Mark Pryor Comes Out Against Federal Minimum Wage Hike
Source: Huffington Post
Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) has come out against a federal minimum wage increase that has the support of President Barack Obama, Senate Democrats and the majority of the American public.
"I know $10.10 still isnt a whole lot of money, but I think its too much, too fast," Pryor told Bloomberg in an article published Thursday. "Im not supportive of that."
Pryor is the first Senate Democrat to come out against raising the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour. He's currently locked in a competitive reelection battle with Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). Bloomberg notes that the National Retail Federation and the National Restaurant Association are lobbying against the increase and have contributed to Pryor's campaign.
Arkansas is one of four states with a minimum wage below the federal level, though companies that do more than $500,000 in business each year must pay employees the federal wage, according to the state's Department of Labor. Pryor does back a state ballot initiative to raise Arkansas' minimum wage from $6.25 to $8.50 over three years.
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/06/mark-pryor-minimum-wage_n_4739645.html
Mods: Just barely over 12 hours old.
RandySF
(58,899 posts)He's turned into Blanche Lincoln.
merrily
(45,251 posts)silvershadow
(10,336 posts)these people are totally out of touch with costs of living. Even 10.10 is too low, and the time it takes to get there isn't helpful, either. How can he even defend his position?
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)If you don't want private unions negotiating higher wages for your employees, you sure as heck don't want the government doing it for them.
Arkansas, home of Wal-Mart and other low paying employers. They'll put big money on the Republican, but would more low wage earners come out and vote for someone supporting the minimum wage?
Meanwhile, red states continue to take money from blue states, in part because the likes of Wal-Mart do pay their workers so little.
warrant46
(2,205 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)democrats support the working class.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Nanjing to Seoul
(2,088 posts)Fuck him.
Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)E. Y. Harburg, the man who wrote the lyrics for the songs in The Wizard of Oz wrote a little poem, "Should I write a letter to my congressman?"
Each congressman has two ends,
A sitting and a thinking end.
But since his career depends upon his seat,
Why bother, friend?
Nanjing to Seoul
(2,088 posts)Democrats like this we don't need.
merrily
(45,251 posts)We are 350 million lucky ducks, we are!
Nanjing to Seoul
(2,088 posts)SoapBox
(18,791 posts)...suck on that Mr. DINO.
merrily
(45,251 posts)Between the perks of the actual job and the undying gratitude of so many corporations to them and their family members, they'd probably do okay. Then, there's the retirement plan--full pension and a well-paying lobbying job, maybe some punditry and political consulting work here and there. Politics have been very good to them.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)There must be a Democrat better than this in Arkansas. This guy is immoral.
Judi Lynn
(160,542 posts)mdbl
(4,973 posts)I guess that is who Pryor is trying to court with his anti labor stance. Courting right wing whackies in his state is Pryor's only skill. Oh and for a laugh, you can catch Pryor in Bill Maher's film Religulous.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)weissmam
(905 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)TRoN33
(769 posts)If the congress have a chance, they'd give themselves a big pay raises. Hypocrites.
Triana
(22,666 posts)And he's not deserving of public office.
mtasselin
(666 posts)Senator Pryor you are a ball less bastard you do not deserve to be a US Senator. The people of your state are counting on you to do the right thing. Former Senator Lincoln did not do the right things when she was a senator either and that is why she is known as former senator, it is not to late to learn from your mistakes and grow a pair.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)These wussie politicians should be paid the minimum wage.
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)Spoken like a man making $81.73 and hour with outstanding benefits.
This is why I DON'T call myself a "Democrat". I am a liberal who votes for the occasional Democrat who happens to be liberal (which are damned few).
SwankyXomb
(2,030 posts)he works a 40 hour week, 50 weeks a year? I don't think these hacks put in nearly that much time at their jobs.
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)If you count the REAL time they put in at the job (and I do NOT count campaigning and fundraising) in 2013, they "worked" 126 days, or 1008 hours. So that works out to $168.65 an hour.
During the same year, I worked an average of 60 hours a week, for a total of over 3000 hours for about a tenth the hourly rate and a fraction of the benefits.
jsr
(7,712 posts)Deep13
(39,154 posts)Why should Arkansas voters choose a fake Republican when they can have a real one?
freebrew
(1,917 posts)To a small employer or maybe someone just starting out, think of the obstacles he must face.
Business licenses, zoning bribes and building permits along with the payoffs required.
$10/hr might not seem like much, but this guy has to compete with Mexicans and Indians and Chinese
that work for much, much less. Thanks to the corporatists and the publicans, we are in a 'global' economy that allows other governments to treat their citizens like slaves and the big-business guys want the same rights here. So, they squeeze out invention, creativity and pride in the workplace. All at the same time requiring total loyalty to the 'company'.
Mostly though, it's asshat employers that want to make a fortune of their employees that are just leeches and must be lowlife because they work for the guy.
Rant over...
ladjf
(17,320 posts)he is fighting unprecedented amounts of money put up by the Koch brothers who are trying to oust him. He is definitely running scared.
"....Starting today, residents in Arkansas will see a three-week ad campaign against Democratic Senator Mark Pryor for his support of the Affordable Care Act. Pryor is not exactly a far left Senator. In fact, he should be supported by the Koch brothers, given that he broke with President Obama and supported Wal-Mart by speaking out against a minimum wage increase"
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/after-purchasing-the-2010-midterms-koch-brothers-are-spending-even-more-on-2014/
This is happening all over the Country.
It used to be against the law to rig Federal elections. But, thanks to the "Supremes" it seems to be legal.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)What really needs to happen is for lots of radio stations to start exploding.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)The Dems are the only hope, and with shitheads like this, we might as well just hand the keys over to the teabaggers.
Mr. President, act like a Dem, do what you said you'd do, and raise the fucking wage to $14.00/hr
Gman
(24,780 posts)warrant46
(2,205 posts)alp227
(32,027 posts)navarth
(5,927 posts)in Bill Maher's 'Religulous'.
Fuck him in the eyesocket.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)How much do you make per hour, Senator? We won't even get into the perqs, . . . free health care, free gym, the bri . . . er, campaign contributions . . .
I'm assuming he's doing this because he thinks that is what the people of Arkansas want, no minimum wage hike. Arkansans, is that accurate?