Should the dems pass the minimum wage increase with the estate tax?

[Herman Munster]

What the republicans are doing is disgusting linking it with the estate tax, but should the poor suffer until 2009 for a raise in the minimum wage?

This is probably their last shot of getting one cause Bush will veto any democratic bill, but it's moot anyway. Even if we win both houses, we wouldn't get 60 in the senate to break a republican filibuster. And even if we somehow managed to break a filibuster, bush can still veto and he'll be a lame duck president and won't give a fuck about his poll ratings.

I think many of the poor would say fuck the principle of the matter, and give them their $2 raise. They need to eat. You can't live on $5.15 an hour.

[EST]

1. No.

[rusty_parts2001]

2. No

No surrender to extortion!

[Herman Munster]

4. easy for you to say if you make more than $5.15

I'm more interested in what the minimum wage employees feel should be done.

[Beelzebud]

3. Hell no...

[BuyingThyme]

5. No.

It's not a compromise; it's a crime.

These damn Pukes want to permanently own our country, and if the Dems let them do it, we'll all be working at that minimum wage.

[napi21]

6. I say yes, because it does more good than harm.

When the Dems get back into the majority, they can always adjust taxes, but the poor amoung us need the damn wages NOW!

[Cleita]

11. I agree. The increase hardly meets the needs of

the working poor but it's better than what they are getting. We can sock it to the rich when we get back in power.

[GAPeace]

12. Well when you say NOW you have to remember

This is a phased in thing that will go in over years. If the Dems get back the Congress they can pass a faster wage hike and drop the estate tax crap. Because once you take away the estate tax putting it back in will be much harder.

[napi21]

19. I hate to dump cold water on your idea, but

we have no guarantee the Dems will get back in the majority in January, do we?

Sure, I know it's a phased in thing. Every min wage increase I can remember has been.

Should it be more? YES!

Should they get this dumb estate tax reduction? NO!

But I still think the bird in the hand is a better option than betting on November!

I THINK the Dems will win back the majority, but I'm certainly not sure enough to risk no min wage increase at all on it!

[GAPeace]

22. I say pulling on November is better than dropping the estate tax

Letting that kind of right wing wet dream through is much too dangerous. It'll be too hard to re-apply it once it's gone, but easier to raise the minimum wage.

[joemurphy]

7. No. No more of this help the rich shit for me.

We'll get our chance pretty soon. We can revisit this after November.

[TheFarseer]

8. NO, reject false choices

reject "packaged ledgislation" These issues deserve their own separate debates. Anything else does NOT do justice to the American people, although we ought to be used to it by now.

[unblock]

9. how can you sanction looting the treasury

just because they tie it to a reasonable action?

[B Calm]

10. NO

[Sapphire Blue]

13. *** URGENT: Call Your Senators (800-459-1887) to Reject Estate Tax Cut ***

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1779153

[Missy M]

14. No!!!!

Imagine no estate tax and someone leaving a billion dollar estate to the family, tax free, then it grows to two billion and it gets passed on and on and keeps growing. It is ridiculous. The best way is to keep fighting for a minimum wage bill standing on its own.

[bullimiami]

15. sure. you can always rewrite estate tax law later on but

there will be no taking back a minimum wage increase.

[BlooInBloo]

16. I wish the choice could be made by those making $5.15 and no one else.

EDIT: But if it *were* up to me, I'd say republicans can go to hell fucking themselves and their evil legislation.

[Cocoa]

17. no

[cmd]

18. Mixed emotions here

The rich don't need a tax cut; the poor need a minimum wage increase. There are multitudes of people who would benefit from a minimum wage increase. With bile rising from my stomach, I would have to say vote for it. I can't allow the poor people in this country to suffer.

[Baselinereality]

29. I Recommend That You Allow That Bile To Devour Your Soul...

Don't fight. Just reflect and allow it to happen.

[cmd]

32. ?

Caring about others is now taboo? I think it is despicable that the Rs have poisoned the minimum wage bill. However, I think it is worse to put my values ahead of the welfare of others. Isn't "devour your soul" a little over the top?

[MadMaddie]

20. No....it's not an honest bill...

they have to stand for something....like no strings attached to raising the min wage....

[4nic8em]

21. Certainly not my call....

but I suggest if possible, to hold out until after November, submit a Dem bill for $9.15 minimum wage fully effective within 6 months of passage. Let's see these self righteous republicans continue to "support" the minimum wage increase their so fond of touting lately.

[racaulk]

23. No.

[jane_pippin]

24. Well, I don't make much more than that now and I lean toward no...

But it's not a firm "no" at the moment. Here's (my somewhat rambling explanation as to) why:

I would love for them to raise the minimum wage. Love it. Like I said, I make a little bit more than minimum, but not much. It's hard getting by on what I make and it's even harder for people making $5.15. I think raising it two bucks is long past due and a good start, but you know what I want more than those two bucks? I want a living wage. An honest day's pay for an honest day's work. Not this Looky! Your hourly take-home pay is equal to one fancy espresso drink! stuff.

But I'll take the two bucks for now because, depressing as this sounds, two bucks an hour more makes a difference when you aren't paid for shit to begin with.

The thing is though, with it tied to the estate tax cut it just feels insulting. To hear them say they're going to toss two whole dollars my way so I can afford to drink Boone's Farm in my parents' basement to forget how poor I am instead of Old Crow, meanwhile the fucking Walton clan gets a big fat tax-free inheritance--because why? To make up for the (comparatively speaking) slight dip in profits Wal-Mart will "suffer" thanks to the wage increase? Cry me a fucking river, Richie Rich. I mean, I don't care if people have a lot of money. Good for them if they do. But, this whole thing smacks of corporate influence and to me, it just feels like the politicians pushing for this version of it are saying here ya go ya poor bastard, here's two bucks. You can thank me when you're parking my car. Oh, and forgive me if my tip's a little light these days. You understand. Vote Quimby!

So part of me says "Is that a bill collector on the line?" while another says "fuck that condescending shit." I wish they wouldn't pull this nonsense. Though I guess it wouldn't be our esteemed U.S. Congress without it. But what do I know--I'm just a working stiff.

[tyedyeto]

25. Stand Alone Minimum Wage Bill are what ...

Democratic Senators and Representatives should be saying. NO ties to the uber-rich estate tax cuts.

So strange, I live and work in a retirement community. You know what the 'average' retiree here thinks? Their estate will have to pay taxes when they die! Most of these people have houses worth less than $250,000 and live on pensions, Social Security, plus investments which probably don't amount to over $300,000 (most lost their investments during the 2001-2002 market drop).

And you know what? They believe this estate tax credit/help is actually aimed at them!!! If it doesn't pass... their heirs will be paying taxes on their estate.

How can they be educated if they won't listen to reality???????

[Telly Savalas]

26. Is this anything more than a symbolic vote?

Are there really enough Republicans on Capitol Hill that despise the minimum wage more than they love tax-cuts for the rich so that they need Democratic support to get this passed?

[RB TexLa]

27. I am in the minority on DU I am for raising the MW and repealing the ET

[flaminbats]

28. can we only drink water that is poisoned?

If Senate Democrats know what is best for this country, they would never allow a vote on this bill! :mad:

[last_texas_dem]

30. No

A raise in the minimum wage has been needing to happen for a long time, and should be one of the Dems' first priorities if we take back Congress in '06. But coupling it with a permanent repeal of the estate tax is such a bullshit idea; guaranteeing poor Americans still too-low but slightly less horrible hourly wages only if rich kids are allowed to inherit tax-free millions from their parents. How cynical can they get? The long-term damage the repeal of the estate tax would cause to the progressive tax system and how government is financed is just not worth it. What would be the smartest thing to do politically is harder to say. Of course an increase in the minimum wage is supported by the majority of Americans, but something like forty-percent of Americans also think they are or are likely to become part of the top one-percent of wage-earners. Scary stuff...

[aikoaiko]

31. I could live with the compromise. nt

[MercutioATC]

33. Yes, because it's easier to repeal a tax cut than to pass a min. wage hike

In 2006 or 2008 we'll have the ability to repeal the tax cut (if we don't have that kind of representation in Congress, we're screwed anyway).

It's taken 10 years to get this close to passing a minimum wage hike.

I think we should do it.