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NOT Sorry, Charlie...
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NOT Sorry, Charlie... |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA 
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Washington post http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070112-120720-2734r.htm House Republicans yesterday declared "something fishy" about the major tuna company in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco district being exempted from the minimum-wage increase that Democrats approved this week. "I am shocked," said Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican and his party's chief deputy whip, noting that Mrs. Pelosi campaigned heavily on promises of honest government. "Now we find out that she is exempting hometown companies from minimum wage. This is exactly the hypocrisy and double talk that we have come to expect from the Democrats." On Wednesday, the House voted to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour. The bill also extends for the first time the federal minimum wage to the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands. However, it exempts American Samoa, another Pacific island territory that would become the only U.S. territory not subject to federal minimum-wage laws. One of the biggest opponents of the federal minimum wage in Samoa is StarKist Tuna, which owns one of the two packing plants that together employ more than 5,000 Samoans, or nearly 75 percent of the island's work force. StarKist's parent company, Del Monte Corp., has headquarters in San Francisco, which is represented by Mrs. Pelosi. Some Republicans who voted in favor of the minimum-wage bill were particularly irritated to learn yesterday -- after their vote -- that the legislation did not include American Samoa. "I was troubled to learn of this exemption," said Rep. Mark Steven Kirk, Illinois Republican. "My intention was to raise the minimum wage for everyone. We shouldn't permit any special favors or exemptions that are not widely discussed in Congress. This is the problem with rushing legislation through without full debate." A spokeswoman for Mrs. Pelosi said Wednesday that the speaker has not been lobbied in any way by StarKist or Del Monte. Oh, really? Tell us again about cleaning up the swamp, Nancy  |
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iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
Looks like you're a little late on this one, Mike. Nancy has already requested that changes be made to include American Somoa, saying it was the Somoan Representative in the House who had asked it not be included because it would devastate Star Kist's industry. See this Jan. 14 article: http://signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070114/news_1n14nation.html Guess we'll have to wait and see if the cost of tuna goes up, huh? I would say this is a case where Nancy would be spamed if she got it through and spamed if she didn't.  |
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LeeJ Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296 |
yanno, I can never find tuna packed in oil anymore???? What is that?...I mean being weight conscious is a good thing...fatty acids and all that...but I hate tuna in water....and it seems they've taken the other kind off the shelves....just like good ol butter in the movie theaters? Sheesh? But I guess that's another topic for another thread....sorry Mike  |
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SEA 
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
what I wonder?? Why don't they read it before they sign it? I mean, shouldn't these guys that are passing the laws be smart enough to read them, to know what is and what is not included??? It makes me nuts. I wouldn't put my name on anything without reading it first. |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Spokesmen for Pelosi and Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, the author of the minimum-wage bill, said it excluded American Samoa at the request of nonvoting Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat who represents the Pacific island territories in the House. Nice...gee, if a non-voting delegate can get special exemptions just by asking for them, this could revolutonize the Congress! Nancy got caught with her finger in the tuna and had a weak excuse ready, just in case. Why is that not surprising?? Spammed if she doesn't and spammed if she does....I like it!  |
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inot2B Member Elite
since 2000-09-18
Posts 2205Arkansas |
Wow, when I started reading this I thought surely there would be all kind of remarks in RED saying how wrong you were. Where is the long drawn out replies telling you how this company got exempted with out Madam Speaker being connected to it. I'm so glad you are here to let the right side know how the left side keeps screwing up. So much for the new Congress going to fix everything and treat everybody evenly. |
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iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
Well....so much for the minimum wage increase. The House did good but the Senate did bad -- they voted it down. Sure would like to know how that vote went and who was present and who was absent! |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
inot2b, how can they refute what's right before them? The gal got caught....plain and simple. Her platform of honesty and swamp cleaning lasted less than a week. Believe me, after the way they have blasted the the other side for the past 7 years with ridiculous points I'm going to make sure they get the coverage they deserve now that they are at the helm.....and, no, you won't see rebuttals. Many who attack just fade into silence whenever shady facts come out against THEIR side....so much for balanced opinions. By the way, Noah, I commend you highly for your well thought-out and impartial responses. I know Bush is not your favorite human but you are also able to see the problems on both sides and are not afraid to speak out against either one...that's admirable. |
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