could a smaller minimum wage increase pass?

[TheFarseer]

Republicans can argue that an increase to over $7 might disrupt the economy or the job market, but making that argument about an increase to $5.50 is just laughable. To fight against an increase to basically keep pace with inflation, is really to fight against having a minimum wage at all. What do you guys think?

[annabanana]

1. Take the poison pill out and the $7 could pass.. . . n/t

[w4rma]

2. Take the poison pill out and an even bigger than $7 enacted quicker

(than 3 years) could pass, also.

[TheFarseer]

4. actually, it couldn't

it didn't pass a few weeks ago!

[gulliver]

7. Take the Republicans out and the poison pill will be out. n/t

[bobbolink]

3. If we had a backbone, we'd go for the deserved wage increase.

That is really the only reason NOT to.... we don't know how to politically get what's just.

Since 80% of the population is for an increase, acting scared and being timid with tiny amounts of $ makes no sense whatsoever!

Fighting for a just increase just may make the populace decide that the Dems stand for something.

Imagine that.

[sandnsea]

6. Well Dems just rejected the pos bill

How do you propose they get a bill passed when they don't have the majority??

[bobbolink]

13. Being politically savvy, and getting the citizenry to DEMAND it!

80%!!!

[sandnsea]

23. They're passing it at the state level

So citizens are demanding it and getting it done. Even Florida passed a minimum wage increase in 2004, go figure. Like universal health insurance, it's hard to get people interested in something that affects such a small amount of the population. If health care costs weren't rising so dramatically, people wouldn't care about that at all either.

[bobbolink]

26. Santa Fe also passed a comprehensive wage increase... up to $8

-something.

The problem is, only those within the city limits benefit.

Doing it locally is necessary, but won't take the place of federal wage increases.

Also, that's exactly what this misadministration wants...dividing locales against each other!

I still say that if Dems would speak up clearly about these issues, things would get done by popular demand.

[sandnsea]

5. Ours is 7.50 now

And our economy and unemployment has improved since we tagged our minimum wage to inflation, that is true of all the states with increased minimum wages. Their economic arguments are just bullshit.

And our waitresses also get minimum wage which is my biggest objection to the bill.

I'm not sure what you're point is, but a smaller increase would only give Republicans a chance to blather about how compassionate they are.

[TheFarseer]

9. I'm not sure what my point is either

I just wondered what people would think about it and if people thought even that would pass.

[Warpy]

8. Of course it can, but it would be too little to do much good

The minimum wage should have been raised to $7.25 by now in small increments over the last 10 years. That a Repug Congress has been too mean to do so makes WAGES the perfect wedge issue for the Democrats, if they wake up and USE IT.

The present two dollar raise will have to be phased in over a year or maybe even more to give employers time to adjust to it. At the end of that period, it will likely need to be raised again, as we're just playing catch up with the past 10 years and not accounting for the inflation that will undoubtedly occur during the phase in period.

If the Democrats start to campaign on this issue, and hammer it hard, they will either force the GOP to do something that will alienate their base--submit a clean bill with a reasonable phase in time--or seize the issue for themselves and give working people a reason to vote for them for the first time since they dumped liberalism in 1969.

This is the right issue at the right time, and any Democratic candidate who doesn't see that is a fool.

[pinto]

10. It wasn't the wage legislation that was the problem, per se,

it was the Repubs tying discussion/legislation with a tax cut rider. They were looking for a red herring vote they could take home in an attempt to counter the disaster they apparently face in November.

[TheFarseer]

16. but you have to consider

the earlier bill that had only the minimum wage increase that failed. Any way you look at it, a minimum wage increase to $7.whatever it is, is going to fail in this congress.

[pinto]

21. In a Republican Congress.

:kick:

[Warren Stupidity]

22. So you would be ok with a $0.01 increase?

I'm sure Rove would ok that.

[porphyrian]

11. It's not really the size of the raise...

...it's whether other unacceptable crap get tacked onto the bill again, like the elimination of the estate tax.

[MisterHowdy]

12. $7.00/hr Is not enough.

I don't believe that nonsense about $7.00hr disrupting the job market.
The minimum wage should be well above $7.00/hr by now.
In Canada it's gone up to $7.50 now and it has had no negative affects on our economy.

[newyawker99]

25. Hi MisterHowdy!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[malaise]

14. Dems should not raise the minimum wage issue

until 2007. Part of the campaign strategy must be to expose the Rethugs as a government of the rich. Those tax cuts for the rich and pay increases for themselves must be a central part of the November elections.

[Robbien]

15. The Republicans want to do away with all minimum wage laws

They would fight a one cent increase as hard as they would fight an increase to ten bucks. It wouldn't surprise me if they introduced legistration to do away with any minimum.

[TheFarseer]

17. some of those crack-pot judges

we were fighting against were on the record saying minimum wage was unconstitutional. Also, Social Security was unconstitutional to some of them and at least one went as far as to say public education and REA is unconstitutional. Who the hell would want to live in that country?!

[Cocoa]

18. the dems would block such a small increase

as they should.

[liberaldemocrat7]

19. deleted

[Warren Stupidity]

20. Screw that. It needs to be much bigger and COLA adjusted.

There is no valid argument that the miniscule increase already defeated was too big. Democrats have to stop finding ways to give in and start finding their cojones instead. It is class war and we need to fight back.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

24. Wasn't the major reason it didn't pass...

Because it was attached to the estate tax BS thing?
Duckie