Archive
America Says No!
In response to President Bush's stunning rejection of the people's will, Campaign for America's Future is joining our progressive allies today to form Americans Against Escalation in Iraq. Rallies are being held across the country today to oppose the continuation of...
House Dems Split on Min Wage Next Steps
With the likelihood of competing minimum wage bills from the House and Senate, House Dems appear divided on how to proceed. CongressDaily AM reports: "...House Majority Leader [Steny] Hoyer said he would consider going with the Senate bill to avoid a conference...
Wage Update: House Approves, Senate Moves In Wrong Direction
Minutes ago, the House approved increasing the hourly minimum wage to $7.25, over two years. The vote was strong, 315 to 116. Democratic support was unanimous. The GOP caucus was split, with 82 supporting and 116 opposing. Over in the Senate, CQ reports that Sen. Max...
CQ: Senate Minimum Wage Bill to Include Small-Business Sweeteners
It's more than just Sen. Max Baucus looking to add business lobby favors to a minimum wage hike. According to Congressional Quarterly, Senate Dem leaders Richard Durbin and Chuck Schumer are opting to try to placate conservatives instead of standing up to them: "The...
Drug Battle Brewing in Senate
USA Today reports that the First 100 Hours battle for affordable prescription drugs may come down a few votes in the Senate: "While Democrats have the votes to pass the bill in the House, it faces a closer battle in the Senate. The Senate Finance Committee opens...
Pearlstein: Business Complaints on Wage Hike "Nonsense"
Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein takes the business lobby, and new Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus, to task today, setting the record straight about a minimum wage hike's impact on jobs. Pearlstein writes: ...both economic theory and...
Blogger Call With Speaker Pelosi
Tuesday afternoon, Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a conference call with bloggers about Iraq and the First 100 Hours Agenda. I asked her if the final minimum wage bill would be "clean" without any special interest provisions tacked on, or would it include tax giveaways for...
Good For Vets, Good For Medicare
We're starting to see more slanted media coverage as the battle over prescription drugs heats up. Part of the First 100 Hours Agenda is to give our government the power to negotiate drug prices on behalf of Medicare recipients, using the collective bargaining power to...
A Clean Bill of Wage?
This Wednesday, the House is expected pass a key piece of the First 100 Hours agenda -- a painfully overdue raise in the minimum hourly wage from $5.15 to $7.25. President Bush and the CEO lobby realize its political suicide to oppose the hike -- it's backed by 80% of...
Making Ethics Reforms Matter
The first order of business in the House last week was to pass new House ethics rules, including new reporting requirements for congressional trips and earmarks. But these new reporting requirements will only be good tools to shine a spotlight on corruption if we know...
