Amendment to Allow the Senate to Set a Minimum Wage [Failed]

[Sam Spade]

Amendment to Allow the Senate to Set a Minimum Wage

The Senate shall have power to set a minimum wage, as it deems necessary. It shall be variable in that one shall be set for the Republic of Atlasia (the Five Regions) and others shall be set for the Insular Territories, at an appropriate level deemed by the Senate. The Regions shall also have power to set a minimum wage, within their jurisdictions, but this shall only have effect where this wage is greater than that which has been set by the Senate.

(Sponsor: Ebowed)

[Sam Spade]

I see no reason to change what presently works.

[Former Moderate]

I see no reason to change what presently works.

Now that the Northeastern Region is well on its way to passing a minimum wage consistent with that of other regions—and higher than than of the continental United States, I'm inclined to agree.

It was a bad court ruling to be sure, but overruling the court by constitutional amendment seems unnecessary at the present time.

[Ebowed]

Typical.

[Sam Spade]

I see no reason to change what presently works.

Now that the Northeastern Region is well on its way to passing a minimum wage consistent with that of other regions—and higher than than of the continental United States, I'm inclined to agree.

It was a bad court ruling to be sure, but overruling the court by constitutional amendment seems unnecessary at the present time.

Technically, all states in the NE Region except New Hampshire already have higher minimum wages than $5.15 an hour per 2003 numbers (which are the relevant ones).

[Verily]

I agree with Mr. Moderate that, with all Regions having reasonable minimum wages, there's no reason to overrule them immediately.

[Former Moderate]

I see no reason to change what presently works.

Now that the Northeastern Region is well on its way to passing a minimum wage consistent with that of other regions—and higher than than of the continental United States, I'm inclined to agree.

It was a bad court ruling to be sure, but overruling the court by constitutional amendment seems unnecessary at the present time.

Technically, all states in the NE Region except New Hampshire already have higher minimum wages than $5.15 an hour per 2003 numbers (which are the relevant ones).

The new NE minimum wage—which is currently leading in the vote—will be $6.75 for 2008 and $7.75 for 2009; indexed to inflation thereafter.  Most states in the region already outpace the $6.75 minimum, but when the $7.75 rate takes effect on Jan. 1, 2009, only Massachusetts will have a minimum higher than the regional rate ($8.00 per hour).

[afleitch]

Not this again. For the record I will vote no.

[Sam Spade]

24 hours having passed since debate ended on this legislation, I bring a motion to get this legislation to final passage.

[Sam Spade]

We are now voting on the following legislation:

Amendment to Allow the Senate to Set a Minimum Wage

The Senate shall have power to set a minimum wage, as it deems necessary. It shall be variable in that one shall be set for the Republic of Atlasia (the Five Regions) and others shall be set for the Insular Territories, at an appropriate level deemed by the Senate. The Regions shall also have power to set a minimum wage, within their jurisdictions, but this shall only have effect where this wage is greater than that which has been set by the Senate.


Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.


Nay.

[Verily]

Abstain

[Former Moderate]

Abstain.

[Ebowed]

Aye.

I believe it is important that, regardless of its perceived necessity in the immediate future, it is established that the Senate has this basic power, rather than continue to accept an unfair precedent handed down by the Supreme Court more than a year ago.

[Vasall des Midas]

Aye

Agree with Ebowed.

[Sibboleth]

Aye

[Hatman]

Aye

[opebo]

Couldn't you fellows just pass a minimum  wage and the current Supreme Court just rule it constitutional?

[Јas]

Tally on Final Vote
Aye: 4 (Ebowed; Lewis; Al; Earl)
Nay: 1 (Sam)
Abstain: 2 (Verily; Moderate)
Yet to Vote: 3 (afleitch; Brandon; Rob)

7 Aye votes are required to send this amendment for consideration to the regions.

[Brandon H]

Nay

[Јas]

Tally on Final Vote
Aye: 4 (Ebowed; Lewis; Al; Earl)
Nay: 2 (Sam; Brandon)
Abstain: 2 (Verily; Moderate)
Yet to Vote: 2 (afleitch; Rob)

With 2 Nays and 2 declared abstentions, this Amendment is failing.
Senators have 24 hours within which they may change their votes.

[Rob]

Aye.

[Sam Spade]

With 5 votes in favor, 2 against, 2 abstentions and 1 not voting, this legislation has failed.

[Vasall des Midas]

Couldn't you fellows just pass a minimum  wage and the current Supreme Court just rule it constitutional?

No, that's not the way things are done in civilized nations. To simply overturn a grotesque perversion of justice, you either need the pretext of a slightly different case, or let several decades elapse.

[bullmoose88]

Couldn't you fellows just pass a minimum  wage and the current Supreme Court just rule it constitutional?

No, that's not the way things are done in civilized nations. To simply overturn a grotesque perversion of justice, you either need the pretext of a slightly different case, or let several decades elapse.

I/we could use a few cases on the docket. 

As to what Opebo said, hypothetically you could pass a minimum wage act, that would obviously have to differ somewhat from the text of the last squashed act, the questions that would be presented would depend on how much the act differed of course. IMHO.

[opebo]

Couldn't you fellows just pass a minimum  wage and the current Supreme Court just rule it constitutional?

No, that's not the way things are done in civilized nations. To simply overturn a grotesque perversion of justice, you either need the pretext of a slightly different case, or let several decades elapse.

I don't see why you need those conditions, Lewis Trondheim.  Please, encourage the Senate to pass a minimum wage.