Howard Dean asking for your help on minimum wage NOW!!

[texastoast]

Just got his email:

Here's the question that the right-wing extremists who control the Republican Congress will put before the Senate:

"Over seven million Americans can have a raise of $2.15 an hour by raising the minimum wage, but only if we give a tax cut to 7,500 ultra-rich people at a cost of $753 billion dollars."

It's despicable, it's wrong, and we need to stop it.

Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist has said that this will be the only vote he will allow on a minimum wage increase this year.

Enough is enough. Contact your Senators and tell them to reject this shameful bill by signing this petition:

http://www.democrats.org/realminimumwage

Democrats have been fighting for a minimum wage increase, but Republicans won't allow a straight up-or-down vote on it.

Now Frist and his right-wing allies say they will allow a vote on the minimum wage -- but only in the form of a bill that includes a huge giveaway to ultra-wealthy Republican donors.

We want folks to do well, but America shouldn't have to sacrifice billions of dollars to give only a small group of millionaires a tax break while millions of hard working Americans - some with two or more jobs - are barely able to make ends meet.

What's more, the Republicans' so-called minimum wage increase contains provisions that would actually strip wages from over a million people in seven states where they earn that state's minimum wage in addition to their tips.

This isn't responsible government -- and we're not going to take it.

Let your Senators know that they should reject it:

http://www.democrats.org/realminimumwage

(there was more, but you know the drill)

[babylonsister]

1. Nom and done! nt

[Fridays Child]

2. k/r

[AndyA]

3. Done!

Our Congress is so disgraceful in so many ways...

[Breeze54]

4. Use the toll free number 800-459-1887 provided by AFSC!

(Passing alomg the phone number... e-mail from a friend) ;)

Call your Senators IMMEDIATELY before they vote today or tomorrow on the $750 billion estate tax giveaway.

We must stop the Senate from holding the $2.10 minimum wage increase HOSTAGE
in order to provide another massive tax cut for their wealthiest donors!

Action Needed:

Call your Senators now (800-459-1887) and ask them to oppose H.R. 5970.

The vote is soon so there's no time to email!

H.R. 5970 is bad because:

It will raid our treasury of billions of dollars to help 8,000 rich families get richer.
It will hurt millions of hard-working families and low-income workers who cannot afford
to trade a few dollars increase in their paychecks if the tradeoff is cuts and reductions
for federal programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, veterans programs,
children's health, senior services and unemployment insurance,
which will leave them with fewer resources after the increase.
It will hurt millions of workers in food service and other jobs where they rely on tips.
Women, young and old, single and married, make up 70% of the "tipped" workers, and in
seven states where they are guaranteed a minimum wage, the minimum will be frozen and
they will see no raise.
Our message to Senators:
"If you, like the bipartisan majority in both houses of Congress,
care about increasing the minimum wage, which has been frozen for almost a decade,
then vote against H.R. 5970 and insist that it have a free standing vote
and not be tied to the estate tax giveaway."

Use the toll free number 800-459-1887,
provided by the American Friends Service Committee, or call your Senators' offices directly.

[madfloridian]

5. I called Bill Nelson, he can't make up his mind.

He made me furious, as he always does. He knows perfectly well how he will vote. He is never honest with us at all.

I asked his aide if she thought he was so confident about staying in office that he did not need to listen. She said oh no.

I told her maybe someday our party would listen to us again.

[mom cat]

6. Done! Anyone know when the vote is slated?

[LSK]

7. now

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1814104

[mom cat]

11. Landreau votes no on cloture

[blogslut]

8. done

n/t

[Imalittleteapot]

9. Double done.

Signed the petition and emailed my Senator.

[LSK]

10. this debate and vote is happening NOW

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1814104