Washblog || McGavick on Maria's minimum wage vote, a tale of two letters

McGavick on Maria's minimum wage vote, a tale of two letters

By emmettoconnell
Fri Aug 04, 2006 at 08:36:00 AM PST
Section: Diary Topic: Building the base

Cross posted at Olympia Time

In attacking Maria Cantwell on her vote yesterday on the bait and switch minimum wage vote, Mike! McGavick referenced a letter from the Department of Labor:

Contrary to Sen. Cantwell's claim, the bill would not lower the wages of employees receiving tips below Washington state'’s minimum wage of $7.63 an hour. In response to Democrat claims, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a letter stating that the department interprets the bill as protecting the current minimum wage in Washington state.

I guess this is a matter of who you believe. Two letters, with two very different meanings, were written on the minimum wage/tips topic.

The DOL letter was written by former GOP congressional staffer Victoria Lipnic to Senate Leader Bill Frist, MD. It essentially said that while the bill wasn't very specific, for now they'd interprit it one way. But, really, we should tighten up that language since someone could easily see it another way. Seattle Times:

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., a Labor Department official said the department would interpret the bill's language as protecting current wages for tipped employees in the seven states. Victoria Lipnic, assistant secretary of labor for employment standards, offered in the letter to work with lawmakers to clarify the intent of the legislation Â— something that several Republican senators, including Norm Coleman of Minnesota, said Wednesday they intended to do.

The other letter, from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, says the opposite:

...a memo by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service on Wednesday backed up the Democrats' position. Under the bill's language, the seven affected states "would seem to be prohibited from enforcing the minimum-wage rate provisions of their laws with respect to a tipped employee," the memo said.

So, do you believe a political appointee or a non-partisan research office?

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McGavick on Maria's minimum wage vote, a tale of two letters | 12 comments (12 topical)

Don't forget Estate Tax

Regardless of who you believe, a yes vote would have been for repeal of the Estate Tax. The No vote was the correct vote.

It was the same type of Rovian legislation the republicans have been practicing since the were handed the reins of government by the DLC.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

by The Left Shue on Fri Aug 04, 2006 at 08:48:12 AM PST

* 1 5.00 2 *

Agreed that this wasn't a viable estate tax reform by gibney, 08/04/2006 09:46:59 PM PST (none / 0)

Estate tax REFORM? No, reinstatement!!! by dlaw, 08/06/2006 10:14:26 AM PST (none / 0)

I should be so lucky by gibney, 08/06/2006 01:53:23 PM PST (none / 0)

False Propoganda by dlaw, 08/07/2006 05:40:16 PM PST (3.00 / 1)

No, I was not drunk by gibney, 08/08/2006 10:59:43 PM PST (none / 0)

Okay, but look at the numbers, seriously by dlaw, 08/08/2006 11:18:55 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

Make that three letters ... no, four

Dave Reichert issued a letter asserting that he's not in favor of what he voted for, in case it means what CRS report -- and a WA DL&I letter -- says it means.

See Postman's Too Clever Trifecta.

by RonK Seattle on Fri Aug 04, 2006 at 09:09:11 PM PST

* 2 5.00 3 *

Good thing for Cantwell.... by dlaw, 08/07/2006 05:47:00 PM PST (3.00 / 1)

TWO Things Matter, ONLY.

What their lies are.
What OUR soundbites say to counter the lies.

IF our soundbites do NOT exist, or if they suck, THEN their lies win.

See Tim Eyeman's initiatives, RayGun 1980 & 1984 ...

know what, if what I am saying is news to you,

we are so screwed, again.

While the instant analysis / rebuttals on the internet are a great start AND a wonderful addition to political participation and conversation,

The "Leaders" of the Dem party

( um, "leaders" = people who can write checks and who have more access to T.V. cameras and microphones than most of us mortals )

The "Leaders" of the Dem party have done their usual politically incompetent job of taking

WELAFARE FOR PARIS F$$$ING HILTON

and KILLING this issue.

I am working for us winning, I am betting my money on another season of Dukakis/Gore/Kerry bullshit losing.

rmm.

http://www.liemail.com/BambooGrassroots.html

by rmdSeaBos on Sat Aug 05, 2006 at 08:07:19 AM PST

* 4 4.50 2 *

Drop the microphone by emmettoconnell, 08/05/2006 02:46:10 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

thanks dude ! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO by rmdSeaBos, 08/05/2006 07:42:23 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

McGavick on Maria's minimum wage vote, a tale of two letters | 12 comments (12 topical)

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