This is important
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I need your help.
For ten years, the Republican leadership has refused to let us raise the minimum wage. Even now, the bill will barely lift 13 million working Americans out of poverty -- but it's progress.
Now the Senate has invoked cloture, which means that our opponents in the Senate have 30 hours to hammer away at the bill before we can vote on it.
Armed with scores of amendments, Republicans have proposed one poison pill after another to weaken and obstruct what should be a simple raise.
What are these amendments? Republicans have proposed $240 billion in tax breaks for corporations, $36 billion in tax breaks for small businesses, and many, many more -- most of which have nothing to do with giving hard-working Americans a well-earned and long-delayed raise.
We have to ask hard questions of Republicans in the Senate: What is your price for giving hard-working men and women the raise they deserve? After lavishing billions on the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations, can't we give these workers $2.10 more an hour?
When does the greed stop?
That's the question. That's the issue. Make no mistake. They have piles of amendments -- we have none.
It is absolutely essential that all who care about this clear issue of conscience step up and make their voices heard now.
Show your support for a clean Fair Minimum Wage Act.
What is it about the minimum wage that drives Republicans crazy?
Don't let them disguise their disdain for their fellow Americans by hiding it behind a pile of hostile amendments.
In the past week of debate each Senator has made $3,800 -- more than a third of what a minimum wage worker makes in a year! What is it about these hard-working men and women that they find so offensive? Why would they poison legislation on something as basic as the minimum wage?
It's time for some answers.
For ten years, the Republican leadership has refused to let us raise the minimum wage. Even now, the bill will barely lift 13 million working Americans out of poverty -- but it's progress.
Now the Senate has invoked cloture, which means that our opponents in the Senate have 30 hours to hammer away at the bill before we can vote on it.
Armed with scores of amendments, Republicans have proposed one poison pill after another to weaken and obstruct what should be a simple raise.
What are these amendments? Republicans have proposed $240 billion in tax breaks for corporations, $36 billion in tax breaks for small businesses, and many, many more -- most of which have nothing to do with giving hard-working Americans a well-earned and long-delayed raise.
We have to ask hard questions of Republicans in the Senate: What is your price for giving hard-working men and women the raise they deserve? After lavishing billions on the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations, can't we give these workers $2.10 more an hour?
When does the greed stop?
That's the question. That's the issue. Make no mistake. They have piles of amendments -- we have none.
It is absolutely essential that all who care about this clear issue of conscience step up and make their voices heard now.
Show your support for a clean Fair Minimum Wage Act.
What is it about the minimum wage that drives Republicans crazy?
Don't let them disguise their disdain for their fellow Americans by hiding it behind a pile of hostile amendments.
In the past week of debate each Senator has made $3,800 -- more than a third of what a minimum wage worker makes in a year! What is it about these hard-working men and women that they find so offensive? Why would they poison legislation on something as basic as the minimum wage?
It's time for some answers.
Government involvement is what drives this Republican crazy! Get your dang fingers out of everyone's pie! I want less government, not more!
Disdain for fellow Americans? Well, thank goodness you in government are here to help all us poor pathetic Americans get through the day...thank you so much for everything...you care so much... How about a little FAITH in your fellow Americans to do well and succeed rather than buying their votes with artificial wage increases? But I guess it only makes sense for you to give them a little taste of Democrat handouts 'cause then you'll have loyal customers forever.
I'll pass on your "help", Senator.
Oh, by the way, no one is keeping you and your fellow Democrats from giving your entire paycheck to the IRS. Come on, show us how much you really care.
What happens when no one says "this is the minimum treatment for American workers:" You get sweat shops and child labor....
As a country we've been down this road before, and it leads to bad places. You can't have faith that the market will magically solve everything. Markets don't have ethics (remember that question from a long time ago?).
I know it's hard for conservatives to grapple with this (even harder for Libertarians), but I am 100% for THE PEOPLE demanding that our government set a standard of minimum treatment. Our citizens deserve that, don't you think?
Remember that our government is supposed to be "by and of the People," so when you say "government does this or that," please remember that it it supposed to be OUR will that they are doing.
Another thing: if congress can vote themselves a pay raise, why not a minimum raise for the American worker? It's not like the minimum wage is a lot of money anyway (and forget the argument that it hurts business, it's been shown that states with minimum wages that keep up with inflation actually DO BETTER).
I know you are against the government being involved in this, but I think you have to agree that you can't just have faith in the market to do the right thing all the time.
I also think that conservatives fail to see how the government actually MEDDLES A LOT already in business -- the last few years have shown our government meddling in unprecedented ways to increase profits of a select few "favorite" businesses... why aren't conservatives calling that out? Should the president's favorite companies get more of our tax dollars than any other business? What gives the government a right to do that, but not to set a minimum standard of treatment for us hardworking Americans?
Finally, on the issue of "giving back what was taken" in taxes: I'm sick of paying more taxes than the rich. We should all pay the same. Why should the rich pay less % than me? If you make over $1,000,000 a year, you pay on average 19% in taxes... myself, I pay more than 30% and I don't think that's fair at all.
Of course conservatives don't seem to mind about that, which is weird because they seem to care so much about NOT paying for people who really need it. The whole philosophy seems backwards to me.
So: many rational arguments for you to go after. honestly I don't think you can get me on all of them, but you might have a good comeback for a few points I made.
Needless to say, I think setting a minimum wage is an entirely legitimate role of the government. Especially since it has been 10 years and the majority of our citizens are demanding it.
Of course people want to make more money so they afford their Dish TV, the new rims for their car, cheetos, beer, cell phones, and cigarettes. I'm not denying that that desire exists and that there are people in poverty that can't afford these basics of life. You can talk to me all day long about all the problems that exist and I won't disagree with you.
I'm against the government mandating what someone should be paid. It's artificial and creates the mentality that instead of earning something, it should just be given to you because you want it.
Your side of the arguement always seems to say that if you could just have some magical amount of money, you'd be able to afford everything you want and everything would be fine. I'd like to pull the bullsh*t card on that one. That number would be a moving target. If you were given, say $10,000, that money would be promptly spent and next year you'd juuuuust need an extra $1000... and then juuuuust an extra $400, and so on. Meanwhile, you've done nothing extra to EARN that money and you've come to expect that you'll be give what you want.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I want a better place for our kids and grandkids, but I want them to thrive by earning, not by demanding.
I don't like the government acting as though they know better than the market how much people should be paid. I do notice that liberals are never stingy...........with other people's money.
read my post above... I'm still not seeing any arguments.
but in reply to the above, it doesn't matter what the wage is, one STILL HAS TO WORK FOR IT, so i'm not buying this whole "entitlement" argument. Minimum wage jobs are DAMN hard work (I took my first one when I was 14 years old, and made $3.25/hour).
One more thing, then I hope you will take look at my post above:
"Of course people want to make more money so they afford their Dish TV, the new rims for their car, cheetos, beer, cell phones, and cigarettes. I'm not denying that that desire exists and that there are people in poverty that can't afford these basics of life."
That's a pretty suggestive remark. I would like to let you know that minimum wage earners #1 priority is the out of control healthcare, housing, and education costs.... me, I'm just trying to make my rent every month and I make a heckuva lot more than minimum wage.
And yes, housing and medical care SHOULD be considered rights for anyone working a 40+ hour/week job, don't you think?