(2007-01-10) — Republicans in Congress, in a last ditch effort to provide economic justice to America’s working poor, today introduced a bill that would raise the national minimum hourly wage from $5.15 to $84.25.
The bill, offered just hours before the Democrat-led House attempted to raise the rate to $7.25, is roughly based on what Congressmen earn for working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks per year, although the actual working part is optional in Congress.
Under the terms of the GOP-sponsored measure, the minimum wage would also track Congressional pay, which typically includes an annual cost-of-living-it-up increase.
“Hiking it to $7.25 won’t make a dent,” said one unnamed Republican House member, “But at $84.25, we’ll eliminate poverty.”
Lawmakers believe the bill is a win-win, since every other working person in the country will now expect a pay raise to keep his wages an appropriate distance above minimum.
Republicans said the new minimum wage would also produce a windfall of tax revenue as millions of Americans move from paying no federal income tax, straight to the highest tax bracket.
The additional tax money would be earmarked for education, according to the text of the bill, “to teach America’s children the fundamentals of economics in a capitalist system.”
64 responses so far ↓
1 Scott Ott // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:40 am
GOP Bill Hikes Minimum Wage to $84.25/hr….
by Scott Ott(2007-01-10) — Republicans in Congress, in a last ditch effort to provide economic justice to America’s working poor, today introduced a bill that would raise the national minimum hourly wage from $5.15 to $84.25.The bill, offered just….
2 JamesonLewis3rd // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:44 am
God Bless America
3 onlineanalyst // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:58 am
Yes sir! Let’s crank out even more Monopoly™ money! The motto: “We’ve Inflation Now!” That’s the ticket!
My only questions is whether welfare payments will go UP, as well, so that the bottom of the rung doesn’t lose out in this paper-for-plasma-tv’s, er paper-for-food program.
4 camojack // Jan 10, 2007 at 8:16 am
Would that be in Turkish dollars?!
5 Anonymous // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:19 am
Finally the Gov’ment cares about ME! Yes little ole ME… By changing the min wage to 84.24 an hour.. That defines me as POOR
WHAT ELSE CAN I GET FOR FREE NOW THAT I’M POOR?
6 Anonymous // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:21 am
BTW, we all know its “BIG LABOR” that wants the INCREASE…
so they can say “you pay worthless SHLUBS 84.25 as the MIN wage” — > GIVE US 184.25 for our “union professionals” -> Afterall they have DUES TO PAY!
7 mig // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:28 am
“Too frequently I find that a person’s morality is a code by which he believes others should perform toward him, rather than a code guiding his behavior towards others. It is our actual day-to-day behavior that determines and defines our morality.”
Francis Bacon
8 Rock Slatestone // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:29 am
Hey Scott, You got the number one spot.
Leave it to the republicans to try and make the poor people who are richer than other poor people to become more richer.
9 Fred Sinclair // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:32 am
Beautiful ! If only. Congress could be paid an hourly wage for those houes they are actually working (time clock and all) also be fined a days pay for each day they don’t “punch in”.
Heirborn Ranger
10 Fred Sinclair // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:36 am
When do we get preview back? Should read” hours” not “houes”. - my bad.
Heirborn Ranger
11 Darthmeister // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:37 am
Heck, anything less than $18/hr is a complete hoax on the part of the DemDonks and bootlicking Republicans.
$7.25 an hour? Buwahahahahaha! That’s not even a “living wage” according to the Donks. If the bleeding-heart liberals are really going to get serious with their entitlement prescriptions, the Donks are going to have to do way better than $7.25. But deep down inside these panderers know raising the minimum wage is inflationary and results in small business employers cutting their payroll.
12 RedPepper // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:46 am
This proposal illustrates the hopelessly timid, inside-the-box thinking that is typical of our Congress.
Do something bold for your country, Ms. Pelosi ! Repeal the law of gravity !
13 Maggie // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:49 am
Well now,that makes me want to go back to work.
Lets see ….if I worked only one hour a day for approx. 22 days a month…..I would make $1,853.5.
After state and Fed. and FICA taxes…….I would make….
Let me do this again…….If I worked 2 hours a day……..
14 Maggie // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:53 am
Red Pepper….good morning to you…..long time no see.
re#12…..funny.
15 wildhowd // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:00 am
Why hasn’t anyone addressed the fact that after we get the minimum wage increased to $84.25 the dems will get the income tax liability increased to approx 72% of your income not to mention we need to save medicare so that rate will need raised also so in the long run every worker in America actually gets a reduction in take home pay
16 Ms RightWing, Ink // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:01 am
Hope that means my monthly government poverty check goes up too. Gosh, I hate when they do that. I won’t even be able to afford a cold frosty glass of beer, er I mean milk.
17 Maggie // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:11 am
Ms Righty…..no worries.
My “GPC” showed a 3% cost of living increase.
Go ahead and drink 2 glasses of milk(wink wink)
18 R.A.M. // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:24 am
What,—-no healthcare or retirement package!!!!
Plus, I want Jiminy Carter to build me a house too!
19 onlineanalyst // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:28 am
Fred: Too many of our congresscritters are not “punched in” (#9) as it is, especially the new head of the Intelligence Committee, who still at this point does not know the difference between the Sunnis and the Shias. But that old canard — long ago refuted soundly- was leveled by the Lefties for so long that it is part of their platform, er sloganeering.
Good one, mig! That quotation is worth stitching UP into a wall sampler. In fact, it should be posted in every classroom.
RP: All right!
20 onlineanalyst // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:29 am
Um… The canard was a charge against President Bush. (Proofreading is your friend.)
21 R.A.M. // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:29 am
Those !!!!!’s should have been ??????’s.
Which reminds me, I heard last night that some dimocrat somewhere was proposing a bill to allow idiots and the insane to be able to vote.
I don’t know about the insane, but the fact that Nancy Pelosi is S.O.T.H. proves they are already allowing idiots to vote!
22 mig // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:47 am
The New World Order, an old idea but still chugging along regardless of min. wage.
Good Bye little business persons and Hello BIG business. Big World business. HUGE- a - Mongeous World Business. So Long to our shredded sovereignty. Good Bye Supreme Court,Hello Nuremburg. And even this won’t make the libs happy - darn that evil Bush and his cronies. And his dad. And Starbucks.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XdxI0zClV_Y
23 Ms RightWing, Ink // Jan 10, 2007 at 11:17 am
They are talking about massive layoffs with low wage earners (not min wagers) here in the rust belt. Nurses aides, low brain factory jobs, teachers aides, restaurant help will all get the axe, or the scissors as soon as the bill takes hold.
Thought for today:
Only two percent of American workers make minimum wage. How many will lose jobs?
You tell me
24 JamesonLewis3rd // Jan 10, 2007 at 11:26 am
Comment Preview!?!
Kinda cool…..
25 GOP Minimum Wage Proposal | PA Water Cooler // Jan 10, 2007 at 11:36 am
[…] $84.25 is the average hourly rate of a Congresscritter. So what’s good for the goose, is good for the gander. Under the terms of the GOP-sponsored measure, the minimum wage would also track Congressional pay, which typically includes an annual cost-of-living-it-up increase. […]
26 gafisher // Jan 10, 2007 at 11:41 am
See, it’s this per hour stuff that shows how them mean-spirited Republicans think. “Minimum Wage” should be salary-based!
27 puzzletop // Jan 10, 2007 at 11:59 am
Amazing as this sounds at $85 / hr. A lot of Democratic voters would think this would be fine and dandy. The next step is to have the U.N. make an international minimum wage of the same amount so that at last we would eliminate world poverty, hunger and want. Just imagine this idea would never have been proposed had it not been for the sweep of Congress by the Democrats. World Peace is about to be achieved due in large part to the minimum wage being raised by such a compassionate and far visioned party. Thank you Nancy Pelosi, wherever you are!
28 Fred Sinclair // Jan 10, 2007 at 12:13 pm
‘TWAS THE MONTH AFTER CHRISTMAS
Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I’d nibble, the eggnog I’d taste
At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.
When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber)
I’d remember the marvelous meals I’d prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I’d never said, “No thank you please.”
As I dressed myself in my husband’s old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt-
I said to myself, as I only can
“You can’t spend a winter disguised as a man!”
So-away with the last the of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won’t have a cookie-not even a lick.
I’ll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won’t have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I’ll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.
I’m hungry, I’m lonesome, and life is a bore-
But isn’t that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!
(Author unknown)
Heirborn Ranger
(With many thanks to Scott for preview’s return)
29 Not So Fast » Seems logical // Jan 10, 2007 at 12:28 pm
[…] Scott Ott solves the poverty problem. […]
30 Ghoti // Jan 10, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Even if the minimum wage was elevated to $84.25, the same 4.5% of our citizens would still choose to be unemployed.
31 Shelly // Jan 10, 2007 at 12:50 pm
In theory I agree that Congress should only get paid if they actually show up; in reality I think the less often they do so the better off the rest of us are.
Ghoti, how sadly correct you are - and many would also complain about their unfair lot in life.
32 Darthmeister // Jan 10, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Scott, raising the minimum wage to $84.25/hr. isn’t really going to work in the long run. Before you know it evil multi-national corporations like McDonald’s and Burger King would simply raise the cost of their hamburgers to $25.00/per. And what would that do to “working-class” stiffs like us who actually have to work on the basis of experience and merit for less than $20.00/hr*? Maybe the Dems can prevail (read: tyrannically impose) upon our employers to give us “retro-active COLA raises” putting us middle-class Joes nearer to $100/hr and closing the gap between us and the Ted Kennedys, John Kerrys and Nancy Pelosis of the world.
*exclusive of perks and fringes, of course
33 Analchord // Jan 10, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Seems I read this idea on about 80 other blogs over the past six or seven months.
but it was funny anyway. lol.
:0)
34 kajun // Jan 10, 2007 at 3:43 pm
I guess this means I get an $84.00 per hour increase in my wages.
35 Effeminem // Jan 10, 2007 at 3:54 pm
maybe this is a plan to reduce government spending as a percentage of gdp. lol.
36 Ms RightWing, Ink // Jan 10, 2007 at 5:01 pm
That hamburger better be good at $25 each. Fries with that, $34. The hamburgler will be rubbing his hands in glee.
I remember the last inflation debacle we had in the 70’s (thank you Carter) people started rustling cattle up north in Minnesota. I’m sure other areas had the same problem.
When coffee passed 99 cents a pound, a national emergency was declared amongst the Swedish-Americans.
37 Possumtrot // Jan 10, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Can I say this? I love the return of the preview.
Spooky spoke the other night. Some Al Qaeda pukes died. A terrible voice spoke from the sky. Want to know who Spooky is before her terrible voice whispers to you?
Hint: it’s an AC-130. You don’t have a chance.
38 Possumtrot // Jan 10, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Did I forget this? I am so shameless.United Possums International
39 RedPepper // Jan 10, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Comment Preview is definitely a terrific idea !
Now I just need to figure out how I can get all this White-out™ off my display screen …
40 Beerme // Jan 10, 2007 at 6:59 pm
I’d be all for this except the price of beer would go through the roof!
41 mig // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:30 pm
30% of $84.25/hr raises the minimum wage for pork spending.
Hey just thought that if the Muslims are coming to America and they don’t like pork or anything associated with it, does that mean the ‘pork’ bills are off the table?
42 mig // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:32 pm
And another thing… mini-me and mini-mum, are they related?
43 JamesonLewis3rd // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:39 pm
This guy has a lot of nerve:
Chavez took the oath of office at the National Assembly after a sweeping re-election victory that has given him free reign to pursue more radical changes, including plans to nationalize power and telecommunications companies.
His right hand raised, Chavez declared: “Fatherland, socialism or death — I swear it,” invoking the Cuban leader’s famous call to arms.
Chavez also alluded to Jesus, saying: “I swear by Christ — the greatest socialist in history.”
In a speech that followed, he said the central aim of his term that runs until 2013 will be “to build Venezuelan socialism.”
“I don’t have the slightest doubt that is the only path to the redemption of our peoples, the salvation of our fatherland,” Chavez told lawmakers to applause. He said he believes that socialism — not capitalism — is the only way to guarantee well-being not only for Venezuela, but the world.
44 JamesonLewis3rd // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Kennedy is insane.
45 sojourner // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:46 pm
There is a free lunch after all! Congress has known about it for quite awhile, but these desperate times have called for them to share the insider’s knowledge with us, the taxpayers.
46 Darthmeister // Jan 10, 2007 at 7:58 pm
In a peverse twist on the patriotic contributions of brave Navaho “codetalkers” to the war effort in the Pacific, today’s DemDonks have gone public before the cameras and have been talking code to their Muslim bedfellows and their American dupes. The code is a variation of Orwellian Double-talk Version 3.1.
1) The SURGE will fail. The escalation of the war can only mean a bigger failure. Bush should quit and immediately withdraw the troops.
Code meaning: You freedom fighters have nothing to worry about as we and our media sycophants trash our own President and military and turn even the American people against them.
2) We Democrats will not fund more American soldiers going to Iraq to double the military forces in quelling the violence in Baghdad and the Anbar Province. It’s already a lost cause.
Code meaning: You Muslim freedom fighters keep up the stiff resistance and prove us right. If you continue making enough nuisance of yourselves by murdering more innocent civilians and an American soldier every day or so, we’ll be able to convince the American people all is lost and we will leave Iraq to Muslim fundamentalists to sort out.
3) This is Bush’s Vietnam.
Code meaning: It’s actually the Democrat’s Vietnam but we must blame it on Bush. We are clearly repeating efforts to defund the war, undercut a democratic government we’ve been trying to patiently establish in Iraq and force the Executive Branch to pull American troops out JUST LIKE WE DID IN 1973-75 IN VIETNAM! But it will still be Bush’s fault in the eyes of the world!
4) Sure we still have troops in Germany and Japan, but this is nothing like World War II, this is another Vietnam after all. Unlike WWII, this is an illegal and immoral war that can’t be won.
Code meaning: We liberals get to make any analogy and say anything we want but conservatives can’t because they are evil dupes. Besides, if we win in Iraq it will not only prove our blame-America natterings wrong, it would embolden Bu$Hitler to take over the world because of his imperialist aims. We must stop Bush in Iraq. This is not about victory against Islamofascists but rather saving the world from evil kkkonservative dominionists and neo-kkkons.
Notice how compact and efficient the code is, so few words say so many things in the clear.
47 mig // Jan 10, 2007 at 8:01 pm
Chips, Beerme. Chips go with beer and if we can only afford beer there will be nothing left for chips! Again it hurts the heart. Brr. It’s cold in here! Oh sweet Pessimism, must we embrace you in the House?
48 Fred Sinclair // Jan 10, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Read one awhile back - UN decrees ALL war battles in the future are required to be fought nude, by men and women, not less than 50 years old. All races & religions, etc. The Islam-o-nazis would have to stay home since they cannot allow anyone to see their naked form. Everyone else would just make sure they brought the beer & they could throw a giant beach party!
Because the sight of 20,000 angry old women coming over the brow of the hill with a combat knife in their false teeth, Mac 10’s & Uzi’s on full automatic would cause more deaths from heart attacks than bullets.
Heirborn Ranger
49 BlackLion31U // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:32 pm
I am truthfully surprised to see this site still active. At the same time, I am happy to see some participants apparently still well. To the long timers, happy new year, best wishes.
I apologize for changing topics, but your man is scheduled to speak tonight, not on the minimum wage, but on the war in Iraq. From my understanding he will be speaking about his proposal to increase the amount of troops there in contradiction to the military advisors, the congress, the “Baker Commission” and the majority of the American public.
The minimum wage may be mentioned, but we all know that’s not his purpose.
For those of you who have been around long enough to know me, you should know that my love for the troops prevails. And,….. I told you so!
If you haven’t concluded that this man is an idiot yet, I am sorry and disappointed in you.
I have tried not to argue any other issue than this war, and it’s justification.
In the past, on this site, I had argued this wars purpose. I found great resistance. The liberal media and many other factors were to blame for my ignorance. We still have yet to find a reasonable reason why we went to war in Iraq. In contrary, we have seen many contradictions. I personally still don’t know why this FOOL took my brothers and sisters to war in Iraq!
We are now many years later. Our military is broken. NOT in heart, but in resources.
Bushes decisions have cost thousands of lives. I believe he will most likely complete his term and in turn, cost many more lives American service members lives.
For those service members who may be following this blog, God bless you. For those of you who are not service members, when are you going to act on your responsibility as American citizens and speak for those serving. There must be legislative approval for executive action in this matter.
50 BlackLion31U // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:40 pm
“Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me,”.
Wow, bummer, sorry you lost your Father Samatha.
51 conserve-a-tips // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Hi Guys,
I’ve been away trying to help the oldest move into her house. I have decided that I deserve that $84.25 per hour after all of the lifting and walking up and down the stairs I did. Do I have to report that on income tax if I demand it from my daughter? And what if she tells me to take a flying leap?
Scott, you hit the nail on the head. As Rush has pointed out, why $7.25? Why not $10 or $20 or $84.25? I mean, $7.25 is peanuts and just keeps the poor poor. Why not make them rich? Then I could get some money to buy that Mercedes that I have dreamed about.
52 JamesonLewis3rd // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I categorically deny the assertion attributed to the “majority American public in #49.
I also assert that nearly every premise in it is utterly false.
For example: Legislative approval has been given, quite some time ago-at the beginning of this conflict.
53 JamesonLewis3rd // Jan 10, 2007 at 9:55 pm
“majority of the American public”
54 Ms RightWing, Ink // Jan 10, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Oh, I don’t know. What with a war on and me making $85 an hour on disability, I think I will sit down to a big plate of crab knuckles.
Yum Yum. Sorry, sourpusses, no delicacies for you.
55 everthink // Jan 10, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Protest
You go Dumbyah! That’s gonna get you another “early out” of government service.
ET
56 Godfrey // Jan 11, 2007 at 4:11 am
BlackLion31U: If you haven’t concluded that this man is an idiot yet, I am sorry.
On the contrary, I drew that conclusion the instant I read your post.
57 MargeinMI // Jan 11, 2007 at 7:36 am
Morning all.
58 Darthmeister // Jan 11, 2007 at 9:42 am
BlackLion 31U, you’re self-imposed ignorance is truly breathtaking. You will find at least six more good reasons to invade Iraq and depose Saddam by by linking to the October 2002 Joint Congressional Resolution for the Use of American Force in Iraq. You’ll find, and as a military man you should know this to be true, that Saddam’s regime fired upon Coalition aircraft in the No Fly Zone hundreds of times in direct violation of the 1991 Peace Resolution which is an act of war on the part of the Iraqis … and undeclared war that the Clinton Administration ignored for eight years.
The Bush Administration was also following through on the gutless Clinton Administration’s call for regime change in Iraq. Bill Clinton also proposed the 1998 Iraq Liberation Act which lay the groundwork for not only support of internal elements opposed to Saddam’s regime but also the possible use of force to depose said regime given Saddam’s continued violation of numerous UN Resolutions.
Since you’ve been gone we have since learned:
1) Joe Wilson was the liar about Niger yellowcake, not President Bush. The British still stand by their assessment that Saddam’s agents had approached Niger in 1999 and 2000 in hopes of acquiring more yellowcake.
2) Democrats were shameless liars in claiming it was Karl Rove who “outed” Valerie Plame when it was the anti-war Dick Armitage in the State Department who shot off his big mouth. Clearly Rove was an innocent party in this overblown scandalmongering by the Donks. Pathetic.
3) Over 500 WMD were found in Iraq since the search began by American troops. Condition and operational status ranged from improperly stored to pristine condition, many tested positive for having been filled at one point. UN Resolution 1441 has no exclusionary language which makes distinctions between years of manufacture and operational status of WMD.
4) The Duelfer Report makes it clear that even without stockpiles of WMD, Saddam’s regime was still in “material violation” of UN Resolution 1441 and sixteen other UN Resolutions. Mr. Duelfer also testified under oath before Congress in regard to the facts of his findings.
5) Recently translated Iraqi documents show there was a link between the rogue regime of Saddam and Al Qaeda before the war. Some of those newly translated documents can be viewed here.
I despise historical revisionism and that is what your side of the aisle is trying to do. Get your head out of
your… the sand. Instead of looking for the truth it looks like you’ve been busy swilling down the lamestream media narrative. Are left-wing blogs and the partisan media your new Oracle of Delphi? I thought you were an independent thinker? I’m disappointed that you would rather participate in a partisan witch hunt than support your President and country in the war against terrorists wherever they may be found.59 Darthmeister // Jan 11, 2007 at 9:42 am
…pushin’ on through.
60 Harry Daschle // Jan 11, 2007 at 1:59 pm
At Christmas this year, McDonalds ran a full page ad in The Indianapolis Star, (Indiana’s largest paper), with the ad saying, “Central Indiana McDonald’s wishes you a Happy Holiday!”
When McDonald’s goes out of it’s way to purposely keep from saying Merry Christmas, I have had my last meal there!
I am curious if they did this in other states too?????
Anyone?
61 everthink // Jan 11, 2007 at 10:00 pm
62 Metaphysically Wrinkle Free » Site Archive » Links worth money, minimum wage hike brings it back down // Jan 13, 2007 at 1:57 pm
[…] In more serious news, GOP Bill Hikes Minimum Wage to $84.25/hr. but, as we all know one cannot out Democrat the Democrats. Scott has more on this… […]
63 CalvinDude.com » Blog Archive » Hillarious Take on The Minimum Wage Issue // Jan 13, 2007 at 5:04 pm
[…] Scott Ott, better known as The Scrappleface Guy, has a great take on the Minimum Wage (click the previous link to read the whole thing): Republicans in Congress, in a last ditch effort to provide economic justice to America’s working poor, today introduced a bill that would raise the national minimum hourly wage from $5.15 to $84.25. […]
64 myersonline dot org » Blog Archive » GOP Bill Hikes Minimum Wage to $84.25/hr. // Jan 16, 2007 at 2:38 am
[…] Read the rest of the story here… […]
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