Economic Record: Federal minimum wage set to break two records

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/3599

Economic Record: Federal minimum wage set to break two records

Economic Report:

The federal minimum wage is gearing up to celebrate two new records. According to the Economic Policy Institute the minimum wage when adjusted for inflation is at its lowest level since 1955. The wage now stands 31 percent of the average hourly wage of nonsupervisory workers and has lost 25 percent of its value since 1997. With Congress voting down an increase last week, it looks like another record will be set when 2006 comes to an end - it will mark 10 years - the longest time the minimum has gone without an increase.

[Benhurst]

1. So much for the American Dream.

BushAmerica: No billionaire left behind.

:puke:

[liberal N proud]

2. All compliments of REPUBLICAN policies

[UpInArms]

3. Dimson has made his unitary decree:

LET THEM EAT CAKE!

[AndyA]

4. America, be sure to thank the GOP for forcing you to live in poverty.

They've sent our jobs overseas.

They've promoted foreign ownership of American assets.

They've stolen from the poor to give to the rich.

The REPUBLICANS are in charge, this is all their doing. Be sure to let them know how much you appreciate it in November by booting their DEADBEAT ASSES out of office!

[Sapere aude]

5. That's a republican badge of honor. How any working person can

vote for them and against their own kind is beyond me. I chalk it up to the ability to not care about another person.

[madrchsod]

6. right around 7 cents a year since 1938

1938-25 cents=3.22 today

1968-1.60=9.12 today....i started working in 68 making 1.78 an hour and i now make 8.20 an hour....

[Nothing Without Hope]

7. A firedoglake piece with some eyeopening graphs to supplement this

sorry news:

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/06/23/the-long-suck/

Some examples - there are more:





And there is also this depressing and important Guardian/UK piece:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1712965,00.html?gusrc=rss

37 million poor hidden in the land of plenty

Americans have always believed that hard work will bring rewards, but vast numbers now cannot meet their bills even with two or three jobs. More than one in 10 citizens live below the poverty line, and the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening
Paul Harris in Kentucky
Sunday February 19, 2006
The Observer

(snip)

A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world. They are found from the hills of Kentucky to Detroit's streets, from the Deep South of Louisiana to the heartland of Oklahoma. Each year since 2001 their number has grown.

Under President George W Bush an extra 5.4 million have slipped below the poverty line. Yet they are not a story of the unemployed or the destitute. Most have jobs. Many have two. Amos Lumpkins has work and his children go to school. But the economy, stripped of worker benefits like healthcare, is having trouble providing good wages.

(snip)

[intheflow]

8. Thank God/dess the America people are so generous!

:sarcasm:

[applegrove]

9. Disgusting!