Political Quotes

“Members of the Senate will have a choice in just a few minutes about the future of the minimum wage. There was a time when we didn't even debate this. There was a time when Democrats and Republicans agreed that every once in a while you have to raise the minimum wage. The cost of living goes up in America. Republican and Democratic Presidents alike said: Can't we come together and reasonably increase the minimum wage so that the poorest among us have a fighting chance for a decent life? We used to do it that way. When we stopped doing it 8 years ago when Republicans took control of Congress, they decided this was a partisan issue, that good Republicans didn't support an increase in the minimum wage; only Democrats supported it. Today, we have a choice. The choice is very stark. Senator Santorum comes to the Senate floor and says let us raise the minimum wage for 1.8 million Americans. That is a pretty good thing. At least they are going to get some help. But look at Senator Kennedy's alternative. In his alternative, 7.3 million Americans would have an increase in the minimum wage. The Santorum Republican approach helps 1 out of 4 of the workers who Senator Kennedy's approach helps. But it gets worse. In order for Senator Santorum to work up the political courage to bring this to the floor, he said: I have to turn around and do something on the business side. So what I will do is to exempt 10 million workers in America from coverage for overtime pay.”