Chances are if you hate what you make at your job, you either ask the boss for a raise or seek a job that pays more. Chances are you don't wait 10 years for your pay to increase. But ABC's Charles Gibson apparently thinks millions of Americans are mired in a decade-long drought of minimum wage pay.
"After years of waiting, millions of Americans have reason tonight to plan on a pay raise. The House overwhelmingly voted late today to raise the minimum wage in stages from $5.15 an hour to $7.25," Gibson informed viewers as he introduced a story by reporter Dean Reynolds on the January 10 program.
Only thing is, it's just not true. I explain why here.
It also appears CNN's Miles O'Brien got his econ degree from the Charlie Gibson Correspondence School of Economics.
From today's "American Morning":
"Well, now it’s up to the Senate to decide if some working men and women in America should get a raise. House Democrats making good on a promise, passing a proposal to bump the minimum wage more than $2 to $7.25 an hour."
For a good snapshot of who exactly earns minimum wage, here's some data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
UPDATE: Christine Hall, formerly of CNSNews.com and now working for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, is in a little educational video that Charlie Gibson and Miles O would do well to watch. It's the first vid of this blog post at Human Events Online.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Charlie just cannot get his h
January 11, 2007 - 16:19 ET by UnsaneCharlie just cannot get his head out of the Dickens novels, can he?
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
Earlier this week, he was wax
January 11, 2007 - 16:33 ET by kathleenirishEarlier this week, he was waxing poetic on the scene of Nancy Pelosi with her grandchildren, 'taking care of our children and the country'. She couldn't pay for better propaganda, I mean, press, if she tried!! All part of the agenda, kids.
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere" -Ali ibn-Abi-Talib, 4th Islamic Caliph
Can you catch the reference?
January 12, 2007 - 11:22 ET by UnsaneThat scene of which you speak reminded me instantly of a New Hampshire Representative named Greg Stillson for some odd reason.
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
When is someone going to get
January 11, 2007 - 16:29 ET by paperheadWhen is someone going to get smart and call the dems on this for what it really is? If anyone ever did the math on what minimum wage is in salary for a year, its around $10,000. Where in this country can you support a family on that? What this really is, is a bargaining chip for unions to get another pay raise and who do the unions support in this country? When McDonalds or Wendys can't find anyone to start at $8.00 an hour, you know this argument is full of crap. I would like to see the minimum wage abolished altogether. Think about it - would anyone work for no money? Let the supply and demand of labor solve this, not the government.
According to 2005 data from t
January 11, 2007 - 16:30 ET by dscottAccording to 2005 data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were only 479,000 hourly workers “earning exactly $5.15, the prevailing Federal minimum wage,” while some 1.9 million take in “wages below the minimum.” Those earning less than the minimum for whatever reasons (legal or illegal) would not get a raise with a minimum wage boost.
Ken, thanks for pointing that out and it really shows what a sham the whole issue is. Those who earn less than the minimum wage legally are getting tips and wouldn't be covered by this so called hike in the first place. Those who aren't don't belong here.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
Part-time, FIRST-time workers
January 11, 2007 - 17:10 ET by mattmPart-time, FIRST-time workers at my local garden center start at more that $2.00 HIGHER than the minimum wage.
So, we might as well raise it a buck...it won't hurt anything and it won't help anything, but it'll make us all feel better....
Also not noted is that some
January 11, 2007 - 20:10 ET by Right2thePointAlso not noted is that some percentage of those minimum wage workers are single mothers who are eligible for other government programs and the minimum wage hike could reduce benefits they receive from that supplemental income.
The could even experience a net loss from child care subsidies, maybe be denied access to low rent public housing etc.
Many wheels withing wheels.
Maybe with the increase of th
January 12, 2007 - 09:28 ET by dscottMaybe with the increase of the minimum wage they are planning to change the poverty line yard stick to increase the number of poor people so the Dems can claim there are more poor people in the US than ever before. Wait a minute, didn't they do that before?
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
Naw, they jerk the poverty line around like a yo-yo anyway.
January 12, 2007 - 09:31 ET by acaiguanaNaw, they jerk the poverty line around like a yo-yo anyway.
ACA
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Acaiguana says: "I love blind Monkeys and any inference that I am making fun of blind Monkeys would be wrong.