Political Quotes

“I respect the Senator from Massachusetts. I think there is a little different environment. I think there is a broad group who will deal with the reauthorization of welfare and deal with that and get a bill passed and sent to Congress this year, and you will certainly have my support trying to get that done in a fashion that I believe reinstates work requirements, which have fallen off because of the drop in the welfare rolls across America. The second reason I oppose the Kennedy amendment is because the increase is too dramatic at this point. We are talking about an over $2 increase, over a 40-percent increase in the minimum wage. While I do support a modest proposal, something about half that amount, I think that is the wise thing to do in this economy, which is not to put a jolt of that nature into what is already a concern about inflation. To be able to put that kind of minimum wage increase in I think would fuel inflationary fears. It would have strong negative repercussions in our economy, broadly. While I do understand the need now that it has been almost 8 years without a minimum wage increase, I think what I will be offering is a modest one that comports with and will fit within this economy. We do some things to address the issue of small businesses, which the amendment of the Senator from Massachusetts does not do.”