Wht no media on GOP screwing Vets in just passed Budget Bill re overtime?

[papau]

This week the media reported that Democrats and a few Republicans are rankled over the removal of language from the spending bill that would have reversed a Bush administration rule eliminating overtime pay for millions of US workers, including anyone who learned their skill in the military. Both chambers of Congress approved the change, but negotiators in a Republican-controlled conference committee changed the language to suit the White House.

Some background:
http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=267&row=0
http://hnn.us/articles/1860.html
http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/briefingpapers_flsa_jun03

Release in March 2003 as the first change in the rules in 50 years, called by the Bush administration a “family-friendly” measure, the changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act proposed by President George W. Bush, along with five Big Business-backed bills now in Congress, took away by changing the regulations working people’s hard-fought 40-hour workweek and overtime pay—with no meaningful increased flexibility to help workers balance demands of jobs and family.

Under the Labor Department new regulations, workers who gain "knowledge and skill through a combination of job experience, military training, attending a technical school or attending a community college" would be considered "learned professionals" who do not qualify for overtime. Overtime pay makes up about one-fourth of the average weekly earnings of workers who receive it. That is an average pay cut of $161 a week and can add up to thousands of dollars a year.

Nevertheless, workers getting their pay snipped shouldn't complain, because they will all be receiving promotions. These employees will be re-classified as managers exempt from the law. Bush's military friendly move back in March 03 not only cut combat pay (later prevented by Congress), but also re-classified as "exempt professionals" anyone who learned their skill in the military. In other words, thousands of veterans will now lose overtime pay. I just can't understand why Bush didn't announce that one when he landed on the aircraft carrier.

But this week the media reported that Democrats and a few Republicans are rankled over the removal of language from the spending bill that would have reversed a Bush administration rule eliminating overtime pay for millions of US workers. Both chambers of Congress approved the change, but negotiators in a Republican-controlled conference committee changed the language to suit the White House.

Want to bet this is not on Sunday Talk?

[ikojo]

1. This is why we need an opposition party in DC

A Democratic party that lies prostrate for the Republicans does very little for the majority of Americans who earn their living by receiving a paycheck.

[aintitfunny]

2. It is important

and I do not understand why it is not banner headline news in all media forms. The American people need to know, not to find out too late to do more than grumble and complain.