Posted on 01/16/2007 8:55:20 AM PST by InvisibleChurch
January 16, 2007
PELOSI'S TUNA SURPRISE Economists of every political stripe agree that a higher minimum wage will cost some low-skill workers their jobs, says the Wall Street Journal.
Even Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to understand this. Despite leading efforts to pass minimum wage increases, she granted a reprieve to American Samoa, which has a big fish and tuna canning industry, specifically operations run by StarKist and Chicken of the Sea. Both companies are headquartered in California, and StarKist's parent is located in none other than Speaker Pelosi's own San Francisco district. Democrats rediscovered the eternal economic truth that a higher minimum wage can cost jobs and granted Samoa its reprieve:
In 2004, according to the Department of Labor, Samoan canneries directly employed some 4,800 people, or nearly 40 percent of the work force. StarKist and Chicken of the Sea would have plenty of other low-wage locations to do their canning; the average hourly wage for the American Samoan canneries in 2004 was about $3.60. In contrast, the average cannery wage in Thailand was 67 cents an hour and in the Philippines 66 cents. You don't have to go as far as American Samoa to discover other liberals who understand this -- at least when they do the hiring, says the Journal:
In 1995, the union-financed lobby, Acorn, sued California seeking exemption from the state's then-$4.25 minimum wage. Acorn argued in its court brief that the more they must pay each individual outreach worker -- either because of minimum wage or overtime requirements -- the fewer outreach workers it will be able to hire. None of this insight will do American Samoa much good, however. Red-faced after her tuna surprise was discovered, Speaker Pelosi announced that she was to re-examine whether the bill also should apply to the Pacific island.
Source: Editorial, "Pelosi's Tuna Surprise," Wall Street Journal, January 16, 2007.
For text:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116891896808477346.html
For more on Minimum Wage:
http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_Category=24
Busted!
I'm afraid we'll never hear the term "tuna-gate".
She's recruiting Bill Parcells?
Thanks a LOT for making me think of "Pelosi's Tuna".
*shudder*
Nancy's husband owns millions of dollars of stock in the Samoa tuna industry.
The whole thing smelled from the beginning. Know we know why.
Yup, it smelled fishy.
"Nancy's husband owns millions of dollars of stock in the Samoa tuna industry."
Any link for that? That would be a great tip to the Drudge hot line.
Re-examine away... Ms Pelosi!
I bet that is as far as it gets. We have such short memories and the spot fires are so numerous.
I guess the lobbying can at home over dinner.
>>>Nancy's husband owns millions of dollars of stock in the Samoa tuna industry.
I believe that's in Del Monte stock, which is StarKist's parent company.
I don't understand the viewpoint of the news agency. The Speaker of the House does NOT get to decide what laws are applicable where. These provisions are either written into the law, they are adjudicated by the appropriate administrative agency, or they are determined by the courts.
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Maybe this will help explain the article's viewpoint...
The NCPA's mission is to seek innovative private-sector solutions to public policy problems. By using innovative and unique approaches to these problems, the NCPA encourages individual rights, free enterprise and self-government.
"Thanks a LOT for making me think of "Pelosi's Tuna".
*shudder*"
Please, it's lunchtime here in the east. I'm hurlin' over here.
A nice thick juicy hamburger to get those nasty visions of Pelosi Tuna out of your head.
Opps,
Sorry bout that. ;-)
Let's see if 60 Minutes does a story on it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.