I heard today that the geniuses in Columbia might agree to raise the state minimum wage to $10 an hour, but not $15. Not that that would happen for a few years anyway, and $10 an hour today is still a joke. I can't imagine how a person can assume someone can live with health and dignity on $10 an hour. I have to assume that it is the consequences of growing up in a state where the schools are so poor that they have graduated without math skills.
And nobody has sat them down to teach it to them.
When my daughter turned sixteen, she just couldn't understand how I could be so mean as to not get her a car. One afternoon, I told her and my thirteen-year-old son to come to the kitchen table with a pencil and paper. Then I told them to write this down... and proceeded to list all our monthly bills. Then we listed my monthly income. Before we had a chance to sum things up, my daughter threw down the pencil and ran out of the room. Because the facts were tough. We couldn't afford to get her a car.
Now our legislators are like the folks at MacDonald's that kindly wrote up a budget for their employees to follow, including helpful hints like, "get a second job." They can't possibly assume that a person can live on $10 an hour unless, of course, they haven't done the math. Because it would be just too cruel for these good Christian folks to know that people would have to live with inadequate housing, food, and heat, much less poor schools and little or no health care. If they had to sit in their well heated (and air conditioned) offices up in the Statehouse, and try to figure out with a pencil and paper how to pay for the battered old car that needs a repair and requires insurance so that they can get to work (or to the doctor's office or to school to meet with a teacher), they would certainly not shrug and say that all an employer should have to pay their employees is $10 an hour.
We hear a lot from the republican side of reality about whiners. Well, for an employer to whine about having to pay an employee a living wage just seems unconscionable. I read somewhere recently that if an employer can't afford to pay a living wage, they had no business owning a business. You can't be very good at what you do if you can't figure out how to do it without paying slave wages.
And yet we hear -- and have been hearing for many decades now -- about how paying people a living wage will cause the economy to collapse. Meanwhile, folks like those who head up Walmart and MacDonald's are perfectly happy making millions of dollars and allowing the government to feed employees that live in poverty. For that matter, the Trumps and the Kochs are delighted to take money from the government any way they can. Have done for decades. Apparently they believe that because they have wealth the government should give them more wealth.
And apparently, voters who are trying to stretch their dollars to cover college and home repairs and maybe a vacation, also believe that the Kochs and Trumps deserve that money more than those living on $7.25 an hour. Because they keeping electing jackasses who keep whining about helping low wage workers, who refuse to make employers do the right thing by paying them a living wage, and who keep giving away the store to the largest and wealthiest among us.
Bill Clinton said it in 2012, and we need to apply it to everything every politician tries to tell us:
It's about arithmetic, and it's about values.
Showing posts with label Minimum Wage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Minimum Wage. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Monday, May 11, 2015
The (Absolute) Least We Can Do
While other states, mostly those that aren't busy trying to dictate women's reproductive health and make sure there are guns in every home, business and classroom, have increased the minimum wage, our legislators are still mostly not sure if that's necessary. In 2015, there are 29 states which have increased the minimum to wage to levels above the federal minimum wage.
Now, the fact that we have to do that anyway really reflects just how out-of-touch our Congress is with the needs of its citizens. Not only do our elitist senators and representatives assume that their extraordinary wages and benefits (and extra goodies) are well deserved, they just can't see a need for their constituents to be making a living wage. Of course this represents the philosophy that what goes into the pockets of American workers is going to come out of the pockets of the millionaires and billionaires who are the people they really truly work for. Out-of-touch meaning really far away from the rest of us, and pretty much holding hands with guys like the Kochs.
But it is what it is, and it's good that states have recognized that waiting for Congress to do the right thing is decidedly the wrong thing.
And here in South Carolina, there is a bill in the Senate, S 146, which proposes to put the question of raising our state minimum wage on the 2016 ballot. We don't want to rush into anything here, because those who are struggling to try to live on the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour sure wouldn't have a problem waiting. And of course raising the minimum wage to $1 an hour over the federal rate would hardly be called providing people with a livelihood.
We've heard all the lame arguments about why idiots like Jim DeMint (remember him???) are opposed to increasing the minimum wage: it's only kids who live at home that make the minimum wage, it would be so costly to employers that they would have to cut jobs, it's anti-American for the government to set a minimum wage. DeMint may be hiding out at the Heritage Foundation instead of wasting space in Congress, but folks like Tim Scott are happy to fill his expensive shoes. So we aren't going to see a reasonable federal minimum wage anywhere in the near future.
And the fact is, it takes so long to move our federal lawmakers to increase the minimum wage that by the time it goes into effect it is still too low to make a dent.
But we got what we got, and what we got here in South Carolina is S 146. And on Wednesday, May 13, at 10 a.m., the bill will go before a Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Subcommittee. Here are the members of the subcommittee, and their phone numbers:
Kevin Bryant, Chairman (R) -- 803-212-6320; 864-202-8394
Glenn Reese (D) -- 803-212-6108; 864-592-2984
Shane Massey (R) -- 803-212-6024; 803-480-0419
Kent Williams (D) -- 803-212-6000; 843-362-0307
Lee Bright (R) -- 803-212-6008; 864-576-6742
Or you can send an email by going to scstatehouse.gov, click on "Senate" and then click on "email" and then click on the senator's name. Unfortunately, you can't do it as a group but you can copy and paste your message in each email. Put S 146 in the Subject line, and be sure to begin the message by 1) saying if you are a constituent (you don't have to be a constituent to write, but if you are you should let the guy know) and 2) saying "Please support S-146, to allow South Carolina voters to decide on whether there should be an increase in the minimum wage."
Then you can add a sentence or two stating that people can't live on $7.25 an hour, a raise in the minimum wage would take people off the food stamp rolls, an increased minimum wage would put more money into the economy and be good for business in South Caroline, etc. Don't worry about your literary skills, some of these guys are minimally literate anyway. They just need to see how many of us are behind this ballot measure.
This is what I just sent to each member of the committee (yeah, even Lee Bright):
I am writing to urge you to support S 146 which would allow voters to decide whether the minimum wage in South Carolina should be raised.
Raising the minimum wage would be a boon to the economy, as the increased wages would be spent in businesses throughout the state. It would make employees less dependent on government assistance to survive.
Please vote Yes on this bill.
And here's another thing you can do: you can go to the Statehouse on Wednesday to lobby for a raise in the minimum wage. Nothing makes a legislator want to say yes than having to look a constituent in the eyes. If you are able to make it up to Columbia, would like to sign up for a ride, or would like more information, contact Loreen Myerson at:
LoreenJMyerson@gmail.com or 415-637-9119.
Our legislators can do this, but they need to know we are watching.
Now, the fact that we have to do that anyway really reflects just how out-of-touch our Congress is with the needs of its citizens. Not only do our elitist senators and representatives assume that their extraordinary wages and benefits (and extra goodies) are well deserved, they just can't see a need for their constituents to be making a living wage. Of course this represents the philosophy that what goes into the pockets of American workers is going to come out of the pockets of the millionaires and billionaires who are the people they really truly work for. Out-of-touch meaning really far away from the rest of us, and pretty much holding hands with guys like the Kochs.
But it is what it is, and it's good that states have recognized that waiting for Congress to do the right thing is decidedly the wrong thing.
And here in South Carolina, there is a bill in the Senate, S 146, which proposes to put the question of raising our state minimum wage on the 2016 ballot. We don't want to rush into anything here, because those who are struggling to try to live on the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour sure wouldn't have a problem waiting. And of course raising the minimum wage to $1 an hour over the federal rate would hardly be called providing people with a livelihood.
We've heard all the lame arguments about why idiots like Jim DeMint (remember him???) are opposed to increasing the minimum wage: it's only kids who live at home that make the minimum wage, it would be so costly to employers that they would have to cut jobs, it's anti-American for the government to set a minimum wage. DeMint may be hiding out at the Heritage Foundation instead of wasting space in Congress, but folks like Tim Scott are happy to fill his expensive shoes. So we aren't going to see a reasonable federal minimum wage anywhere in the near future.
And the fact is, it takes so long to move our federal lawmakers to increase the minimum wage that by the time it goes into effect it is still too low to make a dent.
But we got what we got, and what we got here in South Carolina is S 146. And on Wednesday, May 13, at 10 a.m., the bill will go before a Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Subcommittee. Here are the members of the subcommittee, and their phone numbers:
Kevin Bryant, Chairman (R) -- 803-212-6320; 864-202-8394
Glenn Reese (D) -- 803-212-6108; 864-592-2984
Shane Massey (R) -- 803-212-6024; 803-480-0419
Kent Williams (D) -- 803-212-6000; 843-362-0307
Lee Bright (R) -- 803-212-6008; 864-576-6742
Or you can send an email by going to scstatehouse.gov, click on "Senate" and then click on "email" and then click on the senator's name. Unfortunately, you can't do it as a group but you can copy and paste your message in each email. Put S 146 in the Subject line, and be sure to begin the message by 1) saying if you are a constituent (you don't have to be a constituent to write, but if you are you should let the guy know) and 2) saying "Please support S-146, to allow South Carolina voters to decide on whether there should be an increase in the minimum wage."
Then you can add a sentence or two stating that people can't live on $7.25 an hour, a raise in the minimum wage would take people off the food stamp rolls, an increased minimum wage would put more money into the economy and be good for business in South Caroline, etc. Don't worry about your literary skills, some of these guys are minimally literate anyway. They just need to see how many of us are behind this ballot measure.
This is what I just sent to each member of the committee (yeah, even Lee Bright):
I am writing to urge you to support S 146 which would allow voters to decide whether the minimum wage in South Carolina should be raised.
Raising the minimum wage would be a boon to the economy, as the increased wages would be spent in businesses throughout the state. It would make employees less dependent on government assistance to survive.
Please vote Yes on this bill.
And here's another thing you can do: you can go to the Statehouse on Wednesday to lobby for a raise in the minimum wage. Nothing makes a legislator want to say yes than having to look a constituent in the eyes. If you are able to make it up to Columbia, would like to sign up for a ride, or would like more information, contact Loreen Myerson at:
LoreenJMyerson@gmail.com or 415-637-9119.
Our legislators can do this, but they need to know we are watching.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
The Ironic Cherry... Reads
For those of us who really don't understand why people are fussing about the minimum wage, and complain when someone on food stamps buys steak, and get touchy when a checkout clerk doesn't smile and enjoy our small talk, Linda Tirado is here to clear things up. In Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America, Tirado takes us into her world.
For those of us fortunate enough to never have had to live without -- or need -- a safety net, or worse, to be living in an America where poverty is suspect and scorned, we are reminded (as so many have been in the last decade) that many of us are one mishap away from her world. She reminds us that while we all talk about whether or not to raise minimum wage, there are a slew more of us who are living near enough to minimum wage to be enduring the same nightmare of trying to survive on not enough.
Barbara Ehrenreich, the author of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, wrote the introduction, and that is as is should be. Ehrenreich opened a lot of eyes in 2001 when she published the book describing her experiences going undercover and working several of the low-wage jobs that incredibly have only grown and gotten worse. We apparently have a great ability in this country to hide the poor, and pretend that either they don't exist or they deserve what they got.
And Linda Tirado has had it. The book is in the form of a rant, and it is one of the all-time great rants. You want to know why that clerk at the dollar store is short with you? How about she's been on her feet all day, has a sick kid at home, is in physical pain herself, is worried about how she is going to get home -- or get to her second job in time? She describes the impossible but everyday circumstances of the working poor: getting a car towed and then watching the cost to reclaim it skyrocket because she can't get there right away or doesn't have the money to get it back; dental problems that are ignored to the point of constant agonizing pain; juggling the demands of your children's schools and employers who demand that job comes first (to the point where you can't hold a second job because you are required to be always available even for a part-time job).
And then there are the frustrations of trying to move forward: not being able to afford the clothes that would be acceptable at an interview; inadequate transportation; needing to take time from the job that is paying that small but necessary wage to look for those better jobs; not being able to get additional training because it would require time and money you don't have.
And then there are the legislators who we are paying a pretty decent salary (and benefits) who are passionate about not giving a dime to help those who are struggling just to try to get their heads above water.
And the anti-abortion wackos who will make it their life's work to prevent working women from attempting to have some control over whether and when to have a child, but don't want to spend a penny to help a woman who wants a child have better nutrition, better working conditions, better health care. (Tirado talks about not having a doctor for her first child and the condemnation she received for not taking care of herself while pregnant. The second -- planned -- pregnancy was met alternately with criticism for having a second child she couldn't afford, and anti-abortion crusaders taunting her as she walked into the Planned Parenthood clinic for her free check-up. She gleefully recounts her brush with the protesters:
Bathroom breaks. That's right, there are jobs where employees have to ask for permission to use the bathroom. If you find that hard to believe, you have definitely been out of the low-wage marketplace for too long. I remember way back in 1970 doing "piece-work" in a factory (another whole way to abuse employees) and getting into trouble for going to the ladies' room before break-time. The only way we have allowed that barbaric policy to continue is by refusing to believe that it happens.
Some reviewers of this book are a little put out by the language, others see Tirado as too strident. I think I know what she would say to that, and I wholeheartedly agree. This book started with an online rant, which led to a sizable amount of donations, and this book. Some really snarky idiots have complained that that means Tirado is no longer working poor, and therefore has no business complaining that the working poor are stuck in poverty. Yeah, that's pretty much how we ended up in a country with working poor, and no where to go but to those same dead-end jobs day in and day out.
And the future for the children of the working poor? Well, Tirado will tell you how grim that story is too.
For those of us fortunate enough to never have had to live without -- or need -- a safety net, or worse, to be living in an America where poverty is suspect and scorned, we are reminded (as so many have been in the last decade) that many of us are one mishap away from her world. She reminds us that while we all talk about whether or not to raise minimum wage, there are a slew more of us who are living near enough to minimum wage to be enduring the same nightmare of trying to survive on not enough.
Barbara Ehrenreich, the author of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, wrote the introduction, and that is as is should be. Ehrenreich opened a lot of eyes in 2001 when she published the book describing her experiences going undercover and working several of the low-wage jobs that incredibly have only grown and gotten worse. We apparently have a great ability in this country to hide the poor, and pretend that either they don't exist or they deserve what they got.
And Linda Tirado has had it. The book is in the form of a rant, and it is one of the all-time great rants. You want to know why that clerk at the dollar store is short with you? How about she's been on her feet all day, has a sick kid at home, is in physical pain herself, is worried about how she is going to get home -- or get to her second job in time? She describes the impossible but everyday circumstances of the working poor: getting a car towed and then watching the cost to reclaim it skyrocket because she can't get there right away or doesn't have the money to get it back; dental problems that are ignored to the point of constant agonizing pain; juggling the demands of your children's schools and employers who demand that job comes first (to the point where you can't hold a second job because you are required to be always available even for a part-time job).
And then there are the frustrations of trying to move forward: not being able to afford the clothes that would be acceptable at an interview; inadequate transportation; needing to take time from the job that is paying that small but necessary wage to look for those better jobs; not being able to get additional training because it would require time and money you don't have.
And then there are the legislators who we are paying a pretty decent salary (and benefits) who are passionate about not giving a dime to help those who are struggling just to try to get their heads above water.
And the anti-abortion wackos who will make it their life's work to prevent working women from attempting to have some control over whether and when to have a child, but don't want to spend a penny to help a woman who wants a child have better nutrition, better working conditions, better health care. (Tirado talks about not having a doctor for her first child and the condemnation she received for not taking care of herself while pregnant. The second -- planned -- pregnancy was met alternately with criticism for having a second child she couldn't afford, and anti-abortion crusaders taunting her as she walked into the Planned Parenthood clinic for her free check-up. She gleefully recounts her brush with the protesters:
...they kept telling me, "You don't have to do this" and "You have options." Since I was arriving at the clinic for my first ultrasound to make sure that the baby was healthy, I had a ball pretending to be outraged that they obviously wanted me to abort my baby.
Bathroom breaks. That's right, there are jobs where employees have to ask for permission to use the bathroom. If you find that hard to believe, you have definitely been out of the low-wage marketplace for too long. I remember way back in 1970 doing "piece-work" in a factory (another whole way to abuse employees) and getting into trouble for going to the ladies' room before break-time. The only way we have allowed that barbaric policy to continue is by refusing to believe that it happens.
Some reviewers of this book are a little put out by the language, others see Tirado as too strident. I think I know what she would say to that, and I wholeheartedly agree. This book started with an online rant, which led to a sizable amount of donations, and this book. Some really snarky idiots have complained that that means Tirado is no longer working poor, and therefore has no business complaining that the working poor are stuck in poverty. Yeah, that's pretty much how we ended up in a country with working poor, and no where to go but to those same dead-end jobs day in and day out.
And the future for the children of the working poor? Well, Tirado will tell you how grim that story is too.
Friday, October 17, 2014
What's In It for Me?
Corporations and their right-wing patsies have figured out that the way to win is to make it all about us, even though it's really not. They make all their pitches about what we have to gain, and more important, what we have to lose, if we don't vote for them. Those of us who don't vote often believe that it won't make a difference, that both parties are the same, that nobody represents them. When we Democrats fail, it is often because we waffle about our principles so that we don't offend anyone, or we talk about them too broadly so they become meaningless to people who are struggling with day to day problems.
There are a lot of differences between the parties and the candidates, and they are not abstract. They reflect the issues we are struggling with every day. Who gets elected in November is going to determine in very real terms whether our lives will get better or we will just get by. This election affects dramatically every person of every age.
So here it is, the pitch:
College graduates: Republicans are opposed to allowing the refinancing of student loans, forcing graduates to carry high-interest rate loans for years. This means being strapped with debt before they have even been able to make their way in the workforce. The high interest loans involved are either owned or guaranteed by the federal government, so this is money that our government is making from what should be an investment in a student's future. Debt from everything from mortgages to credit cards can be refinanced. Big banks are allowed to borrow at 0 percent from the government. Why are students forced to pay exorbitant rates on their loans? Because the Republicans do not want to increase taxes on the millionaires and billionaires that fund their campaigns.
Women: Oh, so many issues are so critical for the well-being of women in South Carolina. Our state and federal legislators continue to force votes that would prevent women from accessing affordable birth control. Preventing women from having family planning will result in not just unplanned pregnancies, but the stress involved with not being able to control decisions about college, jobs and marriage. It will result in job insecurity. Men should be outraged that legislators would remove from the family decisions that so directly effect emotional and financial well-being.
Parents: School choice is the pseudonym for privatizing. Basically all the many schemes offered provide inadequate financial allotments to most while the wealthy can continue to send their children to the expensive private schools. This false promise also drains money from a public school system that has never been funded adequately here in South Carolina.
Seniors: Republican fear mongering about Social Security and Medicare is also all about privatization. Back in the '80's, social security cuts were enabled by the promise of IRA's, which were supposed to herald in a future of wealth and prosperity, but actually just made us all vulnerable to the greed and speculation of Wall Street. This false promise also allowed corporations to bargain away our pensions. Cuts to Medicare have and will continue to damage a system that was once a great safety net, forcing seniors to spend more on health care at a time when they should not have to worry about whether they will be able to pay to survive.
So many issues:
Food Stamps: Too many people are working and not earning a living wage. Food stamps not only feeds the poor, but keeps dollars flowing in our communities.
Medicaid: Not wanting everyone to have health insurance is just plain cruel. But it is also stupid. Even without the panic over Ebola, the inability to treat a medical problem before a contagion spreads, or a treatable illness becomes terminal, is costly as well as inhumane. And again, providing health care also provides jobs to our communities.
Minimum Wage: All the arguments against raising the minimum wage are really about not wanting to raise the wages of those who are making more than minimum. Because Republicans really do know that a rising tide lifts all boats. What they really don't want to see is all wages rise in response to the raise in the minimum wage. Greedy and stupid? Sure, but these are the politics we have been suffering under since the 80's. If you are not working for minimum wage, and you're still struggling, you should be fighting -- and voting -- for raising the minimum wage. And again, raising the minimum wage puts more dollars into the pockets of those who will spend it in their communities. So if you are a business person, you too should be wanting everyone in your community to be making a living wage.
Voting Rights: We all know people who won't be voting because they are afraid they will be confronted (and embarrassed) at the polls. Let's get out there and vote to protect everybody's rights and elect people who will not need to use intimidation to win.
Gun Control: Those who are most vulnerable in general tend to live in areas where there is more danger of gun violence. The Second Amendment argument is pure nonsense. But the mostly republican lawmakers who refuse to make the streets safe for all our citizens need to be voted out of office. Our police officers should be voting for legislators who support reasonable gun controls; their lives are on the line as well. And with shootings by officers in the news, we know that the more guns on the streets, the more stressful the job, and the more likely they will have to live (or die) based on a split second decision.
I could go on and on. There are so many issues that really do affect us every single day. I urge our candidates to talk to people not about issues that don't seem relevant to them, but to relate the legislation they would pursue to what it means for each of us, every day. And when we talk to others about the upcoming election, if we talk about how each issue ripples out to affect us all, we might just motivate people to get out and vote.
There are a lot of differences between the parties and the candidates, and they are not abstract. They reflect the issues we are struggling with every day. Who gets elected in November is going to determine in very real terms whether our lives will get better or we will just get by. This election affects dramatically every person of every age.
So here it is, the pitch:
College graduates: Republicans are opposed to allowing the refinancing of student loans, forcing graduates to carry high-interest rate loans for years. This means being strapped with debt before they have even been able to make their way in the workforce. The high interest loans involved are either owned or guaranteed by the federal government, so this is money that our government is making from what should be an investment in a student's future. Debt from everything from mortgages to credit cards can be refinanced. Big banks are allowed to borrow at 0 percent from the government. Why are students forced to pay exorbitant rates on their loans? Because the Republicans do not want to increase taxes on the millionaires and billionaires that fund their campaigns.
Women: Oh, so many issues are so critical for the well-being of women in South Carolina. Our state and federal legislators continue to force votes that would prevent women from accessing affordable birth control. Preventing women from having family planning will result in not just unplanned pregnancies, but the stress involved with not being able to control decisions about college, jobs and marriage. It will result in job insecurity. Men should be outraged that legislators would remove from the family decisions that so directly effect emotional and financial well-being.
Parents: School choice is the pseudonym for privatizing. Basically all the many schemes offered provide inadequate financial allotments to most while the wealthy can continue to send their children to the expensive private schools. This false promise also drains money from a public school system that has never been funded adequately here in South Carolina.
Seniors: Republican fear mongering about Social Security and Medicare is also all about privatization. Back in the '80's, social security cuts were enabled by the promise of IRA's, which were supposed to herald in a future of wealth and prosperity, but actually just made us all vulnerable to the greed and speculation of Wall Street. This false promise also allowed corporations to bargain away our pensions. Cuts to Medicare have and will continue to damage a system that was once a great safety net, forcing seniors to spend more on health care at a time when they should not have to worry about whether they will be able to pay to survive.
So many issues:
Food Stamps: Too many people are working and not earning a living wage. Food stamps not only feeds the poor, but keeps dollars flowing in our communities.
Medicaid: Not wanting everyone to have health insurance is just plain cruel. But it is also stupid. Even without the panic over Ebola, the inability to treat a medical problem before a contagion spreads, or a treatable illness becomes terminal, is costly as well as inhumane. And again, providing health care also provides jobs to our communities.
Minimum Wage: All the arguments against raising the minimum wage are really about not wanting to raise the wages of those who are making more than minimum. Because Republicans really do know that a rising tide lifts all boats. What they really don't want to see is all wages rise in response to the raise in the minimum wage. Greedy and stupid? Sure, but these are the politics we have been suffering under since the 80's. If you are not working for minimum wage, and you're still struggling, you should be fighting -- and voting -- for raising the minimum wage. And again, raising the minimum wage puts more dollars into the pockets of those who will spend it in their communities. So if you are a business person, you too should be wanting everyone in your community to be making a living wage.
Voting Rights: We all know people who won't be voting because they are afraid they will be confronted (and embarrassed) at the polls. Let's get out there and vote to protect everybody's rights and elect people who will not need to use intimidation to win.
Gun Control: Those who are most vulnerable in general tend to live in areas where there is more danger of gun violence. The Second Amendment argument is pure nonsense. But the mostly republican lawmakers who refuse to make the streets safe for all our citizens need to be voted out of office. Our police officers should be voting for legislators who support reasonable gun controls; their lives are on the line as well. And with shootings by officers in the news, we know that the more guns on the streets, the more stressful the job, and the more likely they will have to live (or die) based on a split second decision.
I could go on and on. There are so many issues that really do affect us every single day. I urge our candidates to talk to people not about issues that don't seem relevant to them, but to relate the legislation they would pursue to what it means for each of us, every day. And when we talk to others about the upcoming election, if we talk about how each issue ripples out to affect us all, we might just motivate people to get out and vote.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Beating Graham
Some of you may not know that Lindsey Graham does actually have an opponent in the upcoming election. Brad Hutto has been around and involved in state politics for awhile, and represents SC Senate District 40. I was so impressed with his strong stand on women's right to reproductive freedom and privacy that I hoped that he would be that candidate who is unafraid to really promise to make a difference.
Sadly, based on his website, this does not appear to be the case. Other than promising to fight for a woman's right to make her own health care decisions without government intervention, his statements on issues tend to be along the lines of trying not to say much that might be controversial. Getting people off food stamps, improving education and infrastructure (while making sure government tightens its belt). He's going to "fix" the Affordable Care Act, by allowing people to choose the best plan and at the same time not letting the insurance companies be in control. Granted, he promises to support alternative energy development, but even Exxon claims to do that.
I like Brad. And we all know it took guts to step up to run against Graham, who has been courting the biggest of the big money backers for a very long time. He doesn't have lots of billionaires who are going to be writing him checks because frankly, they have Lindsey Graham in their pockets. What he does have is lots of people who might make the effort to get out and vote for him if he is willing to take a strong and public stand for them.
I don't know anyone who is sponging off the government by collecting food stamps. That allotment is a pittance, and yet it helps to sustain more of us than you can imagine. I like that Hutto is speaking out in support of raising the minimum wage. But $10.10, by the time it gets passed in the Senate is still inadequate. It will still keep families living in poverty. By the way, those of us who are living with the help of food stamps -- you don't even know who they are, because they are embarrassed and afraid to admit it. In order to get rid of the need for food stamp assistance, our government needs to take a strong stand against employers who claim they are unable to stay in business if they give employees a living wage.
And here's more unsolicited advice to State Senator Hutto:
Don't be afraid to speak up for Obamacare. Honestly, if you're willing to campaign on all the great benefits of the Affordable Care Act, you will be doing a great service to the public, because you will be fighting the absurd and destructive disinformation campaign that idiots like Graham have been promoting, all in the name of fear-building in order to garner votes.
And by standing up to right wingnuts on women's reproductive health, you've gotten our attention and a lot of loyalty. Mention it every chance you get, and we'll actually get out and vote for you.
Here's something few politicians do in South Carolina: talk about the great work Elizabeth Warren is doing to curb the great and powerful Wall Street beast. And specifically talk about the bill that was recently defeated that would have allowed people to refinance older student loans at current lower interest rates, and Lindsey Graham's part in that defeat. And if you want students to get out and vote for you, talk about making college more affordable. Oh, go on, even talk about subsidizing education, the way we subsidize big oil and big agriculture.
For that matter, you might even get some hard-core republican farmers out to support you if you talk about how failure to regulate and large government subsidies have strangled the family farm, and small business in general. Because Graham and his gang have convinced voters that the enemy is government, where the enemy is actually the giant corporation with their lobbyists and lawyers that control people like Lindsey Graham.
So many issues, and it's just a matter of explaining to people how the current system, with Graham and Scott, have worked to keep us one of the poorest states, with bad roads, failing education, low-paid workers, inadequate health care, oh, and gun violence.
The issue that seems to have alienated more of us Dems than any other is that of gun control. Hutto voted for the ridiculous bill that allows guns in bars and restaurants, putting the onus of responsibility on the bar/restaurant owners. If you're afraid of the people here who are passionate about their guns, you should know that even gun owners understand that there is a time and a place for wielding that weapon. Here we are in 2014 making the country's top-10 list for gun violence.
I would give pause at the voting booth when I consider that you might be in the US Senate, voting on a bill that would require background checks and limit ammunition capacity. Such a reasonable law, adopted in states that recognize the need, a law that might actually make life safer on the streets and in our schools, I would have to say at this point you would vote against it.
All things being equal -- and in politics in 2014 they are not -- you just might win against Graham. But because all things are not equal, Brad Hutto needs to be a strong alternative to Lindsey Graham, not a lukewarm bunch of promises. My motto here in South Carolina is, if you're going to lose anyway, you might as well speak out. In fact, and in a wonderful irony, speaking out will get you the greatest chance of beating the odds and winning that election.
So, Brad, go out and defend us against the likes of Lindsey Graham.
Sadly, based on his website, this does not appear to be the case. Other than promising to fight for a woman's right to make her own health care decisions without government intervention, his statements on issues tend to be along the lines of trying not to say much that might be controversial. Getting people off food stamps, improving education and infrastructure (while making sure government tightens its belt). He's going to "fix" the Affordable Care Act, by allowing people to choose the best plan and at the same time not letting the insurance companies be in control. Granted, he promises to support alternative energy development, but even Exxon claims to do that.
I like Brad. And we all know it took guts to step up to run against Graham, who has been courting the biggest of the big money backers for a very long time. He doesn't have lots of billionaires who are going to be writing him checks because frankly, they have Lindsey Graham in their pockets. What he does have is lots of people who might make the effort to get out and vote for him if he is willing to take a strong and public stand for them.
I don't know anyone who is sponging off the government by collecting food stamps. That allotment is a pittance, and yet it helps to sustain more of us than you can imagine. I like that Hutto is speaking out in support of raising the minimum wage. But $10.10, by the time it gets passed in the Senate is still inadequate. It will still keep families living in poverty. By the way, those of us who are living with the help of food stamps -- you don't even know who they are, because they are embarrassed and afraid to admit it. In order to get rid of the need for food stamp assistance, our government needs to take a strong stand against employers who claim they are unable to stay in business if they give employees a living wage.
And here's more unsolicited advice to State Senator Hutto:
Don't be afraid to speak up for Obamacare. Honestly, if you're willing to campaign on all the great benefits of the Affordable Care Act, you will be doing a great service to the public, because you will be fighting the absurd and destructive disinformation campaign that idiots like Graham have been promoting, all in the name of fear-building in order to garner votes.
And by standing up to right wingnuts on women's reproductive health, you've gotten our attention and a lot of loyalty. Mention it every chance you get, and we'll actually get out and vote for you.
Here's something few politicians do in South Carolina: talk about the great work Elizabeth Warren is doing to curb the great and powerful Wall Street beast. And specifically talk about the bill that was recently defeated that would have allowed people to refinance older student loans at current lower interest rates, and Lindsey Graham's part in that defeat. And if you want students to get out and vote for you, talk about making college more affordable. Oh, go on, even talk about subsidizing education, the way we subsidize big oil and big agriculture.
For that matter, you might even get some hard-core republican farmers out to support you if you talk about how failure to regulate and large government subsidies have strangled the family farm, and small business in general. Because Graham and his gang have convinced voters that the enemy is government, where the enemy is actually the giant corporation with their lobbyists and lawyers that control people like Lindsey Graham.
So many issues, and it's just a matter of explaining to people how the current system, with Graham and Scott, have worked to keep us one of the poorest states, with bad roads, failing education, low-paid workers, inadequate health care, oh, and gun violence.
The issue that seems to have alienated more of us Dems than any other is that of gun control. Hutto voted for the ridiculous bill that allows guns in bars and restaurants, putting the onus of responsibility on the bar/restaurant owners. If you're afraid of the people here who are passionate about their guns, you should know that even gun owners understand that there is a time and a place for wielding that weapon. Here we are in 2014 making the country's top-10 list for gun violence.
I would give pause at the voting booth when I consider that you might be in the US Senate, voting on a bill that would require background checks and limit ammunition capacity. Such a reasonable law, adopted in states that recognize the need, a law that might actually make life safer on the streets and in our schools, I would have to say at this point you would vote against it.
All things being equal -- and in politics in 2014 they are not -- you just might win against Graham. But because all things are not equal, Brad Hutto needs to be a strong alternative to Lindsey Graham, not a lukewarm bunch of promises. My motto here in South Carolina is, if you're going to lose anyway, you might as well speak out. In fact, and in a wonderful irony, speaking out will get you the greatest chance of beating the odds and winning that election.
So, Brad, go out and defend us against the likes of Lindsey Graham.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Brave New World
I just heard our own Mark Sanford bloviating on the House floor. He likes to twist things around, he does. He called Paul Ryan's proposed budget "brave." Okay, are you all done doing your double-take? Because I'm still stunned by the man's nerve. I'm talking about Ryan. Sanford's just an idiot.
Jim Clyburn spoke just before Sanford. Talk about pearls before swine. He listed all the things that would be cut from Ryan's budget. For example, seniors would have to pay more for medication -- if you were happy with the donut hole of the Bush prescription boondoggle, it's back.
We know about Paul Ryan's program, because the republicans have been trying to cram it down our throats for years. Children, that other group of takers, will be denied school programs, food and nutrition programs, health programs. Working parents as well as the unemployed will see safety nets cut out from under them; in fact, in Ryan's (and Sanford's) ideal world, there would be no minimum wage, no labor regulations at all. Remember Newt Gingrich's plan to put poor kids to work as school janitors? And forget about affordable colleges. In fact, let these guys have at education so that they can privatize it -- more profit for their corporate buddies, less actual quality education for the dollar.
You might wonder what is "brave" about the Paul Ryan budget. Maybe Sanford's talking about having to face us all after he's cut out support for basic human needs -- what they derisively call "entitlements." You heard Ryan's former running mate Romney: he was just appalled that people think they, as Americans, should expect food, a roof over their heads, health care.
I guess it must be "brave" to suggest to 47 percent of the people whose lives you govern that they are unimportant. Unmotivated. Undeserving. Imagine thinking, much less stating, that some of us deserve better schools based on what we earn, that some children should be denied health care and nutrition, that losing a job when the rich have run the economy into the ground is no concern of the government. Imagine not giving a damn about people who struggle every day to do right by their families. Quoting Ayn Rand and her mythological capitalist American hero as though it was anything other than right-wing fantasy.
That's Paul Ryan. Don't even get me started on Mark Sanford. This is the man who stole from the state government because funding laws were not meant for him. Who walked away from the governor's office without being responsible enough to let his staff (or his wife) know he was off on an assignation. Who is happy to let the government pay for any-damn-thing he can get away with, and then deride social programs as pork. This is the man who just called Paul Ryan's budget "brave."
We need to make lists, as did Clyburn today, extensive lists, and let everyone know what they will lose if Paul Ryan and Mark Sanford get the government they have dreamed of. Because there is something in there that affects all of us. We need to document each benefit that will be lost, because for example, just saying Obamacare will be cut is not the same as telling people they will no longer be protected if they have a pre-existing condition, they will no longer be able to keep children on their health plans till they are 26, they will no longer have free preventive health care.
And we need to tally up the huge costs of Paul Ryan's budget as he continues to give fistfuls of money to the biggest and wealthiest corporations, tax breaks to billionaires. And does away with regulations that will end up costing us dearly whenever a bridge collapses or a food-borne pathogen creates an epidemic of illness or Wall Street is allowed to play wildly with mortgages and retirement funds.
If Paul Ryan and Mark Sanford are allowed to enact their plans for the future of America, then we will truly see a brave new world.
Jim Clyburn spoke just before Sanford. Talk about pearls before swine. He listed all the things that would be cut from Ryan's budget. For example, seniors would have to pay more for medication -- if you were happy with the donut hole of the Bush prescription boondoggle, it's back.
We know about Paul Ryan's program, because the republicans have been trying to cram it down our throats for years. Children, that other group of takers, will be denied school programs, food and nutrition programs, health programs. Working parents as well as the unemployed will see safety nets cut out from under them; in fact, in Ryan's (and Sanford's) ideal world, there would be no minimum wage, no labor regulations at all. Remember Newt Gingrich's plan to put poor kids to work as school janitors? And forget about affordable colleges. In fact, let these guys have at education so that they can privatize it -- more profit for their corporate buddies, less actual quality education for the dollar.
You might wonder what is "brave" about the Paul Ryan budget. Maybe Sanford's talking about having to face us all after he's cut out support for basic human needs -- what they derisively call "entitlements." You heard Ryan's former running mate Romney: he was just appalled that people think they, as Americans, should expect food, a roof over their heads, health care.
I guess it must be "brave" to suggest to 47 percent of the people whose lives you govern that they are unimportant. Unmotivated. Undeserving. Imagine thinking, much less stating, that some of us deserve better schools based on what we earn, that some children should be denied health care and nutrition, that losing a job when the rich have run the economy into the ground is no concern of the government. Imagine not giving a damn about people who struggle every day to do right by their families. Quoting Ayn Rand and her mythological capitalist American hero as though it was anything other than right-wing fantasy.
That's Paul Ryan. Don't even get me started on Mark Sanford. This is the man who stole from the state government because funding laws were not meant for him. Who walked away from the governor's office without being responsible enough to let his staff (or his wife) know he was off on an assignation. Who is happy to let the government pay for any-damn-thing he can get away with, and then deride social programs as pork. This is the man who just called Paul Ryan's budget "brave."
We need to make lists, as did Clyburn today, extensive lists, and let everyone know what they will lose if Paul Ryan and Mark Sanford get the government they have dreamed of. Because there is something in there that affects all of us. We need to document each benefit that will be lost, because for example, just saying Obamacare will be cut is not the same as telling people they will no longer be protected if they have a pre-existing condition, they will no longer be able to keep children on their health plans till they are 26, they will no longer have free preventive health care.
And we need to tally up the huge costs of Paul Ryan's budget as he continues to give fistfuls of money to the biggest and wealthiest corporations, tax breaks to billionaires. And does away with regulations that will end up costing us dearly whenever a bridge collapses or a food-borne pathogen creates an epidemic of illness or Wall Street is allowed to play wildly with mortgages and retirement funds.
If Paul Ryan and Mark Sanford are allowed to enact their plans for the future of America, then we will truly see a brave new world.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Scratch the Surface
Wednesday will be a day of action and protest for raising the minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour. If you are a low-wage worker making more than that, it would probably be less without the minimum wage law. This required federal minimum truly lifts all boats.
But not by much. Thanks to the tireless efforts of big business and their lobbyists, Congress is unwilling to hurt their true constituents by forcing them to pay what would still amount too little too late; the proposed Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013 would raise the minimum wage to $8.20 per hour immediately and then take another two years to get all the way to $10.10.
Rev up your calculators, folks. $8.20 an hour comes out to an unbelievable $17,056 annually. McDonalds in a move so gutsy we just have to wonder if it was supposed to be a joke, created a sample budget in order to help their employees learn to budget. I wonder just how surprised these execs were at the outrage engendered by a budget that assumes the employee needs two jobs to survive. This also proves the point that there are a lot of people up the corporate ladder that are making way too much money than they are worth.
Now, when I googled "minimum wage," about the third site was MinimumWage.com. Oh ye trusting souls. As you read on that website, you will begin to feel the hairs on your arms prickle. You are reading about how an increase in the minimum wage cuts into the few cents businesses make on the dollar, and results in higher prices and less customer service, and of course fewer jobs.
But wait! If you haven't got the gist yet, the next paragraph authoritatively states that "award winning research" has proven that raising the minimum wage does not decrease poverty.
This is when you want to scroll back up to the About tab, where you will learn that this crock of nonsense is brought to you by the Employment Policies Institute .
Don't spend too much time there, though, because it is just too icky. Rather, take a look at its Wikipedia page. There you will find that this is yet another one of those evil right-wing "think tanks" that have taken on pretty much everything we hold sacred in our democracy.
Operated by Richard Berman of Berman and Associates in -- where else -- Washington, DC, this is just one of his many faces. Anti-union, anti-teacher, anti-science, anti-ACORN, and loads of other attack groups come under Berman's polluted umbrella.
So here we have, once again, come full circle. Pick an issue that is stalled in Congress, scratch the surface and you will find a sleazy corporate lobbyist who has made his fortune by spreading lies.
What's to be done? This first thing is to know that this is happening. When you talk to your Republican friends who seem to be voting against their own best interests, know that they have been fed carefully worded misinformation by groups like Berman and Associates and his Employment Policies Institute.
Then we need to spread the word.
Oh, and talk to everyone you know about the minimum wage, and how their wages won't go up if the minimum wage doesn't. And how small businesses can't hire and thrive if employees can't afford to buy their stuff. And how the rich have been getting richer because no one is forcing them to pay their workers a living wage.
But not by much. Thanks to the tireless efforts of big business and their lobbyists, Congress is unwilling to hurt their true constituents by forcing them to pay what would still amount too little too late; the proposed Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013 would raise the minimum wage to $8.20 per hour immediately and then take another two years to get all the way to $10.10.
Rev up your calculators, folks. $8.20 an hour comes out to an unbelievable $17,056 annually. McDonalds in a move so gutsy we just have to wonder if it was supposed to be a joke, created a sample budget in order to help their employees learn to budget. I wonder just how surprised these execs were at the outrage engendered by a budget that assumes the employee needs two jobs to survive. This also proves the point that there are a lot of people up the corporate ladder that are making way too much money than they are worth.
Now, when I googled "minimum wage," about the third site was MinimumWage.com. Oh ye trusting souls. As you read on that website, you will begin to feel the hairs on your arms prickle. You are reading about how an increase in the minimum wage cuts into the few cents businesses make on the dollar, and results in higher prices and less customer service, and of course fewer jobs.
But wait! If you haven't got the gist yet, the next paragraph authoritatively states that "award winning research" has proven that raising the minimum wage does not decrease poverty.
This is when you want to scroll back up to the About tab, where you will learn that this crock of nonsense is brought to you by the Employment Policies Institute .
Don't spend too much time there, though, because it is just too icky. Rather, take a look at its Wikipedia page. There you will find that this is yet another one of those evil right-wing "think tanks" that have taken on pretty much everything we hold sacred in our democracy.
Operated by Richard Berman of Berman and Associates in -- where else -- Washington, DC, this is just one of his many faces. Anti-union, anti-teacher, anti-science, anti-ACORN, and loads of other attack groups come under Berman's polluted umbrella.
So here we have, once again, come full circle. Pick an issue that is stalled in Congress, scratch the surface and you will find a sleazy corporate lobbyist who has made his fortune by spreading lies.
What's to be done? This first thing is to know that this is happening. When you talk to your Republican friends who seem to be voting against their own best interests, know that they have been fed carefully worded misinformation by groups like Berman and Associates and his Employment Policies Institute.
Then we need to spread the word.
Oh, and talk to everyone you know about the minimum wage, and how their wages won't go up if the minimum wage doesn't. And how small businesses can't hire and thrive if employees can't afford to buy their stuff. And how the rich have been getting richer because no one is forcing them to pay their workers a living wage.
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