Bush Throws a Bone to Working Families

[Bob Geiger]

Here's a snippet from George W. Bush's weekly radio address on Saturday in which he tries to tell hourly workers that there's cause for economic joy this holiday season:

"America's working families also received another bit of holiday cheer this week: We learned that real hourly wages rose by 2.3 percent over the past year. That may not sound like a lot, but for the typical family of four with both parents working, it means an extra $1,350 for this year. At the same time, our growing economy continues to create jobs and that has brought unemployment down to just 4.5 percent. These numbers give all Americans a reason to celebrate: More people are working than ever before, and paychecks are going further than they used to."

It's a good thing the Hypocrite-in-Chief used a relative phrase like "…paychecks going farther than they used to" or he would be lying yet again. The fact is, the buying power of the minimum wage is at its lowest point in 50 years and no amount of out-of-touch, presidential spin will change that.

And, on the subject of the minimum wage, I wonder if Bush thinks much about how much more "holiday cheer" would exist among today's working families if he had shown some leadership and insisted that his rubber-stampers in the Republican Congress support a hike in the minimum wage instead of rejected it three times in just the last two years.

But I guess that would require Bush to realize that people tend to have greater feelings of holiday joy when they're not working 40 hours a week to live in poverty.

You can read more from Bob at BobGeiger.com.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Wow! A whole $1,350 a year!

That's $112.50 a month! Wealth beyond my wildest imagination! What will I do with all that money? Maybe I could use it to pay my increased fuel costs, or my increased health insurance premiums, or my increased property taxes? So much money. How nice of them.

[stellanoir]

2. but. . .but. . .but

* just told us he wants us to shop more.

Okay. . .?

Unbelievable really.

[zbdent]

3. Elaine Boozler (subbing for Steph. Miller) just pointed out that Bush

supported raising the minimum wage ... 6 years after he took office (and ten years after the last increase).

But he wants to make sure it doesn't hurt the small businesses ... remember, their definition of "small business" includes Ford and the Airlines and Halliburton ...

[whistle]

4. There he goes using averages again, but the working family where

...both parents have minimum wage jobs, that increase in hourly minimum wage was zero. The $1,350.00 dollar average annual increase Bush is referring to is based on a household income of $58,696.00 or $28.21 per hour <2,080 hours> and those jobs for middle class Americans are vanishing faster than shrub's statastical magic can keep up with. Tell us instead what the wage increases were for families stuggling to make ends meet with several jobs and just how many paychecks these families are awy from bankruptcy should they be laid-off or unemployed for an extended period of time.

[DinahMoeHum]

5. Hey, it's not like the families are getting that $1,035 all at once.

n/t

[brook]

6. $1,350?

Why that'd buy around 1/8th of that red dress Laura was wearing last week. Whoopee.

As a working person, I spit in his general direction.

[Rosemary2205]

7. Excuse me but people are working 80 hrs to live in poverty

I know more than one single mom who's working two full times jobs with 3 kids at home wondering where she is and she's still barely keeping her head above water even with some public assistance.

Where's dad? Some ran off, some got slapped in jail for their kid's entire childhood for non violent felony on Georgia's 2 strikes, some are dead.

[LiberalFighter]

8. Actually he was lying

when he said "paychecks going farther than they used to"

paychecks have gone further then they have now

[haele]

9. I think he means "paychecks are going further away" -

I see my paystub. I don't see the paycheck anymore, it's long gone before I can make it to the ATM - apparently, my bank account is just a conduit between my employer and a bunch of billing departments.

Haele

[catnhatnh]

10. A fast take on the numbers....

$1350 divided by 2 people working full time (2x52x40=4160 hrs)=32.45 cents per hour pay raise.However 100% divided by 2.35 x 32.45=$14.10...so BOTH parents must make $29,328 and each recieves an extra $675 less taxes...say, oh ten bucks a week. WOW, I'm amazed at how much people making twice as much as me have gained-Just think-they could blow it all going to McDonalds once a week, or even save it all year and splurge on half the cost of last years energy price increases!!!