Another neocon day - minimum wage and gitmo
Despite rising prices for everything, Republicans in the Senate again denied any cost of living increase to Americans toiling away at minimum wage. According to them, no prices (for example housing, heating or gas) have increased since 1997, making a wage increase unnecessary. So, people working hard at full time (or more) jobs don't get to rise out of poverty, but billionaires have gotten how much government welfare since dubya and company seized power? I've lost track of just how many tax cuts for the rich have occurred. Well, I suppose that's one step closer than what the House Republicans did - they refused to allow the issue to be brought up. What a great way to lead, with your fingers in your ears yelling la-la-la-la-la.
Facts:
The annual gross income of a minimum-wage worker who works 40 hours per week is just $10,712. The buying power of the current minimum wage, when adjusted for inflation, is now at its lowest level since 1955.
Meanwhile, bowing to European pressure, Bush has now done a complete about-face on the prison at Guantanamo Bay. Remember how he said it was absolutely necessary and would not hear any discussion about changing how it operates? Well today he said that he wants to close it and send most of the prisoners back to their homes. Uh, exactly how is that not flip-flopping? Exactly how is that not an admission that it's bad to arbitrarily detain people without access to a lawyer or facing charges for over 3 years? Yes, the prisoners who would destroy/kill if released should be kept locked up, but by the government's own admission (back when dubya wouldn't hear any voices not in lock step with his own), many detainees were just in the area when soldiers were rounding up potential terrorists - and were unable to come up with any charges or reason for detention. Lovely - why does Bush claim the terrorists hate us? For our freedoms? And just how does this administration promote freedom? Oh yea, by occupying a foreign country under false pretenses, removing freedoms from citizens, lying about removing freedoms from citizens, and locking up people that might look suspicious for years without charges. What a freakin' humanitarian.
Facts:
The annual gross income of a minimum-wage worker who works 40 hours per week is just $10,712. The buying power of the current minimum wage, when adjusted for inflation, is now at its lowest level since 1955.
Meanwhile, bowing to European pressure, Bush has now done a complete about-face on the prison at Guantanamo Bay. Remember how he said it was absolutely necessary and would not hear any discussion about changing how it operates? Well today he said that he wants to close it and send most of the prisoners back to their homes. Uh, exactly how is that not flip-flopping? Exactly how is that not an admission that it's bad to arbitrarily detain people without access to a lawyer or facing charges for over 3 years? Yes, the prisoners who would destroy/kill if released should be kept locked up, but by the government's own admission (back when dubya wouldn't hear any voices not in lock step with his own), many detainees were just in the area when soldiers were rounding up potential terrorists - and were unable to come up with any charges or reason for detention. Lovely - why does Bush claim the terrorists hate us? For our freedoms? And just how does this administration promote freedom? Oh yea, by occupying a foreign country under false pretenses, removing freedoms from citizens, lying about removing freedoms from citizens, and locking up people that might look suspicious for years without charges. What a freakin' humanitarian.
posted by zblog at
3:40 PM
3 Comments:
OK, so the GOP mandate to keep the working poor in poverty is part of across-the-board sacrifices, right?
Wrong. The latest neocon economic brainchild is the Paris Hilton welfare program. The House Republicans just passed a plan to give $283 BILLION to the ultra-rich by cutting the estate tax. Apparently they belive that the function of government is to take from the poor and give to the rich.
The usual defense are offered - this will help common folk (no, common folk do not have multi-million dollar estates), this saves family farms and small businesses (lie, those are already exempted), this is double taxation (wrong, this is a way to catch previously untaxed gains) or to simply rename it the "death tax" to imply that it effects everyone who dies - also a lie.
Make the rich richer at the expense of the working class via government mandate. Lovely.
By
zblog, at 2:54 PM
New news today out of Washington. Some members of Congress are actually doing their job for the people instead of a political agenda they're ordered to follow.
While Senate Republicans unanimously voted to give themselves raises from $165,200, Senate Democrates have signed on to fight recieving that raise until the minimum wage is increased.
Consider that for a moment - putting the good of the US population ahead of personal gain. Wouldn't it be great if all members of Congress were capable of such acts?
By
zblog, at 3:29 PM
Oh yea, and for reference, since the Republican party has taken control of Congress there has been no increase in the minimum wage, but they have voted themselves raises to the tune of $31,600 per year. How obscene is that?
By
zblog, at 3:34 PM
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