The Fair Wage and Community Revitalization Act (reintroduced)

[Sam Spade]

I would like to propose an amendment to Clause 1, as presently proposed:

Clause 1
The federal minimum wage of Atlasia shall be increased by $0.30 per hour over the next two years, until it reaches the level of $5.75/hour.

[Colin]

By the way, this amendment will enact the largest minimum wage increase in the history of Atlasia.

http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/chart.htm

Maybe, but it's not exactly that huge.  Look at the following increases:

Jan 1, 1981 - $3.35 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Apr 1, 1990 - $3.80 for all covered, nonexempt workers
Apr 1, 1991 - $4.25 for all covered, nonexempt workers

In two years the minimum wage was raised by 90 cents, and I don't recall there being a gigantic economic downturn as a result.

Mr. Gabu I would ask that you recheck your facts. 1990-1992 was one of the last major recessions in modern United States history. Heck George H.W. Bush lost the 1992 election because of the down turn in the economy. Clinton used the recession at the time to wear away Bush's support.

The deficit was such a problem that taxes were hiked, going against Bush's promise of "No new taxes". Also when a third party candidate who basically runs on the platform of solving the deficit and creating a surplus gets almost 20% of the vote it shows how much of a problem it was for the American people.

You can see from this that an increase of less than one dollar helped the economy go into a recession. Doing an increase of one dollar during an economically fragile period like this would be practical suicide for the economy especially since, as we have seen from the recent economic data released.

Why try something that has a likelihood of hurting the economy when we want to ensure that it continues to grow? We should only increase the minimum wage when it would be economically viable to do so, like during the period of economic growth during the '90s.

[12th Doctor]

I would like to draw to the attention of the President Pro-Temp (not his fault, probably hasn't signed on since last night) that my proposed ammendment has passed with 5 votes.

[Sam Spade]

I would like to draw the PPT's attention to the fact that Supersoulty's amendment has passed and that I have proposed a new amendment which I would like to see brought to a vote.

[12th Doctor]

I vote Nay


on Senator Spade's amendment

[Gabu]

Sorry, I have these things called "classes" that I need to attend and this other thing called "sleep" than I need to do every now and then.  Kinda puts a crimp on my ability to be here 24 hours a day.

With five votes in favor to three against, I hereby declare Supersoulty's amendment to have passed.

I now open the voting on SamSpade's amendment to amend Supersoulty's amendment to read as follows:

"The federal minimum wage of Atlasia shall be increased by $0.30 per hour over the next two years, until it reaches the level of $5.75/hour."

I'll count Supersoulty's vote; no need to vote again.

[Colin]

Yea

[Reaganfan]

Nay

[Nym90]

Nay

[John Dibble]

Colin Wixted, Naso - your votes don't exactly make sense. You voted against Supersoulty's amendment, but now you are voting against an amendment that would actually have a lower minimum wage increase than Supersoulty's now passed amendment - did you not realize this, or is there something I'm not seeing?

[Sam Spade]

Aye on Sen. Spade's amendment.

I would like to propose another amendment to this bill.

Clause 4
If at any time within the next 3 years, either one of these two things occur...

1.  Two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, as reported by the Commerce Department.

2. Unemployment numbers grow above 7% for two consecutive quarters, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The minimum wage increase proposed in Clause 1 will become null and void and the minimum wage will return to its present level of $5.15/hr.

[John Dibble]

Aye on Sen. Spade's amendment.

I would like to propose another amendment to this bill.

Clause 4
If at any time within the next 3 years, either one of these two things occur...

1.  Two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, as reported by the Commerce Department.

2. Unemployment numbers grow above 7% for two consecutive quarters, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The minimum wage increase proposed in Clause 1 will become null and void and the minimum wage will return to its present level of $5.15/hr.

Excellent amendment, support it.

[WMS]

Nay on Sam Spade's Amending Amendment. The latest minimum wage one, you know.

I am likely to back his most recent one, but as it hasn't been formally put up for a vote yet...

[12th Doctor]

Nay on Senator Spades Second Amendment.

Anything, like, say, a terroist attack could cause that to happen.  This needs to be drastically ammended to gain my support.  Perhapes a slight drop.  Not a return to the status quo.

[John Dibble]

You guys need to learn to wait until a vote is actually called, lol.

[Sam Spade]

Nay on Senator Spades Second Amendment.

Anything, like, say, a terroist attack could cause that to happen.  This needs to be drastically ammended to gain my support.  Perhapes a slight drop.  Not a return to the status quo.

Would you be for it if I put in such language to say that a terrorist attack on the US would have to happen in the span of one year prior to one of these conditions being met and defined what a terrorist attack is?

[Gabu]

Uh, guys, we still need at least one more vote on the first amendment by Sam Spade.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

[12th Doctor]

Nay on Senator Spades Second Amendment.

Anything, like, say, a terroist attack could cause that to happen.  This needs to be drastically ammended to gain my support.  Perhapes a slight drop.  Not a return to the status quo.

Would you be for it if I put in such language to say that a terrorist attack on the US would have to happen in the span of one year prior to one of these conditions being met and defined what a terrorist attack is?

I would like to see less of a reduction (perhaps half) on the minimum wage and an "unusual circumstances" provision.

[MAS117]

 Nay on Sam Spade's Amending Amendment

[Gabu]

With five votes against to two in favor, I hereby declare Sam Spade's first amendment to be failed.

I now open voting on his second amendment, to add the following section to the bill:

Clause 4
If at any time within the next 3 years, either one of these two things occur...

1. Two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, as reported by the Commerce Department.

2. Unemployment numbers grow above 7% for two consecutive quarters, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The minimum wage increase proposed in Clause 1 will become null and void and the minimum wage will return to its present level of $5.15/hr.

[Sam Spade]

Aye.

[Gabu]

Aye.  If the minimum wage increase honestly does not work, then I see no reason why it would be a bad idea to have a provision for it to be repealed immediately.

[Platypus]

Do we even HAVE a commerce Dep't.?

I vote nay on the amendment. I don't like all this minimum wage discussion in this bill. If it is considered to be so important, it should be a different bill. Seperate it, if thats what has to be done to get the focus on the other sections.

[John Dibble]

I don't like all this minimum wage discussion in this bill. If it is considered to be so important, it should be a different bill. Seperate it, if thats what has to be done to get the focus on the other sections.

Probably a good idea.

[12th Doctor]

Nay

Not unless it is amended.