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NANCY SAY IT AINT SO

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
January 12, 2007
The honeymoon is definitely over...Farm Bill in high gear

When last I wrote in this space, I waxed optimistic about the Democrat's chances to make good on their promises about returning civility and efficiency to Congress. I talked of challenges and opportunities. Well, it's starting to appear as though the more things change, the more things stay the same.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, CA) is off to a rocky start. From her committee chair considerations, to her lingering "personal" battles with members of Congress, to her vaunted attempt to get the chairs of the five biggest House committees to march to her drumbeat, it appears this politician is showing herself to be old guard than a new wave of progressive leadership.

During the "First 100 Hours" agenda so proudly touted by the Democrats, the party in power has passed three of its priority bills, including ethics reform, minimum wage and stem cell research. A much-needed increase in the minimum wage -- the first such increase in 10 years -- was approved. That's the good news.

The ethics reform package contained the so-called "earmark" declaration, meaning if, as a member, you had a special project or break in mind for a constituent or your district, you'd stand on the floor of the House and publicly explain that earmark.

But when the minimum wage bill was passed, lo and behold, there was an earmark unknown to most members, language exempting American Samoa from the minimum wage increase. According to the Washington Times, a conservative newspaper here in DC, two fish processing plants on that island are the largest employers, and one of the companies is headquartered in Pelosi's district and the other is also a California-based company.
Pelosi's office said she was not lobbied by either company, but several Republicas expressed surprise and frustration with the exemption.

I use this example not to bash Pelosi, but to point out that old guard is old guard, and so far it's appearing as if the old guard in the House is taking the chamber back down the same road of backslapping and favor-trading. Not a good move.
 

aplusmnt

Well-known member
Wonder why them poor American Samoa do not deserve to make a living wage? Why will it work here to give our Teens a raise but not give those in American Samoa supporting their families a raise?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
aplusmnt said:
Wonder why them poor American Samoa do not deserve to make a living wage? Why will it work here to give our Teens a raise but not give those in American Samoa supporting their families a raise?

Well Delay and Burns thought the same thing a few years ago when they first changed all the rules for Samoa/US Maurianas....Pelosi, Delay. Burns, and about half those in D.C. have sold out to the corporate lobbyists....

Looks to me like there must be some big bucks funneling out of Samoa to protect an awfully profitable racket...

Time to jerk the rugs out of these profitteers...Burns and Delay are toast- now to get Pelosi on the same boat....
 

IL Rancher

Well-known member
Devil's advocate here... What is the cost of living like in America Somoa? Not saying something doesn't stink in Denmark but jsut curious...
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
IL Rancher said:
Devil's advocate here... What is the cost of living like in America Somoa? Not saying something doesn't stink in Denmark but jsut curious...

From the US attorneys report- many are Chinese or other Asians living almost in slave conditions/many working for Communist Chinese run/owned business's that Delay and Burns supported allowing to stay--and gave them the greenlight to send clothing and manufactured products to the US legally stamped with "Made in the USA" thru the technical loophole of it being made on a US territory....

Disease is rampant-- forced abortions so they don't lose their work force...

Lots of stink there- supported by lots of lobbying bucks....Abrams passed out wads for someone there.....That there tells me enough....Whole mess needs to be cleaned up......
 

IL Rancher

Well-known member
That may be true and all OT... Haven't read the report and can't say I have ever been to Somoa.. I was just wondering if 3.25 an hour (I think that is the number I heard) with the same rules for overtime and such (Which I doubt exist btw) would equal to the new 7 buck and hour in say Tulsa because housing is cheaper in Somoa and stuff like that.. I really don't know..

My feeling is that if US labor laws were inforced it would probably have a better impact on the people thee than bumping up wages a little bit because why do I have a feeling that wages are not always what they appear to be... ie you get 3.25 an hour for an 8 hour day but are forced to work 12 hours for the price of 8 and things like that.. God knows it happens in the states all the time (being asked to work off the clock) so you know it happens places with less labor protection.
 
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