Does McCain want to raise the minimum wage? ‘Of course not.’
Does McCain want to raise the minimum wage? ‘Of course not.’
Today in an interview with CNBC, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said that he wasn’t interested in raising the minimum wage:
BARTIROMO: What about a minimum wage increase? Would you consider?
MCCAIN: As long as we take care of small businesses. Small businesses right now — I see them every day — they say, You increase the minimum wage, I lay off workers. Is that what we want to do right now? Of course not.
Watch it:
Although today he cited concern for “small businesses,” it seems that there’s never a good time for McCain to support a wage increase for working Americans. McCain has voted against a minimum wage increase 19 times. In the past, his excuse for opposing the increase was that it was “attached to other big-spending pork barrel.” (In most cases, it was not.)
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Using that same logic, could we employ more if we lowered the minimum wage?
But then how would people buy their own health insurance – the insurance that McCain would rather an employer not offer?
If you want to ‘grow’ the economy, you need to sprinkle a little money on it. More wages = more consumption = stronger economy.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:05 pmSo, how is it that the average person is supposed to relate to McSame?
October 28th, 2008 at 6:07 pmSay, Sen. McCain, how have those Bush tax cuts to the rich helped America? (other than wealthy Bush/GOP campaign supporters) When will it all trickle down to me?
October 28th, 2008 at 6:08 pmAround these parts, small businesses are already laying people off, and closing their doors, at a record pace.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:11 pmTired of being lied to Says:
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But then how would people buy their own health insurance
COMMUNIST!
October 28th, 2008 at 6:12 pmDamn it. When is Tracy_5 or someone going to show up to explain why the minimum wage has to be really minimum in order to make sure the status quo is mantained?
October 28th, 2008 at 6:14 pmAbove the Clouds Says:
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Say, Sen. McCain, how have those Bush tax cuts to the rich helped America? (other than wealthy Bush/GOP campaign supporters) When will it all trickle down to me?
You’ll know when you feel something warm and wet. It should taste somewhat salty.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:16 pm“Does McCain want to raise the minimum wage? ‘Of course not.’”
– - Why does McCain hate Jose the Laborer?
October 28th, 2008 at 6:20 pmIs there any evidence that there were mass layoffs, or huge jumps in unemployment, the last time the minimum wage was raised? Didn’t we have a whole bunch of peace and prosperity when the minimum wage was last increased?
October 28th, 2008 at 6:21 pmThe Federal minimum wage is $6.55.
Assuming you have a full time job, which is really not likely, that’s $262.00 per week; $1048.00 per month; $13,624 per year — BEFORE TAXES.
Whether or not this was supposed to be a family wage is beside the point, because in today’s economy, often IT IS A FAMILY WAGE.
McCain doesn’t care about the American worker, he cares about being President. That’s it.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:23 pmHey, I have an idea. If we just get rid of minimum wage than these business owners can employ a whole bunch of people! Imagine how many people they could hire if they only had to pay 50 cents an hour. While we’re at it, we could get rid of that whole 40 hour work week thingy. If people want more money, they just have to work more. And if the businesses don’t have to pay any taxes at all, they can hire a ton of people. Sure, that should work just fine.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:25 pmWhat nonsense. We can’t raise the minimum wage because the business owners will fire everyone (and run their businesses how?). We can’t raise taxes because all of the rich people will leave (and go where?). We can’t offer a comprehensive national healthcare system because that would be socialism (like the current system works for anyone who doesn’t have the government plan McCain has been on his entire life?).
As a country we are knee-deep in sh*t and the Republicans keep telling us to maintain the status quo or else things will get even worse. If Obama somehow doesn’t win I will have no alternative but to assume the voters prefer certain death with a somewhat familiar president to a chance at prosperity with someone who doesn’t look quite like most of them.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:30 pmA minor point of contention, paleolib. We are neck deep in shit. Those who are knee deep are standing on their heads.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:32 pmRaising the minimum wage could be construed as spreading the wealth around.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:33 pmCan’t have that now, can we?
(sarc/off)
I think a raise in min wage would be better than more stimulus checks.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:36 pmI call what we have today exclusionary socialism. Spreading the wealth is only good for corporate america, bankers and hedge funds, you know, the ones the politicians favor over the salus populi they are elected to serve.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:39 pmWingnuts love buzzwords.”Artificial raise”, “spread the wealth.” Can’t make a reasoned argument? Create buzzwords. Watch the base shit their pants to the voting booth.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:46 pm“Of course not. Screw the poor. Let them eat cake.”
October 28th, 2008 at 6:52 pmThey’re afraid of spreading the wealth? The GOP should be more worried of the lack of brains spread among their party.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:53 pmCoverup of fatal 1964 McCain auto accident?:
October 28th, 2008 at 6:54 pmhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/28/news-orgs-investigate-pos_n_138449.html
So when a wingnut says what a good thing privatization is remind them its spreading the wealth.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:55 pmThe truth is the right has ALWAYS been for wealth redistribution. Its only that they think it should only be redistributed UPWARD and it is anathema to them to redistribute it the other direction.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:58 pmWere we socialist under Eisenhower when the top tax rate was 90%?
October 28th, 2008 at 7:01 pmThis topic plays into a video I just saw on Crooks and Liars, with an interview on Fox of an Obama representative, who made a statement last weekend, that called into question Fox’s “fair and balanced” reporting.
The Fox droid, Megyn something-or-other, was trying to defend Fox’s integrity, and in the course of one of their exchanges, she attempted to yet again make the case that tax increases harm small businesses, and that Obama’s proposed increase would have that very effect. It occurred to me that instead of repeating the Obama mantra, he could have made a much more effective point, by asking the Fox inquisitor if Obama’s proposal would mean her taxes would rise as a result. And when she said yes, ask her how many people she employs in her small business.
Naturally, she’d say: “What do you mean? I don’t have a small business.”
To which he’d reply: “Exactly. The effects on small business will be minimal – but well-compensated media figures, like yourself, will be required to pay more.”
Attack her for her economic elitism, with Fox’s viewers watching her squirm.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:02 pm“…MCCAIN: As long as we take care of small businesses.”…
That’s it, that’s all we need to know. Screw the little people.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:03 pmThere were record small business bankruptcies when Reagan policies went into effect.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:06 pmI’ve said it before — while watching the second debate, it occurred to me that McCain has never had a real job.
Has he ever had to sweat for a wage, watched callouses grow on his hands?
Has he ever shopped for work clothes at a second-hand store?
McCain has spent his entire life trying to ingratiate himself to the wealthy and powerful. He has no understanding of — and no compassion for — the life of the working class.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:13 pmMcCain has spent his entire life trying to ingratiate himself to the wealthy and powerful. He has no understanding of — and no compassion for — the life of the working class.
Descended from Southern slave owners, but still refuses to acknowledge the fact in public.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:14 pm“Does McCain want to raise minimum wage?” Does mice bark?
Only in United Snakes of Moronica under Gramps: Land of the thieves. Home of the slaves. Steal from the middle class and poor and give to the wealthy Main Street buddies. His concern is for the Joe the Plumbers of the small business owners? Yeah right. It’s all about the billionaire buddies and none for the middle class.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:19 pmTo hear John McCain describe things, you’d think we were all hostages who’d “better just shut up and be grateful…” lest everything get (even) worse for us.
“My fellow prisoners” indeed.
John McCain’s relentless threats against the well-being of our citizenry is what’s threatening our Democracy, and if he had a shred of decency he’d knock it the F off.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:35 pmOf course in our entire history of raising the minimum wage, small business have never laid off workers in significant numbers. But, you know, it can happen so we shouldn’t do it.
Just like we should disenfranchise thousands of voters just so that one or two don’t commit voter fraud.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:40 pmA little OT here. Did any of you hear Hannity’s rant this morning? That man has come completely unhinged. Even if I was a right winger I would have listened to him in amazement and wondered when he’s going to be committed for a psychiatric evaluation.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:41 pmThese people don’t understand basic economic math. Seriously. How are they supposed to be able to govern the economy if they can’t even handle simple microeconomics?
An increase in the minimum wage historically has never led to layoffs. On the contrary, it’s typically followed by a drop in unemployment rates. But they keep saying the same thing every time, no matter what reality demonstrates at every turn.
By the way, what exactly does McCain consider to be a “small business?” I know that he doesn’t consider an individual to be “rich” until they hit $5M per year, so I imagine his image of a “small business” probably includes a lot of major corporations.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:49 pmi own and operate a small business. i need customers who have money they can spend, not a never-ending stream of people who can barely pay, begrudge every dollar, try to cheat me, and demand more than is reasonable. most of my customers are not billionaires, or even millionaires.
i would have to be in need of special education to think that decreasing my tax rate would increase the number of customers out there who can and want to pay me, and allow me to succeed and profit. i would gladly pay more in taxes, if only i could have some more willing, paying customers tuesday.
joe is a dolt, not a plumber, nor a representative of me. working people and small businesspeople who support mccain should not be allowed to handle pointy scissors.
October 28th, 2008 at 8:11 pmMcCain needs his wage lowered.
October 28th, 2008 at 8:44 pmThat old dude is so removed from average Americans, it makes one wonder why he keeps supporting business instead of We The People.
Once the dust is settled and he starts to wonder he lost the presidency, McCrazyCain will have to see that it was his favoring CORPORATIONS instead of real people.
Keep digging yourself deeper, you have 7 more days to dig.
October 28th, 2008 at 9:23 pmThis thread reeks of class envy.
Too bad some of you can’t invest as much energy in learning how our economy REALLY works.
Obamadroids
October 28th, 2008 at 10:04 pmTim Vaculik Says:
This thread reeks of class envy.
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This reminds me of when I was in high school. Our highschool QB was a jerk. He was rude and arrogant to everyone and even treated his gorgeous and sweet girlfriend badly. I had two friends. One would call him on being a jerk the other one always had excuses. His friends make him act that way. There is a lot of pressure on him. Which one was envious? It is the Timmeh’s of this wold showing class envy. Pushing their noses to the window of the posh restaurant just certain that if they kiss enough rich butt they will get some crumbs and then accusing everyone else of the envy THEY are glowing bright green with.
Too bad some of you can’t invest as much energy in learning how our economy REALLY works.
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Too bad you dont know how ANYTHING works because you are incredibly stupid
Obamadroids
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You ignorant hivemind MORON.
October 28th, 2008 at 10:26 pmFrom what I can remember(I haven’t looked at any studies in maybe 5 years), most reports about whether raising the minimum wage create jobs or not are rather inconclusive. It appears that other factors might have more have a role in it. http://straighttalkonmccain.blogspot.com/
October 29th, 2008 at 12:01 amHow our economy works….rich get richer with lots of Government help, everybody else is on their own slipping down the greased pole.
October 29th, 2008 at 1:07 am.
So, how strong is the “FUNDAMENTALS” of our economy(read work force) when it isn’t allowed to keep pace with the cost of living?
.
October 29th, 2008 at 1:08 amJohn…the Reverse Robin Hood.
October 29th, 2008 at 2:21 amMcCain gave a speech yesterday in Pennsylvania stating “We will create wealth for everyone, Obama will punish the successful.”
So how is not raising the minimum wage “creating wealth for everyone”
Just hypocritically curious about that one Jonny boy.
October 29th, 2008 at 6:48 amJohn Kerry Says:
SO why not just raise it to $40 an hour????????????
The only reason Brotha O is mentioning this is to try and get more gullible sheep to vote for this socialist Marxist!!
You wingnuts won’t let anything stand in your way of mercilessly charging “socialist!” in response to everything Obama proposes to simply reverse the damage of the last eight years. That includes giving $700,000,000,000 to banks who are hoarding money to buy up competition instead of returning to normal lending practices.
Fascist.
October 29th, 2008 at 11:10 am“Senator McCaine, should we continue to bail out Wall Street fat cats with our grandchildren’s money? Should we continue to blow billions of dollars per month occupying a country that did nothing to harm us?”
October 29th, 2008 at 12:56 pm“Absolutely, Maria, this is a crisis and we have to respond!”
“Senator McCaine, shouldn’t we help working Americans survive in these troubling times by giving them a fair wage, helping them get medical care and access to education?”
“Screw you, Maria. Are you some sort of a COMMIE, or what?”
So McCain is interested in redistributing wealth after all…except the wealth is being redistributed…..upward!!!
I guess he likes the robber baron days!!
Isn’t this just shame full and completely deceitful as he claims to be on the side of the (diminishing) middle class??
October 29th, 2008 at 4:08 pm