Where's the praise over the Minimum Wage increase?!?!

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

Seriously, give the Dems some love! They're fighting like hell to get this done and I don't see anyone making a big deal about it!

[HeeBGBz]

1. First I've heard of it.

It would be nice if it happened.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

I hope it's more than a pre-election show.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. They've successfully attached it to a bill, with another on the way.

They attached it to the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill, which House Republicans now refuse to hold a vote on because of it, and they've successfully motioned to instruct conferees to have it included in the Perkins Reauthorization bill, which will hopefully be done within a week.

This is no show. They are going after this in a big way.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. It's good to hear. People need another source of revenue to pay

for the higher gas prices.

[Warpy]

3. First, it's not going to happen. We all know it

The GOP hates working people, hates paying wages, hates justice. Either they will defeat it up front or they will add so many repugnant riders they will poison pill it to death in an attempt to crow about Democrats voting against minimum wage hikes.

It's all theater.

What they're doing is handing the Democrats the perfect wedge issue.

Let's just hope the Democrats awaken from their inside the Beltway, mushy right, the country is full of yuppies and no one else torpor and USE IT.

[Robbien]

4. Thank you. Yes this is just an election ploy

the GOP uses their gay/abortion issues, the Dems use minimum wage

[KKKarl is an idiot]

10. I agree

that the right have their gay/abortion issues. The Democratic party has its minimum wage issue. But at least the minimum wage issue will make a difference in everyday life. What will banning gay marriages do?

[Robbien]

14. The minimum wage issue is brought up for a vote each year

and gets shot down. It will get shot down again this year.

If they ever put serious effort into it, then they deserve the kudos being asked for in this thread. Until then I consider this just their lip service to a cause for election purposes.

[jwirr]

13. Let's give them some credit. They are the minority by quite a bit

and about all we can do is show what we would have done IF we were in power.

[Robbien]

15. I would give them some credit if they worked it

Once a year they put forth a proposed bill, it gets a little play just around the election and then gets dropped. Not one peep out of anyone until the next year's election cycle comes along. When one hears GOP one thinks tax cuts. That is because they work the issue in almost every speech they make.

I don't take the DC Dems seriously on this issue. They are trying to get political gain from a minimal amount of lip service effort.

[Captain Hilts]

17. True. But bringing congress to a stop, as Reid did in the Senate...

or something more drastic might get people focused on this issue.

[Armstead]

7. The fight is important to make things clear

Even if it is destined to fail, this is the kind of thing the Democrats ought to be doing relentlessly and loudly.

It's a way of demonstrating what they (should) stand for, and a contrast with the republicans who are fighting to keep wages down.

We need more of that. At some point it will break through the noise and the side issues and make Americans realize what they bought into by electing Republicans who are against their interests.

[halobeam]

9. You are right. The fight is worth it.

They have everything to stand up for, after all, the only thing the Repubs stand up for is money to line the pocket of the wealthiest.

Values = People come first. We HAVE the values and we ACT on them.

[Captain Hilts]

25. EXACTLY. Make ads and show them during NASCAR, etc. ! nt

[BeFree]

8. Well, that is a defeatist attitude

But thanks for your support!

[Captain Hilts]

11. Cong. salaries have increased 30% since MW was last raised. nt

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. Okay, thanks, but how is that relevant in any way, shape, or form?

How does this detract from the notion that Democrats are fighting very hard to fix this problem that is very important to us?

[Captain Hilts]

16. It just says Congress is getting theirs. I credit Dems for fighting ...

for the higher MW. But, somehow, it's unseemly to agree to increase your own salary by 30% while not raising the minimum wage.

I've worked on Capitol Hill and: Wal-Mart, the National Restaurant Assn. and Retail Merchants Assn. campaign hard to prevent increases in the MW.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

18. Well no shit it's unseemly.

That still has nothing to do with the thread. Why can't you just credit the Democrats for fighting the good fight for a change? Does this really need to be added?

This is exactly why we keep losing. Even when our party does something good, we're the first ones to heap on criticism too, even if it's not really warranted or relevant.

[Captain Hilts]

24. Now, now, act nice, no vulgarity...I DO credit the Dems, but I wish...

they'd get angry. Make ads to show during NASCAR, shut down Congress as Reid did in the Senate, etc.

The Republicans count on Democrats not having much fight in them.

[Bandit]

19. What do they have to give up to get it?

Last I heard the GOP placed a poison pill in the bill so it would not pass. Do you have more information?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

20. It's still up in the air.

I actually was just talking about it with a GOP staffer. Apparently, they want to take it out of the Labor/HHS bill and vote on it separately with tax relief for small businesses. Now, if the tax relief is ACTUALLY for small businesses, it's not a poison pill, but if it's bullshit for rich people posing as small businesses then it's obviously that's a different story.

[Zhade]

21. You mean the puny increase not indexed to inflation?

Do you cheer on a firefighter who attacks a three-alarm fire with a single extinguisher when there are trucks available?

[freesqueeze]

22. Recently read a Molly Ivins Piece on this...

http://www.creators.com/opinion_show.cfm?columnsName=miv

It's been 9 years since there was an increase in the min wage. In a related note: 20% of the jobs in this country pay BELOW the poverty level.

Why isn't everyone celebrating the big gains in the stock market...because they are too poor to party.

[OzarkDem]

23. Its a great idea - now let's talk about health care

Dems here in Ohio have been pushing for a ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage since early this year.