task0778
Diamond Member
There is an ongoing push in Congress to make a $15 minimum wage the law of the land nationwide which is of grave importance. Here’s where it stands: Congressional Democrats have included it in their COVID legislation that’s nearly sure to pass the House, and it will be up to the razor-thin Senate majority to try and pass the bill without removing the minimum wage hike.
There’s one catch: They must convince the Senate parliamentarian—essentially the referee who enforces Senate rules—to allow them to include a minimum wage hike in a budget bill.
Democrats plan to use the “reconciliation” process to pass the legislation with a sheer majority, rather than the 60 votes typically required. However, this process requires that the content be budgetary in nature—i.e. spending, tax cuts, etc—not just have an incidental impact on the budget.
The $15 minimum wage would have some impact on federal deficits over a decade, increasing them by about $54 billion, but Republicans correctly argue that this is incidental—not the main point of—the mandated wage hike. Both parties are actively lobbying the parliamentarian to pave the way for their side.
Her name is Elizabeth MacDonough, and she’s a seasoned nonpartisan veteran respected by both sides.
“Both Democrats and Republicans are expected to meet with the parliamentarian on Wednesday to argue their case,” Politico reports. “Her ruling could follow soon after the arguments.”
Will she come down on the right side of this issue or be convinced by Democratic pleas?
We’ll soon find out. Either way, the decision will likely be the most consequential of her entire career. It will have drastic ramifications for the national labor market and businesses and workers across the country.
No pressure.
www.politico.com
There a few ideas floating around for an increase of the M-Wage to $10 or $11, and a few democrats have said they won't support any increase as part of the COVID Relief Bill. Which is logical cuz the MW has nothing whatsoever to do with the Coronavirus pandemic. Even if the parliamentarian says the democrats can use the reconciliation process to avoid the filibuster, it doesn't sound like they have 50 votes anyway, at least not for the $15 MW. Can they peel off a couple of Repubs? Never say never.
There’s one catch: They must convince the Senate parliamentarian—essentially the referee who enforces Senate rules—to allow them to include a minimum wage hike in a budget bill.
Democrats plan to use the “reconciliation” process to pass the legislation with a sheer majority, rather than the 60 votes typically required. However, this process requires that the content be budgetary in nature—i.e. spending, tax cuts, etc—not just have an incidental impact on the budget.
The $15 minimum wage would have some impact on federal deficits over a decade, increasing them by about $54 billion, but Republicans correctly argue that this is incidental—not the main point of—the mandated wage hike. Both parties are actively lobbying the parliamentarian to pave the way for their side.
Her name is Elizabeth MacDonough, and she’s a seasoned nonpartisan veteran respected by both sides.
“Both Democrats and Republicans are expected to meet with the parliamentarian on Wednesday to argue their case,” Politico reports. “Her ruling could follow soon after the arguments.”
Will she come down on the right side of this issue or be convinced by Democratic pleas?
We’ll soon find out. Either way, the decision will likely be the most consequential of her entire career. It will have drastic ramifications for the national labor market and businesses and workers across the country.
No pressure.
Democrats plot their Plan B to save minimum wage hike
Notably, some Republicans have backed a wage bump, but with extra strings that would divide Democrats.
www.politico.com
There a few ideas floating around for an increase of the M-Wage to $10 or $11, and a few democrats have said they won't support any increase as part of the COVID Relief Bill. Which is logical cuz the MW has nothing whatsoever to do with the Coronavirus pandemic. Even if the parliamentarian says the democrats can use the reconciliation process to avoid the filibuster, it doesn't sound like they have 50 votes anyway, at least not for the $15 MW. Can they peel off a couple of Repubs? Never say never.
