And Add Extending Employment Benefits to The List

[villager]

10. Because, you know, who's going to be affected by climate change?