Republicans Kill Minimum Wage Increase Again

For the ninth time since 1997, the Republicans have refused to raise the minimum wage, which has been stuck at $5.15 an hour for almost a decade.

Check out this map of minimum wage rates at the state level. The majority of the states that tend to vote Democrat have higher wages than the federal $5.15 wage. Here in San Francisco, wages are $8.50, the highest in the country. And guess what? Businesses didn't close and workers didn't lose their jobs. The Republicans love to say that a wage increase will result in job losses. That simply isn't true.

Meantime, Republican House members gave themselves a $3,300 raise increasing their salaries to $168,500. The two percent cost-of-living raise is their seventh straight raise.

The raise would also apply to Cheney (God knows he needs it) -- who is president of the Senate -- congressional leaders and Supreme Court justices.

This year, Cheney, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Chief Justice John Roberts receive $212,100. Associate justices receive $203,000.