SENATE BILL: Long-term Unemployment Relief Act (Law'd)

[TNF]

This bill is going to make it easier for employers not to pay taxes while offering no relief to the employed. If anything, a better way to reduce unemployment is to zero out the payroll tax responsibilities of the lowest earners. This will put more money in their wallets which will be spent and force hiring in other sectors of the economy.

Of course, if we *really* want to be serious about lowering unemployment, we need to talk about moving to a 7 Hour Day, rather than just talking about giving tax relief to corporations.

[TNF]

This bill is going to make it easier for employers not to pay taxes while offering no relief to the employed. If anything, a better way to reduce unemployment is to zero out the payroll tax responsibilities of the lowest earners. This will put more money in their wallets which will be spent and force hiring in other sectors of the economy.

Of course, if we *really* want to be serious about lowering unemployment, we need to talk about moving to a 7 Hour Day, rather than just talking about giving tax relief to corporations.

Do you realize a 7-hour day will mean more people will take on second jobs? And if they don't, they'll have less money for having worked fewer hours.  Anyway, the long-term unemployed face unique challenges that persist even when the general unemployment rate drops.  This is a policy to address that problem.

Do you realize that the minimum wage is already set to adjust to $18 an hour by 2018? A 7 hour day combined with that, or combined with an even higher minimum wage, would make up for any losses that might accompany such a change. Plus, more people, not fewer, are going to be employed with people working less hours because there's going to need to be more workers hired to make up for less workers being able to work without hitting overtime pay. So any purported changes are going to be offset by wider employment, which will lift overall wages and reduce hours in the long run.

[TNF]

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 2013 raises the minimum wage to $14 an hour on July 1. Thereafter, it increases by one dollar at the beginning of the year until 2018, whereby it tops off at $18 an hour. However, these are the absolute lowest adjustments proscribed by law, as the FLSA also requires the minimum wage to adjust annually for inflation and increases in worker productivity.

[TNF]

Nay

I will not stand by this gutting of the rights of workers to satisfy capital.

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NAY

[TNF]

If this amendment passes, then I must
Oppose the passage of the horrid bill.

[TNF]

Hostile.

I will not allow this abrogation of the rights of workers.

[TNF]

Hostile.

I will not allow this abrogation of the rights of workers.

It's my bill, and the amendment is friendly.

You can however object and I'd be interested to know what you base your objects on.

I meant to object

[TNF]

NAY

[TNF]

I object to this egregious attack upon tipped workers.

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Nay

[TNF]

Objecting to that amendment.

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NAY

Duke signed off on the original numbers. I'm not sure why we should change them now, given they've yet to take affect.

[TNF]

I object.

I will not stand idly by while the right attacks workers' living standards.

[TNF]

NAY

[TNF]

Motion to table this bill.

[TNF]

I object.

[TNF]

Nay

[TNF]

NAY

[TNF]

What does this bill do for our minimum wage? Are the minimum wage changes dead?

Yes, it revokes the promise made to the working class of Atlasia by not raising their wages. It is a disgusting and vile attack upon them.

[TNF]

What a bullsh**t move on the part of the administration -- you promise higher wages (on a time-table, no less!) and then go back on your word? I'm not sure I understand why we can break promises to workers, but never to the ers who don't pay them enough in the first place. This is disgusting, and is a definitive black mark on an otherwise progressive administration. I am utterly shocked and appalled.

[TNF]

Frankly, I'm ashamed of the President for abandoning Atlasia's working class (and after he promised them higher wages, no less!). I stand united with Sen. TNF and the entire Labor Party in opposing this vile betrayal of the Atlasian people. If President Duke didn't want higher wages, he shouldn't have passed the FLSA in the first place.

Exactly! If he had such a problem with it before, why not utilize his ability to re-write the legislation? Why repeal it wholescale now? It's nonsense. Utter nonsense and contempt for working people.

[TNF]

It's bullsh**t no matter how you slice it.