http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2007/01/kennedy-to-republicans-what-is-it-about.htmlAfter listing many of the unrelated and pricey amendments for business that the GOP has tried to join to a minimum wage hike, Kennedy blasted Republicans and demanded to know how they can be as cruel as they are to the working poor in America.
"We have now had amendments that have been worth over 200 billion dollars… Amendments that have
been offered. We've had amendments on education of 35 billion dollars. We've had health-savings
amendments that will benefit people with average incomes of $112,000… We've had those kinds of
amendments and we're looking at the Kyl amendment at 3 billion dollars. But we still cannot get
two dollars and fifteen cents -- over two years. Over two years!
What is the price, we ask the other side? 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? How many billion dollars more, are you asking, are you requiring?
When does the greed stop, we ask the other side? That's the question and that's the issue."
Kennedy, upset about the noises Republicans made just three weeks ago about their renewed bipartisan spirit and seeing them already blocking simple legislation that is favored by the vast majority of Americans, angrily chided them for the ridiculous number of amendments they have offered on a bill that went untouched through the House.
"Make no mistake about it -- they have on the Republican side, 70 more amendments. 70 more
amendments!" said Kennedy. "We have none. We're prepared to vote now. 70 more amendments…
'Oh yes, we want an increase in the minimum wage, we want this, we want that but… let's have
some other kinds of amendments that have virtually nothing to do with this.'"
But Massachusetts' Senior Senator -- who has seen his efforts to increase the minimum wage shot down in the Senate three times in the last two years -- really unloaded on his Republican colleagues for their utter contempt for working people in this country...And at this early stage of the 110th Congress, Kennedy has already had it with the hypocrisy that has always characterized the Republicans in dealing with Senate Democrats -- and he called them on it.
"240 billion dollars in tax breaks for corporations. 36 billion dollars in tax breaks for
small businesses. Increase in productivity -- 42 percent over the last 10 years! But do you
think there's any increase in the minimum wage? No. At 12 after five today, on Thursday, I
speak for all of our Democrats and say we're prepared to vote now. Now!
Do you have such disdain for hard-working Americans that you want to pile all your amendments
on this? Why don’t you just hold your amendments until other pieces of legislation? Why this
volume of amendments on just the issue to try and raise the minimum wage? What is it about it
that drives you Republicans crazy? What is it? Something. Something! 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?"
We don’t want to hear any more from that side for the rest of this session about permitting
or not permitting votes in here when you're denying it on the most simple concept of an
increase in the minimum wage. We don’t want to hear any more about that. This is filibuster
by delay and amendments. I've been around here long enough to know it when I see it and smell
it, and that's what it looks like, that's what it is, make no mistake about it."
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