FYI-McHenry (R-NC) continues to get slapped around on Am.Somoan min.wage

[underpants]

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070116-122754-1892r.htm

Mr. McHenry has already gone after the top Democrat in a series of press releases, floor speeches and public appearances. Last week, he pressed

Mrs. Pelosi and the Democrats for what he said was hypocrisy in their bill increasing the minimum wage. The bill exempted American Samoa, whose largest employer StarKist Tuna is owned by Del Monte, a company based in Mrs. Pelosi's San Francisco district.

The speaker, who said neither StarKist nor Del Monte lobbied her, announced Friday that Democrats will now make sure the bill applies to all U.S. territories, including American Samoa.

Democrats pledge to extend federal minimum wage to all U.S. territories
http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view.bg?articleid=177117
A spokesman for Pelosi said the bill excluded American Samoa at the request of nonvoting Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat who represents the Pacific island territories in the House.

Raising the federal minimum wage would devastate the local tuna industry, Faleomavaega said in a statement last week, noting that American Samoa’s economy is “more than 80 percent” dependent on two U.S. tuna processors, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist. Faleomavaega said the Labor Department reviews Samoa’s minimum wages every two years.


Still, Mr. McHenry in a press release declared "something fishy" was going on and peppered Rep. Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat, with questions during a heated exchange on the House floor.
Hilarious video (4:07) here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWxY-5FS2Bc

Mr. Frank, who was acting as speaker pro tempore at the time, ultimately refused to recognize Mr. McHenry at the podium, and later said the Republican was trying to "assault" House rules.

[hashibabba]

1. This is why they came up with their *Truth Squad* clock to

count down the first 100 hours. They want the clock to run out on the Dems. Not that the Dems are paying any attention to it, thank goodness.

[hughee99]

2. So McHenry was demanding that American Samoa

be included in a Democratic bill that was, at the time, exempting it. Pelosi announced that Democrats will make sure that Samoa will be included. Sounds like McHenry got what he was asking for. I guess my definition of "slapped around" differs from some other people's.

[Lone_Wolf]

4. Ir's more Republican hypocrisy...

From what I understand, the minimum wage in American Samoa is governmed by a wage review board that is appointed by Bush's Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao.

I think there was also a treaty signed in 1929 that explicitly says that the President administers to legal, civil, and military affairs in American Samoa.

[hughee99]

5. As I see it...

NO ONE should be exempted from this and, hypocrisy or not, I agree that American Samoa should not be exempted from it. If their laws are such that this wouldn't not apply to them, then there's no need to write an exemption in the bill anyway. I still fail to see how this consists of being "slapped around" though since he seems to be getting what he wants, regardless of his political motivations.

[Lone_Wolf]

9. I'm convinced it was a right wing hit job...

This "issue" cane out and the right wingnuts starting mouthing the talking points and linking to the Wahshington Times "story."

It was too well organized to be random.

[Lone_Wolf]

10. This is what the treaty says:

The U.S. Congress approved these documents under the 1929 Ratification Act (48 U.S.C. 1661). Section 1661 states as follows:

“Until Congress shall provide for the government of such islands, all civil, judicial, and military powers shall be vested in such person or persons and shall be exercised in such manner as the President of the United States shall direct; and the President shall have power to remove said officers and fill the vacancies so occasioned.”

[Supersedeas]

6. McTurd is not smart enough to come up with this on his own--Chao probably fed the issue as a pretext

[SoFlaJet]

3. He's an aggravating little man isn't he?

He's got that Napoleonic complex thing going on....read; he's vertically challenged

[CatWoman]

7. thanks for this, UP

:hi:

of course, the wingnuts still won't STFU, but one can only hope :)

[Stinky The Clown]

8. What a tiresome little shit he is ......

This guy makes my hair hurt.