Minimum wage letter to editor. Slapping down talking points.

[alfredo]

Let me know what you think about this letter and my reply. should I keep, change or delete the last paragraph? Any other changes?

Right wing letter to the editor:
DEMOCRATS LET MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE FAIL AGAIN

With the vote on minimum wage, Senate Democrats once again have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, proving for the umpteenth time that they want the issue, not the solution.

They did it on the backs of the poor, just as they accused the Republicans of balancing the budget on the backs of the poor a few years ago.

Millions of the Democratic senators' loyal constituents will go hungrier so that a few rich folks will continue to posthumously pay the federal government that we all love so dearly.

Richard L. Degener
Nicholasville

My Reply:

On Aug 25 2006 Richard L. Degener complained that the Democrats let the minimum wage increase fail. I don't know if he was ill informed or was intentionally trying to deceive us.

What Mr. Degener failed to mention was the poison pill that was attached to the minimum wage bill. That poison pill the Republicans attached was a huge tax break for the top 7-8 thousand wealthiest Americans. This tax break would have cost the American people over 700 billion dollars. The Republicans did this to kill any attempt at justice for the working poor. Without this poison pill the minimum wage bill could have passed.

Understand the House and Senate are no longer democratic institution. They have become autocratic under the control of Hastert and Frist. The loyal opposition has no real voice. Even if the working class happens to get a break, Bush's signing statement could undo any benefits we may receive.

Mr Degener doesn't understand that we also have access to the authoritarian right talking points. We know what the daily dose of propaganda will be before it is dutifully recited in the main stream media.

[Stargazer99]

1. Instead of the word ignorant how about deliberately decepive?

If this guy Degener really doesn't know about the poision pill, it only proves Repbubs must be stupid or woefully uninformed by nature...but I really think he doesn't give a damn about anybody but himself.

[alfredo]

2. I used ill informed. Should that be hyphenated?

Maybe misinformed would be better, but I am not sure.

[StClone]

4. He may just listen to Rush

Consider himself "informed" enough to be dangerous among the living.

Good reply, succinct and penetrating.

[Union Thug]

3. Very good response. n/t

[TheFarseer]

5. Don't be conspiritorial

like saying Congress is no longer a democratic institution. Just stick to the facts that the repeal of the Paris Hilton tax would have cost American tax payers however much money and that democrats voted overwhelmingly FOR the amendment in it's original version without the Paris Hilton tax repeal.

[alfredo]

6. Yeah, just what I needed. Going the authoritarian leader

route is a divergence from the real issue.

[alfredo]

7. I do want to mention that the very expensive tax cut would

have gone to a small group of elites.

I do want to play the class card.

[TheFarseer]

8. yeah, that doesn't need to be said either

I would probably not call it the Paris Hilton tax. Save that for calls to the Randi Rhodes show. Saying that it costs American tax payers is good enough.

[alfredo]

9. It's like the Repubs were saying, "You can't have a raise in

the minimum wage without paying tribute to the rich."