Senate defeats Democrats minimum wage increase

Reuters ^ | 21 June 1959

[OXENinFLA]

Unless I missed something or am reading the Senate's website wrong THIS PASSED.

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LINK

Question: On the Amendment (Kennedy Amdt. No. 4322 )

Vote Number:	179	Vote Date:	June 21, 2006, 11:20 AM
Required For Majority:	1/2	Vote Result:	Amendment Agreed to
Amendment Number:	S.Amdt. 4322 to S. 2766 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 )
Statement of Purpose:	To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	52
	NAYs	46
	Not Voting	2

[Protagoras]

All your points are irrelevent to real conservatives

Real conservatives oppose government control over prices. Such government control is antithetical to freedom. Communists like it however.

[RobbyS]

It's symbolism. If Kennnedy were serious, he would suggest $15.00 and hour.

[EricT.]

No one can live alone and provide any semblence of a "life" on minimum wage.

Minimum wage is not meant to be lived on. It's entry level. You know, for high school students living with parents.

[Protagoras]

Besides, nothing prevents states from raising the minimum wage.

Force based control over prices which are set by two consenting parties (absent force or fraud) is bad no matter who exerts the force.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Yep. Minimum-wage is all about union pay. Higher minimum-wages = Fatter paychecks for union flunkies.

And the poor, the minorities, teens...you know, the people that the Rats care about so much, get screwed and uses up more taxpayer-funded programs which enriches the Dims even more.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

You have to start somewhere at 16 - 18. The initiative comes with moving past that starting point to a decent wage, but where you start should at least be "livable", I didn't say decadent.

Don't you think the pay would be more suitable to those starting out in the workforce than if it was issued by goverment fiat?

The minimum-wage prices out the very people it's supposed to help.

[Protagoras]

The "least" important, eh? I think it's key to the problems of small business.

Government control of private business transactions and the market set prices of goods and services are the key to what's wrong for small businesses. (and all other businesses and individuals)

But that's just all competent economists.

[Integrityrocks]

You're all missing my point. I am not in favor of grants, and other entitlements. Therefore, I think that a young person 16 - 18 SHOULD be able to make it "alone" on $15,000+ per year. Then, start that journey we are all referencing, to better skills, experience and better wages. You can't even get started "on your own" at 18 on the current min wage.

[Integrityrocks]

"Don't you think the pay would be more suitable to those starting out in the workforce than if it was issued by goverment fiat?"

I think that's what I said in part. I've had my own small business and I always paid $10.00 starting wage with no benefits. But there are too many employers who will never pay above min wage if they don't have to (hence illegals) so a mandatory realistic min, in my opinion, is in order. Crack down on illegal hiring and I'll pay more for my lettuce and cotton products.

[AmericaUnited]

It's entry level. You know, for high school students living with parents.

And if they can't afford the $200 pair of AirJordans or Nikes well then TOUGH.

[rhombus]

Government control of private business transactions and the market set prices of goods and services are the key to what's wrong for small businesses. (and all other businesses and individuals) But that's just all competent economists.

Government control which includes mandating small business to verify citizenship?

[Integrityrocks]

Who said its for high school students living with parents? That's not true. It CAN be for them, but there are many 16 - 18 year olds on their own and they deserve a fair shake at making it without running to Uncle Sam.

[Republicus2001]

$7.25? Hell why not make it $99 per hour?

[Sam's Army]

Dems float this every election cycle. If it goes through, they win and say they are looking out for the poor. If it gets blocked, they can say eeeevvvviiil Republicans want to keep poor people poor.

[Niteranger68]

I think this is the only issue that I depart from the views of my conservative bretheren. I think the Min wage should be raised. No one can live alone and provide any semblence of a "life" on minimum wage. I do agree that with a thimble full of initiative one should make more than minimum, but if we want our 16 - 18 year old's to truely learn life skills, we need to give them an honest chance. Our economy would survive just fine with an increase.

OK, how would you like it if the government set minimum prices for bread, milk, gas, etc? Since it is unlikely you have ever run a successful business, it might help to understand that businesses exits to make a profit. Not to provide jobs. And to show the folly of your position, allow me to rework your last statement for you: Your household would survive just fine with a decrease.

[AmericaUnited]

You can't even get started "on your own" at 18 on the current min wage.

Exactly! And you're not supposed to. Any 18 year kid moving out of the house and wanting to live on their own had better have some type of initial job skill, even if it's nothing more than having bumped up the pay ladder a few dollars via having worked a few years someplace while in high school.

[Tulane]

Ding, Ding, Ding...and now you know the rest of the story...

[Niteranger68]

I've had my own small business and I always paid $10.00 starting wage with no benefits.

Why no benefits? Do you not believe in a "Minimum Benefit" law???

[Tulane]

Hardly anyone is living on that range. 90% of minimum wage earners earn more than minimum wage after 6 months on the job...

One thing is an economic fact: raise minimum wage, raise unemployment.