Hoyer: New Report Underscores Need to Increase the Minimum Wage

[Sapphire Blue]

Email from the Office of the Democratic Whip, Steny Hoyer (http://democraticwhip.house.gov)...

For Immediate Release
July 20, 2006
Contact: Stacey Farnen Bernards
202-225-3130

Hoyer: New Report Underscores Need to Increase the Minimum Wage
Stagnant Wages Make It Difficult for
American Families to Meet Basic Needs

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after Rep. Barney Frank, the Ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, issued a new report detailing the insufficient job growth and stagnant wages under the Bush Administration:

"The report released today by Rep. Barney Frank and the Financial Services Committee Democrats shows what American families already know to be the case: the Republican economy is benefiting corporations and the wealthiest Americans, while leaving the rest of America behind.

"President Bush and Washington Republicans say they just don't understand why Americans are pessimistic about the economy. This report holds the answer. It shows that while working Americans have been struggling to deal with the rising costs of gas, health care and college, the Republicans have been attending the Pollyanna School of Economics, touting GDP growth and record corporate profits even though working Americans' wages are stagnant.

"As the report details, when inflation is taken into account, wages have not risen over the past three years. At the same time, the minimum wage is now at its lowest level in 50 years and has not been increased in almost ten years. Americans value work and support increasing the minimum wage. They disagree with the Washington Republicans who say that working Americans don't deserve a raise.

"The time is well overdue for a straight up-or-down vote on a minimum wage increase that is not attached to 'poison pill' tax or labor provisions. It is an issue of fairness, an issue of values, and an issue of doing what's right."

###

[Sapphire Blue]

1. ...

:kick:

[bobbolink]

2. Wow, a Dem leader *FINALLY* makes an important effort

for poor folk, and it's not worth a comment???

Where are all the calls for thanking Hoyer??

Truly amazing....

[Sapphire Blue]

5. More statements from our Democratic Whip here:

http://democraticwhip.house.gov/in_the_news/press_releases/

Why not more comments, why not more interest, why not more support for increasing the minimum wage... the answer is probably very ugly.

[bobbolink]

6. Well, well, so Hoyer has some standards and principals...

sigh... too bad he and the rest of the leadership aren't making big noise about it.

If Santa Fe can dramatically increase the minimum wage for the city, then I'm sure the Dems can do that for the country! It's a matter of will.

Interest? Support? .... a.w.o.l.......

:pals:

[Sapphire Blue]

7. Some ARE making noise, but RW media cut the cameras & mikes.

You know, among poor working people down in the trenches, this is a survival issue. It's shameful that it doesn't receive widespread interest & support.

[bobbolink]

8. I've found out the hard and very painful way that survival of poor

folks means very little to most who call themselves Dems, "progressives" and liberals.

It's just not a sexy issue.

It doesn't rate.

I know that isn't a popular thing to say, but it's how it is. I know because I worked on two of the most "progressive" campaigns there were, and ran into the apathy concerning poverty over and over and over. And still do.

I know because I did everything I could to get people to write and call to protest the budget cuts. Very few could rouse themselves.

It was a huge shock to me..... I guess I was still living in the 60's, when Dems and liberals cared about poor folk.

I've now awakened from my trance, and see the apathy for what it is. And it's quite depressing.

When there was no outcry about Katrina survivors killing themselves for lack of homes and resources to survive, it was the clincher. Every other issue gets thousands writing and calling, but poverty.... pooh.... just doesn't rate. There was much more concern for the Katrina pets, including here at DU, than there was for the people who had no way to survive.

Yes, the RW doesn't give air time. But, that's really no excuse. WE KNOW what's happening, that many poor people are suffering and dying, but where is the outrage? zip....

If there can be sufficient organization to send tons of flowers to those we appreciate, there can be suffienct organization to do something productive about the damned budget!

[Sapphire Blue]

9. Words of hope...

CBS News: Religion Taking A Left Turn?
CBS News 7-10-2006

(excerpt)

"Jesus called us to love our neighbor, love our enemy, care for the poor, care for the outcast, and that's really the moral core of where we think the nation ought to go," Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches told CBS News correspondent Russ Mitchell.

(snip)

The Christian left is focusing on:

Fighting poverty

Protecting the environment

Ending the war in Iraq

(snip)

"I've watched a generation die. And I watched them shift from idealism to a 'me' generation that was only orientated to consumerism and it hurt, and I wondered whether we ever would come back." Campolo said. "But the pendulum is swinging."

http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=news.display_article&mode=S&NewsID=5489

I wish DU had a 'still living in the 60's' forum for those of us who still care... those of us who care about one another more than we care about McMansions, vacation excursions, plasma teevees & hairdos... those of us who still believe in the beloved community... those of us who don't never give up... those of us w/an attitude...

As Dr. Barber said, "somebody oughta take that attitude"...

Excerpted from A Conversation on Poverty & Segregation...

We’ve got to object; we’ve got to say to our friends all over, “have the courage to do what my other son does.” You heard me tell this, Jack, I’ve got a little baby boy. He’s our inspiration. The reason he’s my inspiration because his motto is “I don’t never give up.” He’s found out that he’s in a house with four other siblings. They’re all older than him. He can’t beat ‘em in strength, so he’s got to beat ‘em in tenacity. So his brothers will pummel him and push him down. He’ll wait until they’re sleep on the couch. He’ll stand up on the edge of the couch real quietly. He’ll raise his elbow in the form of the atomic elbow. He’ll leap off the edge of the couch and as he’s descending from his ascent he’ll holler “I TOLD YOU I DON’T NEVER GIVE UP!”

Well, I stopped by to say somebody oughta take that attitude. Somebody oughta learn from my 4-year-old little boy. And maybe you need to fix it up and make it sound right according to the English language, instead of saying “I don’t never give up” maybe you need to say “I will never give up.” But however you do it, lawyers, keep writing your briefs. Sociologists, keep presenting your data. Politicians, keep leading with conscience and not just convenience. Protesters, keep sounding the alarm. Marchers, keep marching. Prophets and preachers, keep declaring the truth, even if, like Martin, they don’t listen to you at first. Everyday people, keep standing up. Those that know the truth, keep telling it. Those on the inside, keep pushing. Those on the outside, keep raising an objection.

But for God’s sake, don’t ever give up, because some child is depending on you, some family is hoping for a better day, some worker needs a breakthrough, the voiceless still need a voice, the poor still need an advocate, those in the margin still need to be mentioned, people who are down still need to be lifted, the hurt still need to be healed.

USE YOUR LIFE IN THE COURT OF HUMANITY TO SAY “I WILL OBJECT UNTIL JUSTICE ROLLS DOWN LIKE WATERS & RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE A MIGHTY STREAM!"


(Dr. Barber's full speech is available @ http://www.law.unc.edu/Centers/details.aspx?ID=430&Q=3)

[bobbolink]

10. That's a great article -- I'm printing it, and putting it under the noses

of several people.

It's time!

It's waaaay past time.

From Dr. Bob's lips to God's ears!

[jsamuel]

3. Minimum wage is accepted by DLCers as well

(I think it is partially because they think it is a good campaign issue... which it is.)

[Selatius]

4. I think they did it so as not to piss off rank-and-file Democrats.

They need votes, and they don't want to fall into obscurity by ignoring the ordinary voters.