MINIMUM WAGE: SOMETHING YOU CAN DO TODAY and a bonus fun fact

Caption: Seamus McGoogle, defender of the toiling masses (if not the songbirds), keeps on trucking for justice.

It looks like the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Jan. 10th on a measure to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 by 2009.

The Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign is urging people to call Congress today and urge representatives to support a clean minimum wage bill with no more tax breaks attached.

A toll-free number has been provided by the American Friends Service Committee:

1-800-459-1887.

President Bush has said the wants Congress to link the minimum wage bill with tax and regulatory "relief" for business. LJR recommends that we send a message saying "enough is enough. Congress has ignored the needs of minimum wage workers for 10 years. Workers need a clean increase now."

(Re: tax cuts. In the event a business actually suffers a loss of income due to the increase, its taxes would go down anyway...)

Here's how to do it:

*When you dial the number, ask to speak to your representative's office (if you're not sure, check http://www.house.gov/writerep/)

*If you don't like to improvise, here's LJR's suggested message:

Hi, my name is ______. I'm a constituent. Please tell Rep. ______ to vote for H.R. 2, the bill to increase the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years. It's the most basic justice and long overdue. Please pass a clean bill, with no tax breaks for business and no changes that hurt workers rights. Will Rep. _____ vote in favor of H.R. 2?

That it's. And as a reward for your good citizenship, here's a Goat Rope Fun Fact that will make your life better:

GOAT ROPE FUN FACT: Did you know that the lyrics "Mr. Mojo Risin'" from the Doors' song "LA Woman" is an anagram for Jim Morrison? Check it out. Doesn't that make life just a little better? (Full disclosure: this fact was pointed out to El Cabrero by his Spousal Unit, La Cabra.)

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED BUT BETTER WITH THAT ANAGRAM