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The Senate Hates Poor People

post #1 of 18
1/24/07 at 6:21pm
Thread Starter 
http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...e-R2-newsOne-3

Quote:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a Democratic bill to increase the federal minimum wage for the first time in a decade, demanding it first include small-business tax relief.

On a vote of 54-43, Democrats fell six short of the 60 needed to end debate and go to passage of the House-passed measure, which would raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour from $5.15 per hour over two years.

Republicans demanded tax breaks be added to the legislation to help small business cover the proposed pay hike for millions of America's lowest paid workers. Senate Democratic leaders have indicated they would be willing to go along with some sort of tax relief if necessary to win approval.

But Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts led the charge against attaching tax breaks to the bill, saying in the past decade the U.S. Congress has provided billions of dollars in tax relief to corporations and the wealthiest Americans.

"Why can't we do just one thing for minimum wage workers? No strings attached, no giveaways for the powerful?," Kennedy asked.
Yeah, Teddy, because small businesses are the "powerful". But hey, let's just sit on this until the next session of Congress because I'm sure poor people couldn't use the help.
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post #2 of 18
1/24/07 at 7:04pm
Oh, let the Republicans have their little tax break. If they want to throw away more revenue during war, let them. It's worked so well for them so far.
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post #3 of 18
1/24/07 at 7:05pm
Its not totally dead yet, but like someone said to me earlier today "Do small businesses really need a tax cut at this moment?" The wage hike should go through on its own. Tax cuts for small businesses can be dealt with separately.
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post #4 of 18
1/24/07 at 7:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by donde
Its not totally dead yet, but like someone said to me earlier today "Do small businesses really need a tax cut at this moment?" The wage hike should go through on its own. Tax cuts for small businesses can be dealt with separately.
But it probably won't be dealt with by the Democratic majority this session. The Republicans know they have a little leverage here and they are using it. It's nice to see that the Republicans aren't trying to tie a capital gains or estate tax cut to the minimum wage bill this time around. This tax cut for small businesses at least makes some sense.

Edited to say the Republicans aren't trying to tie... It pays to proofread.
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post #5 of 18
1/24/07 at 8:06pm
Yeah, I actually don't see the problem with tax cuts for small businesses. If they were cutting taxes from Walmart, then of course that wouldn't make sense.
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post #6 of 18
1/25/07 at 2:22am
Look at that, the Republicans threaten to filibuster the minimum wage hike bill. After all that stupid bloviating that went on about how special the filibuster was.

The reason why the tax breaks for small business might not be a good idea is that its already starving a government that is dire need of taxes. You don't create more tax cuts without increasing the taxes elsewhere. Let's start with the super rich and watch the Republicans filibuster that one too.
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post #7 of 18
1/25/07 at 2:46am
Yeah... the Republicans of the Bush Era's idea of small businesses have been privately owned companies with $100 mil quarterly budgets.

If it were actual small businesses, maybe I won't write a letter to that fucktard Norm Coleman.
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post #8 of 18
1/25/07 at 1:21pm
While the tax break seems like a reasonable compromise if it gets the minimum wage raised, this raise is so tiny that it should be pretty easy for anyone to absorb. I mean, if you're paying people less than $7 an hour, you should be shamed out of business in the first place!
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post #9 of 18
1/25/07 at 1:36pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pop Zeus
Look at that, the Republicans threaten to filibuster the minimum wage hike bill. After all that stupid bloviating that went on about how special the filibuster was.

The reason why the tax breaks for small business might not be a good idea is that its already starving a government that is dire need of taxes. You don't create more tax cuts without increasing the taxes elsewhere. Let's start with the super rich and watch the Republicans filibuster that one too.
See, if the Republicans had attached an amendment for tax-cuts to big business, then maybe I could see where Kennedy was coming from. But the largest argument against raising the minimum wage is that small businesses couldn't afford it. While I agree that we need to raise taxes, that's just not going to happen under this administration so we should take victories where we can get them.
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post #10 of 18
1/26/07 at 2:21pm
wow, teddys' pissed.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SicFn8rqPPE&eurl=


Quote:
Do you have such disdain for hard-working Americans that you want to pile all your amendments on this? Why don’t you just hold your amendments until other pieces of legislation? Why this volume of amendments on just the issue to try and raise the minimum wage? What is it about it that drives you Republicans crazy? What is it? Something. Something! What is the price that the workers have to pay to get an increase? What is it about working men and women that you find so offensive?"

found this at crooks and liars. http://www.crooksandliars.com/
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post #11 of 18
1/26/07 at 2:29pm
How are they defining small businesses? I'm inclinded to agree that most small-businesses should be able to handle this small increase in minimum wage.
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post #12 of 18
1/26/07 at 4:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stump
How are they defining small businesses? I'm inclinded to agree that most small-businesses should be able to handle this small increase in minimum wage.
Only those already cheating on their taxes.
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post #13 of 18
1/26/07 at 4:38pm
Businesses have had PLENTY of tax breaks the last 10 years with NOTHING for the worker. They can afford it don't be fooled! The more businesses get the more they want. Greed is not to be underestimated.
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post #14 of 18
1/26/07 at 5:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt Goldberg
See, if the Republicans had attached an amendment for tax-cuts to big business, then maybe I could see where Kennedy was coming from. But the largest argument against raising the minimum wage is that small businesses couldn't afford it. While I agree that we need to raise taxes, that's just not going to happen under this administration so we should take victories where we can get them.
Not that I don't think small business tax breaks are necessarily a bad thing. But why would Democrats have such a problem putting the Republicans on the defensive about being fiscally irresponsible? Ultimately, that is part of what is going on here.
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post #15 of 18
1/26/07 at 6:14pm
I'm conflicted on this. I know a lot of little independent shops that are barely getting by at the moment, and even a small increase like this could put them under. It makes sense to me to increase the minimum wage, as it's the only right thing to do, but the small business tax cut is a very nice addition.

While we're sort of on the issue, why hasn't there been any notable push for a salary cap in this country?
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post #16 of 18
1/26/07 at 9:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlmightyShmun
While we're sort of on the issue, why hasn't there been any notable push for a salary cap in this country?

Because That... is extremely... UnAmerican.

I could see the headlines on Fox News now, "American Dream Crushed by Salary Cap Bill"
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post #17 of 18
1/26/07 at 10:38pm
It just makes sense to me. In a rational world, what is the need for solid gold toilet seats, and other flagrantly ridiculous expenditures?
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post #18 of 18
1/28/07 at 10:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlmightyShmun
It just makes sense to me. In a rational world, what is the need for solid gold toilet seats, and other flagrantly ridiculous expenditures?
It makes sense to me too, but let's face it...when the highest-profile figure to propose it is Jello Biafra, it doesn't really have much traction.
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