Sen. Salazar, Dem weekly radio address: Minimum wage "trick" "blackmail"

[DeepModem Mom]

Democrats cry foul on minimum wage 'trick'
Failed bill for hourly wage hike was tied to estate tax cut
Saturday, August 5, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A failed Republican attempt to tie an estate-tax cut to the first federal minimum wage increase in nearly a decade was "political blackmail" and the result of "cynical politics," Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colorado, said Saturday.

"Working Americans deserve a raise, but congressional Republicans keep giving them political tricks," Salazar said in the Democrats' weekly radio address. "We need a new direction for America, and a new Congress that works for our common good."

The Senate on Thursday rejected, 56-42, legislation that would have cut estate taxes and raised the hourly minimum wage to $7.25 from $5.15 over three years. Senators needed 60 votes to advance the bill, which passed the House last week.

Democrats, who generally supported increasing the minimum wage but opposed the cost of the bill's estate tax package, criticized Republicans for using the minimum wage to push a tax break for the wealthy.

Salazar said the bill was an example of tactics Republicans have used for the last six years....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/05/Dems.radio.ap/index.html