Estate tax/minimum wage bill dealt major blow.
Four Democratic senators who were being heavily pressured by lobbyists and conservatives to back the fraud minimum wage/estate tax bill being pushed through by Majority Leader Bill Frist have announced they will oppose the bill. Without the four lawmakers — Maria Cantwell (WA), Patty Murray (WA), Mark Pryor (AR), and Ken Salazar (CO) — Frist is currently at least two votes short. Have you called your senators?
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53 Responses to “Estate tax/minimum wage bill dealt major blow.”
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Cornyn? Hutchison? Yeah, I’ve called them. Called them all kinds of things.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:30 pmYa, my two senators are Repugs…..
I hate living in a Red State.It like bizarro land in Seinfeld. Everything is opposite to common sense
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:33 pmGood for them. Of course this will be used against the Dems at re-election time.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:34 pmFrist need not worry he and his rich friends can still defraud the IRS and keep Billions.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:40 pmI guess that’s the new democracy is to cheat the IRS as every Americans must pay his/her share. I know all rich people aren’t crooks but Frist and this Administration are making all look bad. Well that’s the American way now.
YES! Washington Senators! We have a minimum wage of $7.63, if this thing passed, could reduce these peoples pay by $3.00 or more and would screw all service workers in this state, because , they would have to follow the FEDERAL MANDATE!
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:43 pm#1 - Yeah, I called Cornyn & Hutchinson as well, but I know it’s not going to do any good to change their minds or votes.
#3 - The Progressives are going to say that the Regressives are against financial relief for working stiffs. The Regressives are going to say that the Progressives are against tax relief (”for the richest people in America” will be left out of this statement). Politics is a nasty business. Which President said “If I were to walk to the Potomac and walk on water to the other side, the press would say that I can’t swim!”
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:44 pm#5 - That’s not necessarily true. Most states that have a minimum wage that is higher than the Federal Minimum have included legislation that states their State minimum wage trumps the Federal Minimum wage, only so long as it’s higher.
The only time the Federal MW trumps State MW is when this section of the legislation doesn’t exist or when the Federal MW is higher than the State MW.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:46 pmTIA & Dem Soldier - so sorry you’re represented by those troglodites. ut keep the faith. Texas is a good place with good people. They just vote funny.
Zooey - sure the republithugs will try to say that stuff, but I doubt anyone but the brain dead republicans believes it. Naa, let ‘em use that as a campaign issue. It’s the same as calling someone stupid and then asking them to vote for you.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:49 pm#7 - but could mean a pay cut of $3 or more an hour to thousands of waiters, waitresses and other tip earners in the state.
Cantwell, Murray to oppose bill on minimum wage, estate tax
BTW - Washington State currently has the highest minimum wage in this country.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:49 pmYES! this is how i spent my coffee time this morning… i missed salazar and pryor though… my list included blanche lincoln… will get right on that…
Toll-free Senate switchboard number is 1-888-648-7328 or 1-888-355-3588
tell them this:
It’s not enough to vote NO on the MINIMUM WAGE / ESTATE TAX REPEAL BILL
(what a combo there - a special “poison pill” for the Mythical Little Guy)
They must vote NO on CLOTURE
The Dems must not let this go to a VOTE -Â THEY MUST FILLIBUSTER
They must show some backbone and stand up to the Republican injustice
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:53 pmThe Democrats are going to vote against minimum wage increases. That’s smart politics. Not!
When are they going to stop taking advice from Howard Dean on how to win an election. 2006 represents one of the best environments the libs could ever hope for to win their power back (so they can try to impeach Bush), but you can always count on them to shoot themselves in the foot. Harry Reid is really lame.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:53 pm#2-”I hate living in a Red State.” I feel for you, but try living in Flint, Michigan. If anyone has doubts about the need for a living wage just take a gander at what happens when big industry leaves and low wage jobs move in. Desperation and violence take over at an alarming rate. In the past 4 weeks here in Flint there have been 3 child deaths from violence, 2 from shootings and one from a firebombing. People here and across the country need to see a hope for thier future and thier childrens,and while a wage increase wont solve everything, its a step forward.
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:55 pmyep, madashell -
another “Poison Pill” for this Minimum Wage Bill:
Wage fight: Are your tips at risk?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ html/ nationworld/ 2003171607_wage03.html
do any of those people still have mothers?
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:56 pmNothing like hearing Democrats not supporting the poor with a wage increase. How that groups continues to vote for you is beyond me.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:03 pmI’ve called my ultra Right-Wing senators and rep on many occasions. Their staff basically laughs. Burr is in Frist’s hip pocket, Dole is a lost cause trying to raise money for the party and floundering, and Rep. Foxx (NC-5) was one of the 33 to vote aginst the voting rights reauthorization bill. Oh, Foxx was just quoted as saying her trip to Iraq revealed everything going quite well and no complaints from any of the troops she spoke with; per her comment(s), they have what they need and are doing fine. Talk about a parallel universe. What am I doing in this place?
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:05 pm#13, Newark NJ is getting REALLY bad, too. Crime rate is up everywhere now, thanks to Bush economic policies.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:08 pmWell gary the Poor tend to vote democrat, because everytime a republican gets in the white hosue the world goes to hell.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:16 pmrepublicans need to make it look like they actually care about most americans, so they dressed up a the Paris Hilton Tax Bill as a minimum wage bill and trotted it out again… too bad they put so much pork in this so-called minimum wage bill, otherwise people might have been fooled.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:17 pmThis bill should pass. It is called a compromise. Repubs DO NOT want to raise the min waige, but they will. We don’t want to repeal the estate tax, but we will. Both parties will be unhappy wi the result, but, for the love of god, something will be done. And that makes it a good settlement. We can’t just put our heads in the sand and ignore this opportunity. Raise minimum wage now.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:25 pmNothing like hearing Democrats not supporting the poor with a wage increase. How that groups continues to vote for you is beyond me.
Comment by Gary — August 3, 2006 @ 4:03 pm
Nice talking point. Idiot. See, many Americans are just like you, Gary. Wait…no. They are worse than idiots. You know why the Dems voted against it. But most people won’t take the time to get their heads out of their asses long enought to know what the reason is. Their Republican senators will be like you, saying “The Democrats are against the poor” and the idiot constituents will believe them.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:28 pmManny’s Mission,
Minimum and tax cuts should not be on the same proposal.
The local news in Dallas is passing off this notion that the reason federal employees give themselves raises is so that the people under them can also get raises since it is against the law for a federal employee to make more than a House or Senate member.
Go jump on a tack, Manny.
Democrats will increase taxes on the rich eventually. This is a sucker bill that Neocons are using to get votes. Little whores.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:30 pm#21 MAKES THE BEST POINT OF THE DAY. We read this crap online , we know the deal. Joe 6 pack on his recliner couldnt give a sh*t. He’s thinking, raise my wage, I don’t care about rich people, just gimme a break. And teh he’ll know the dems had the chance and did not deliver.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:32 pmCome election time, how about pointing out the RW won’t allow an up-or-down vote on minimum wage alone?
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:33 pmtrolls:
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:33 pmCongressman Brags About Sabotaged Minimum Wage Bill: ‘You Have Seen Us Really Outfox You’
At 2 a.m. on Saturday morning, the House of Representatives passed a bill that links a $2 increase in the minimum wage to a dramatic cut of the estate tax for millionaires.
A few hours earlier, Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) went on the House floor to brag about this ploy, which has little chance of passing the Senate. Wamp said to his opponents, “I know why you’re so mad and why you say things you don’t really mean. It’s because you have seen us really outfox you on this issue tonight.â€
This bill should pass. It is called a compromise. Repubs DO NOT want to raise the min waige, but they will. We don’t want to repeal the estate tax, but we will. Both parties will be unhappy wi the result, but, for the love of god, something will be done. And that makes it a good settlement. We can’t just put our heads in the sand and ignore this opportunity. Raise minimum wage now.
Comment by Manny’s Mission — August 3, 2006 @ 4:25 pm
Compromise, my ass. It’s pure politics. The Repubs knew the Democrats would vote against the raise if they attached the estate tax repeal; now they will use this in their campaigns to paint the Dems as being against the poor.
Same thing happened during Clinton’s term. Remember the time when they were trying to pass a bill funding the operation of the federal government and the Repubs attached all kinds of bullshit pork to it? Clinton voted against the bill because he didn’t want all the pork. The Repubs tried to blame Clinton for the shutdown of the federal government, but it backfired on them. The public knew better.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:35 pmLook folks - I have paid nearly 1/2 a million dollars in taxes due to ISO AMT on “gains and income” I NEVER realized…so this is democracy / justice / fairness / congressional intent / the “American Way” - maybe I should find a country with a government that gives a crap about it’s people and those (like my son) who will have been deprived of any chance at a higher education because the government STOLE the money I had set aside not to spend on a second home or a yacht or some cruise, but for him…
My thanks to all the Senators who vote for this injustice to be STOPPED and to those who don’t I hope someday I have a chance to meet them in person so they can see the sorrow in my eyes that this has caused me and my family…
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:35 pmMinimum and tax cuts should not be on the same proposal.
I could not agree more with you, Number 22. Do you think the average guy on the street gives a crap? How long do we need to fool ourselves into thinking that people care about nuances like that. People want a bottom line statement. Dems raised minimum wages. Terrific. NAd really, while I am not a fan of cutting estate tax, to be able to have dems say they actually cut a tax doesnt hurt either. Forget the nuances, people don’t care.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:38 pmI’m also Texas resident, and I second what my fellow Texians said-God, I can’t wait to vote against Cornyn again, he’s one of the dimmest bulbs in the GOP’s Senate Chandelier, right up there with Session and Inhofe
We know that the GOP likes to paint life during the 1950’s as a happier time
One reason was that those at the very top of the economic ladder weren’t whining about how high their taxes were
Those at the top did NOT make their fortunes solely through their own efforts, they had PLENTY of govt help doing so, and get even MORE governmental help in keeping it
They have a duty to give back to the socieety that’s allowed them to live luxuriously as possible
Those subject to the “Estate/Grateful Heirs” tax are the last people who should complain about paying society back, especially since NO taxes will EVER put these families-the Wal-Mart Waltons-below the poverty line
I have absolutely no sympathy or patience with those at the very top whining about how unfair taxes are, when was the last time they had to decide which to pay first and which to delay paying between shelter, meals and utilities?
This Administration is waging an absolutely ruthless, brutal class warfare with it’s constant attempts to kill off the “Estate/Grateful Heirs” tax, either with the disgusting ploy of cutting even more of the tax by tying it to an increase in the minimum wage, or cutting almost 50% of the Estate Tax lawyers who work for the IRS
The GOP wants to block hiking the minimum wage?
Fine, I hope they get this vile, elitist, ivory-tower “let them eat crumbs” attitude rammed right down their parsimonious throats come election day in November
Recently, when Rep Rangel was talking about this issue, he used the phrase “honorable compromise”
Here’s my idea for “honorable compromise” with the bloodsucking parasites better known as the GOP
Threaten to kick the estate/grateful heirs tax up again, to at least 50%, unless the GOP lets the minimum wage get voted on by itself, with no poison pill attachments
Of course, that strategy will work better if the Dems show enough spine to actually challenge Karl Rove-If they stand up to Rove’s empty threats & rhetoric, they’ll take back the House and/or Senate
This GOP-based class warfare is a potent symbol and hard-hitting weapon to use against Karl Rove & Co in the months leading to election day
And seeing as how Rove’s inability to turn the GOP’s fortunes around has been on full display since not getting indicted for outing Valerie Plame, there should be no one still scared of Rove’s supposed “political genius” at this point
Rove has no effective cards to play leading into November, ESPECIALLY National Security and it’s time to start calling him on the only political strategy he’s got left-Bluffs, lots & lots of bluffs
And with all the turmoil, legal problems and ethical scandals roiling the GOP now, items like killing off the estate/grateful heirs tax should be front & center in throwing the GOP bums out of power
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:39 pm#21 MAKES THE BEST POINT OF THE DAY. We read this crap online , we know the deal. Joe 6 pack on his recliner couldnt give a sh*t. He’s thinking, raise my wage, I don’t care about rich people, just gimme a break. And teh he’ll know the dems had the chance and did not deliver.
Comment by Manny’s Mission — August 3, 2006 @ 4:32 pm
Sorry, Manny, but that’s not the point I am making.
Joe Sixpack won’t even know that the estate tax repeal was attached to the minimum wage increase. All he’ll hear from the Repubs is that the Democrats voted against an increase in the min. wage. And ol’ Joe will believe them.
You really think my Sen. Frist is going to come home to TN and say “Yeah, they voted against the min. wage increase, but only because we tried to ram through an estate tax repeal attached to it and they disagreed with it.”
Hell no.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:40 pmCan you please make up your mind, Manny?
First, “This bill should pass” and then, “You are right. Min wage increase and tax cut should not be on the same bill.”
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:43 pmJoe Sixpack won’t even know that the estate tax repeal was attached to the minimum wage increase. All he’ll hear from the Repubs is that the Democrats voted against an increase in the min. wage. And ol’ Joe will believe them. - - - - thus dems need to pass the bill. Just do it because sometimes you gotta bite the bullet to get things done. The wage bill helps the poor. We should not deprive them of that because the bill helps the rich too. We need to raise the min wage, doing it is a victory. Forget the estate tax cut, doesn’t matter to the guy who is benfitting from the wage increase.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:46 pmWow… just when I thought that Sen. Cantwell was against me, she declares otherwise! (She MUST be up for re-election… YUP… she is!)
Now, Honorable Sen. Maria Cantwell, about your undying support for the quagmire in Vietna…. erm… IRAQ!
I think she is a TINY bit better than Mike McGavick… a neo con Bush clone whom Ms. Cantwell is up against.
I guess I’ll hold my nose and vote for her…
6 degrees of separation on Democrat side vs. a 100% Bush close on the Republcian side.
Why can’t we here in Washington State get better candidates?????
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:47 pmThe rich need help??? Oh yeah…poor Paris Hilton is really suffering. You are full of it.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:48 pm…thus dems need to pass the bill. Just do it because sometimes you gotta bite the bullet to get things done.
Surely you are not suggesting the Dems accept the estate tax repeal so that members of the public will not see them as being against the min. wage increase.
No…they need to explain to the public why they are against the bill, and then grow some balls right quick and force an up-or-down vote on JUST the min. wage bill.
Funny that an up-or-down vote is good enough for SC nominees when the Repubs are in control of the WH and both chambers of Congress.
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:52 pmWC - I am suggesting that we do whatever it takes to raise the minumum wage. And then we tell our voters that we did whatever it took to get the job done, even if it meant cutting a tax. You seem to think the public wants explanations, blah blah blah. You might want them and your crowd of friends might want them, but the guy I work with and talk to could not care about the nuances and explanations. To them, it is dems did not raise the min wage because of some crap with the esttae tax that doesnt even effect me.
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:02 pmMy Senator is Par Roberts. Think my call will change his mind?
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:09 pmThe best thing for the Senate Democrats to do on this bogus GOP bill is to prevent its passage, but at the same time promise to pass a clean bill on raising the minimum wage, after the November elections, so the first item on the agenda for February 2007!
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:17 pmthis bill is a chargeback to the american people disguised as a “raising minimum wage bill..”
the republicans in charge won’t raise the minimum wage without “sticking it” to most americans somewhere else.. just like their so-called “tax relief.” You pay a little less on taxes (if you make a lot more $ than i do, because I’m still getting taxed 30% by the way!!) and what little you save in taxes you PAY in HIGH GAS PRICES, HEALTHCARE COSTS, AND LACK OF GOOD WAGES!
if republicans care about hardworking americans living above poverty and if they care about keeping american jobs for american workers, then they will pass a minimum wage bill all by itself.
instead they try to bring back yet another issue that everyone already voted on and rejected: the paris hilton tax cut.
“up or down vote” my left foot.
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:22 pmmaking people give their tips to their employers so they don’t have to pay minimum wage is just cruel and it goes against the spirit of any wage increase. so lame. what a bunch of misers.
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:24 pmI’m not going to call my senators, man on dog & Arlen “I’m mad as hell, no, wait, I’m not” spector. I need to save the money I’d spend on the call for gas for my car.
P.S. I hope manny realizes that my kids don’t have the kind of money nessessary to pay in taxes that it will require to make up the HUGE shortfall in revenue that repeal of the estate tax will produce. My advise to the rich is, “If you feel so entitled to the windfall that the death of a loved one without paying taxes on it, find a country that agrees and move there”
P.P.S. If you feed the trolls, they’ll never go back under the bridge.
Peace
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:32 pmI now live in Arkansas, and I just called both Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln and asked them to oppose cloture and oppose this morally abominable legislation!
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:36 pmTime for Rove and Cheney to “call up” those four hooligans.
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:43 pmTo them, it is dems did not raise the min wage because of some crap with the esttae tax that doesnt even effect me.
Comment by Manny’s Mission — August 3, 2006 @ 5:02 pm
Well, then the guy you work with is representative of the ignorance in this country. Just more of the “if it doesn’t bother me why should I care” mentality. Sorry, but I disagree with your assertion that the Dems should just shut up and vote for the damned tax repeal to appease your coworker.
You still haven’t explained how Paris Hilton is “hurting” to the point that she needs “help” from a tax repeal.
And as #41 alludes to, repealing yet another tax is something we do not need at this time, what with billions of dollars being spent to fight an endless war and a Congress and a president spending more than at any other time in history (and bankrupting this country…one of the bin Laden’s goals, by the way. Look it up. Bush is playing right into his hands.)
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:45 pmMinimum wage… Global Warming… Can’t you see these are hot-buttion issues for politicians? NEITHER side wants to do anything other than spew rhetoric to fire up their voting bases.
Republicans will say that minimum wage hikes will cost jobs and slow down the economy. This will encourage their base to show up at the polls. Republicans will say that the Democrats are nuts on global warming.
Democrats will call out for a minimum wage hike to get their voters out to the polls. They’ll talk about global warming to get their folks to the polls.
Why would either side want to change the status quo when clearly these issues are “get out the vote” kinds of issues?
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:53 pmSorry…I’ve been characterizing this as a repeal of the estate tax instead of a cut in the estate tax. However, my position on attaching this to a min. wage increase still stands.
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:55 pmAn ‘entitlement’ for the rich is that they are entitled not to pay taxes.
This minimum wage/estate tax debate is very, very simple.
Every dollar lost from the repeal of the estate tax is a dollar that has to be borrowed from China.
The Nation cannot afford this.
The wealthiest already run away with $100 billion a year in tax shelters gone wild.
The military will need tens of billions of dollars to repair and replace the damaged equipment from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It would be wrong to cut taxes on the wealthiest Americans and then borrow money from China to rebuild our military - rebuilding needed because of the flawed and failed policy of the Republicans. Not only would it be irresponsible to pass these tax cuts now, it would be un-American: asking future generations to pay for the Republican mistakes so that the rich can be even richer today.
And that is why the Republicans are wrong for America: they continue to work for the ‘few’ and the special interests and not for the interests of the majority of Americans.
August 3rd, 2006 at 6:38 pmI love our Senators from the GREAT NORTHWEST.
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:22 pmThe ladies are on it. C’mon folks call your Senators.
Your blog is lame and obviously has no screening process. Any low IQ moron can comment.
August 3rd, 2006 at 8:18 pm#7- actually, this bill has federal preemption over the minimum wage with regards to tip earners, so the minimum wage would actually go down, even in states with higher minimum wages. In Washington’s case, it would go down to $2.13/hour.
The clear message here in the Spokane, Washington, area is that while Cathy McMorris (our congresscritter) voted to take away the wages of the poorest live people, she gave money to the richest dead people.
And with regards to all the rest: the point is that next year, when we have Democratic control in Congress, we’ll be able to pass the minimum wage hike without these onerous poison pills.
I’m glad we have Patty and Maria working for us.
August 3rd, 2006 at 8:56 pmI consider myself a Republican for my own reasons, but this minimum wage/inheritance tax break bill is wrong for so many reasons. According to this legislation, people who earn tips do not get paid the minimum wage as others are, they are supposed to subsidize their income with their tips. They get a lower pay rate. Considering that tips are voluntary it is an outrage to think that a single mother raising two kids could support her family with this new legislation as a waitress. On top of this is a tax break for the wealthy who are driving America into the ground(not all but enough to matter). If the rich want all their money to go tax free when they die, why dont they just donate it all to a non-profit organization or put it all in their businesses. Oh, that’s right, this is America, land of the free and home of the greed. Its the working middle class that makes America strong. The poor need to be raised up the and the rich need to stop hording the wealth and stop fussing about a tax amount they can afford and should be willing to share for their country.
August 5th, 2006 at 2:33 amRepost:
“BTW - Washington State currently has the highest minimum wage in this country.”
(Comment by madashell — August 3, 2006 @ 3:49 pm)
BTW - CONNECTICUT Effective January 1, 2007 will have the highest minimum wage in this country.
November 8th, 2006 at 3:01 pmfederal estate taxes
Very interesting post. A little bit confusing, but still ok.
March 21st, 2008 at 5:12 amAccounting Financial Financial Success
I can not agree with you in 100% regarding some thoughts, but you got good point of view
April 6th, 2008 at 12:43 pm