Political Quotes

“But as the Wall Street Journal points out, Brian Deyo is not alone. Many working families depend on the minimum wage. In fact, 73 percent of those affected by the proposed minimum wage increase are adults. Many are trying to support their families on a minimum wage, and that minimum wage has been mauled by inflation. This should be a bipartisan issue. The distinguished Senator from Connecticut just said, as others have, the last time it was raised it was--I believe my good friend from New York will agree with this--under a Republican President, and the time before that, the Senator from New York reminds me. We had Republicans and Democrats joined together on this. The last minimum wage increase, which was a 2-year 90-cent increase just like the one that is under consideration today, received overwhelming bipartisan support when it was voted on in 1989. In fact, it passed the House by a vote of 382 to 37--better than 10 to 1. It passed the Senate by a vote of 89 to 8-- again, better than 10 to 1. Back then, Senator Dole and Speaker Gingrich voted for raising the minimum wage, but today some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle fiercely oppose any raise in the minimum wage. I find it ironic that some of the same Senators who would vote to give tax breaks to the wealthy are against giving working families a raise.”