Ted Kennedy on Republican obstruction to raising the minimum wage:
"We have now had amendments that have been worth over 200 billion dollars… Amendments that have been offered. We've had amendments on education of 35 billion dollars. We've had health-savings amendments that will benefit people with average incomes of $112,000… We've had those kinds of amendments and we're looking at the Kyl amendment at 3 billion dollars. But we still cannot get two dollars and fifteen cents -- over two years. Over two years!
"What is the price, we ask the other side? What is the price that you want from these working men and women? What cost? How much more do we have to give to the private sector and to business? How many billion dollars more, are you asking, are you requiring?
"When does the greed stop, we ask the other side? That's the question and that's the issue."
For most Republicans, the greed does not stop.
The following voted to eliminate the minimum wage entirely (bold means up for re-election:
Alexander (R-TN), Allard (R-CO),
Bennett (R-UT), Bond (R-MO), Brownback (R-KS), Bunning (R-KY), Burr (R-NC),
Chambliss (R-GA), Coburn (R-OK),
Cochran (R-MS),
Cornyn (R-TX),
Craig (R-ID), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Ensign (R-NV),
Enzi (R-WY),
Graham (R-SC), Gregg (R-NH),
Hagel (R-NE), Hatch (R-UT),
Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Kyl (R-AZ), Lott (R-MS), McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY),
Sununu (R-NH), Thomas (R-WY)
# posted by
Charles @ 1/26/2007 08:02:00 AM