Republicans Work to End Poverty
Saturday, October 29, 2005
(SNN Washington) Rich Democrat Ted Kennedy attempted to impose legislation that would increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.25 an hour. Fortunately brave Republicans moved to block this measure.
Not one single Democratic senator voted against the wage boost.
Not one single Democratic senator voted against the wage boost. Republicans were the only senators to vote against the measure. The minimum wage was last increased in 1997.
Republican senators understand that increasing the minimum wage would only allow poor people to buy meth. Eventually their meth riddled bodies would be too weak to work and they would be forced to turn to a life of crime. There are currently 37 million Americans living in poverty. Can we really afford 37 million people on meth and crack?
Under Enzi's plan the forty hour work week and overtime pay would have been eliminated.
A more moderate approach was offered by Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo). Under Enzi's plan, the minimum wage would have been increased, but the forty hour work week and overtime pay would have been eliminated. This would have allowed workers to make more money for hobbies, such as feeding their children. Also, due to the weakening of job safety and health protections on the job, workers who were injured would not have the ability to sit around the house and smoke crack all day. Enzi even wanted to help small business by exempting small business from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
But fortunately, the evil machinations of the alcohol addled, secretary killing Kennedy were squashed by the valiant Republican Senators. However, they should stay vigilant. Kennedy has tried to raise the minimum wage before, claiming to stop hard workers and their children from going hungry, and he is likely to try again.
