January 29, 2007

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS


Caption: They've really done it now. Seamus is not amused.


Not only did a handful of U.S. senators (none, thank God, from El Cabrero's beloved state of West Virginia) vote last week to block a clean minimum wage increase--that would have been bad enough--but a sizable minority voted on Jan. 25 to eliminate minimum wage protections for workers altogether.

Here's a list courtesy of BobGeiger.com:

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thomas (R-WY)

Geiger also mentions that Alexander, Bennett, Chambliss, Cochran, Cornyn, Craig, Enzi, Graham, Hagel, Inhofe, McConnell and Sununu are up for reelection in 2008 and that Brownback and McCain are probably running for president.

Just in case you're updating your Christmas card list.

BONUS WEST VIRGINIA FEATURES:

Here's a good article from Sunday's Gazette-Mail about minimum wage issues at the state and federal level. And, at no extra cost, here's a rant by yours truly about state Medicaid and health care problems.

RANDOM DAILY ITEM: El Cabrero believes that legislation should be passed requiring all radio stations playing 80s music to play "Safety Dance" and "Walk Like an Egyptian" at least once every two hours.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I note that both of Kentucky’s senators are on that list. As I wrote earlier, I wonder if they pay any attention to messages from their constituents—i.e., me! Oh, well, I didn’t vote for ‘em the last time they ran and I’ll not vote for them the next time either.

El Cabrero said...

Thanks for keeping on pushing the rock up the hill...

Do you think you could get 'em to support my proposed "Safety Dance" and "Walk Like an Egyptian" legislation?

Anonymous said...

Yup, thems my senators. Sho nuff. Not one but two of 'em. I think they actually did pay attention to all our calls - and got worse just to spite us. Guess we still have some work to do in NH.

By the way, to show that some things DO change, after decades of Republican control of such things as the Governor's executive council chamber, we just celebrated Granny D's 95th birthday in that hallowed chamber, complete with a little band playing Down By the Riverside.