January 29, 2007
Teddy's Mad As Hell, and … You Get the Idea
Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy gave the kind of speech that makes people want to stand up and cheer. He's always been a smooth talker, but he threw a little bit of Howard Dean's barbaric yawp into the mix, and the result was explosive.
Here's Teddy railing against the Republicans tacking on more and more amendments, which are slowing down the passage of an increase in the minimum wage:
At about three minutes into the video, Kennedy turns up the volume and says how he really feels. By the end of the seven-and-a-half-minute clip, you're ready to cue up the Rocky theme. If you don't have time to watch the whole clip, here are three of the major arrows Kennedy aimed at opponents of the minimum-wage bill:
"What is the price that you want from these working men and women? What cost? How much more do we have to give to the private sector and to business? When does the greed stop?, we ask the other side."
"What is the price that the workers have to pay to get an increase? What is it about working men and women that you find so offensive?"
"This is filibuster by delay and amendments! I've been around here long enough to know it when I see it - and smell it."
The "smell" bit was especially clever. As for arguments against an increase in the minimum wage, which hasn't risen nationally in 10 years, all Bostonist can say is you try to live on $5.15 an hour for a week, especially in a state as expensive as Massachusetts. Massachusetts minimum wage is $7.50 an hour, which is higher than the national rate.
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I don't think anyone who's opposed to the minimum wage increase will disagree that it's pretty damn difficult to get by on a $5.15 per hour wage. It's unfair and inaccurate to characterize opponents of the minimum wage increase as people who are out of touch with the realities of poverty.
The argument of many opponents of the minimum wage increase is based on the fundamental laws of supply and demand. If you increase the cost of labor, companies will not be able to hire more workers. Is it better to have people earning a higher minimum wage even though it causes an increase in unemployment?
There is also strong evidence that increasing the minimum wage will increase the incentive for teenage workers to work more and study less, which is, in general, societally undesirable.
There are more effective ways to redistribute income without the negative side effects of increasing the minimum wage. Unfortunately, the minimum wage is the one that most effectively provides political gains for politicians.
I don't think anyone who's opposed to the minimum wage increase will disagree that it's pretty damn difficult to get by on a $5.15 per hour wage. It's unfair and inaccurate to characterize opponents of the minimum wage increase as people who are out of touch with the realities of poverty.
The argument of many opponents of the minimum wage increase is based on the fundamental laws of supply and demand. If you increase the cost of labor, companies will not be able to hire more workers. Is it better to have people earning a higher minimum wage even though it causes an increase in unemployment?
There is also strong evidence that increasing the minimum wage will increase the incentive for teenage workers to work more and study less, which is, in general, societally undesirable.
There are more effective ways to redistribute income without the negative side effects of increasing the minimum wage. Unfortunately, the minimum wage is the one that most effectively provides political gains for politicians.
I don't think anyone who's opposed to the minimum wage increase will disagree that it's pretty damn difficult to get by on a $5.15 per hour wage. It's unfair and inaccurate to characterize opponents of the minimum wage increase as people who are out of touch with the realities of poverty.
The argument of many opponents of the minimum wage increase is based on the fundamental laws of supply and demand. If you increase the cost of labor, companies will not be able to hire more workers. Is it better to have people earning a higher minimum wage even though it causes an increase in unemployment?
damn it. sorry about all the repeat posts. i was repeatedly getting server errors when attempting to post my comments. moderator: please delete the two later comments. thanks.
I think Ted K. rocks. He doesn't have to work this hard anymore. He could retire to Hyannis and enjoy grandchildren and sailing. Here is Ted at his best, fighting for the working class, for the folks who have very little. How many elected truly officials are?
Any and all the arguments against raising the minimum wage favor the affluent and privileged. The teens that work have to work. I was one who shoveled fries and poured drinks at a McDonald's. There were many of us and we got good grades. And I did school theatre after school hours. Geeze, funny thing about working is it kept me out of the crowd that drank and drugged.
Hey conservatives, if we raise the minimum wage and get the guest workers' program going, well then, there goes the immigration issue. And y'all don't want them Mexicans crossing the boarder do ya. . .
After spending most of my life in Massachusetts,
I now live in Texas where there are little or no labor protections. I live in the state that is the model for the current administration. Frankly, it's scares me.
My parents were upper-middle class, and so because I was unable to qualify for student-aid packages, I had to work my way through college. Balancing food platters while juggling grades is nothing to scoff at. Believe me, considering the cost of living around here with tuition fees to boot, a slight increase in the minimum wage makes a great difference.