Action pnum339 Last 25 Messages Transmitted Log Raise The Federal Minimum Wage ********** [185341:082308] M.S., Wausau, WI With ALL the Highier Costs of living and NOTHING for retirement...WE NEEDIT!!! Thanks ********** [071725:092306] G.B., North Brunswick, NJ Please do all you can to remedy this disgraceful situation and provide a true living wage to minimum wage workers. Thank you. ********** [071624:092306] L.S., North Brunswick, NJ It is a disgrace that workers in minimum wage jobs cannot support their families. Changing this is long overdue. ********** [112714:082606] V.L., Colorado Springs, CO I am appalled that Congress did not pass a minimum wage increase, especially when Congress saw fit to readily give its membership a pay increase. The costs of basic needs are increasing at a rapid rate. After taxes, someone making minimum wage needs to work about two hours just to purchase a loaf of bread and gallon of milk. Please give more consideration to the plight of too many of our fellow citizens. Increase the minimum wage, thereby decreasing the hardship on our citizenry and our public programs for those in need. ********** [224313:072506] A.M., Malvern, PA When you give yourselves huge raises every year and voting against the minimum wage increase..........you are not Christians ********** [100628:072306] C.K., Smyrna, DE Is there any reality left in this country? In my opinion, the honest, selfless, well-meaning people get punish for being so in the good old USA nowadays. ********** [110832:072106] A.H., New York, NY Once again an increase in the Federal Minimum Wage has been blocked. We all know that no family or even one person can live on the Federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour. The fact that it is still this low is disgraceful. All members of Congress must understand that we cannot be fooled by political maneuvers or phony dialogue about the proposed increases costing The USA jobs. They must understand that WE, the voters in their Districts and States, know their arguments don't hold water and that people are being hurt everyday in America as a result of this freezing Federal Minimum Wage while they give themselves fat pay increases. Senators and your Congressional Representative both must know exactly how disgusted I am by the blockage of a reasonable raise of the Federal Minimum Wage on The Hill. Only by knowing that you will remember their final vote and exercise your power at the Ballot Box will they begin to listen and pass this important bill. ********** [105153:072106] R.S., Santa Cruz, CA Do not ignore this issue. Increase the minimum wage NOW. Too many decent, hardworking Americans are suffering just to get by. To further the gap between the rich and poor will ultimately damage the ruling class in such a way that this country will be changed forever...and not for the good. ********** [215702:072006] D.S., Santa Cruz, CA The gap between rich and poor is the most divisive issue tearing our country apart right now. We need to achieve a certain amount of consensus for our country to be able to progress. We can't go forward when so many workers live in poverty and aren't able to participate in our democracy. ********** [182058:071906] C.B., Venice, FL Everyone in the United States of America is entitled to the pursuit of happiness, liberty and justice. In this say and age this pursuit means the ability to not only feed, clothe and house oneself and ones family but also to educate ones children so that they will be ready to step into the world as productive and caring citizens. There is no way on earth that with a salary of USD $5.15 an hour (USD $206.00 a week or USD $824.00 a month) gross much less after taxes, about USD $772.94 in a state without state income tax or USD $750.00 in a state with state income tax that a person in this country can provide themselves with the basics, much less their family or children. Low costing housing has disappeared in the get rich quick real estate boom, the cost of providing daily meals, much less healthy meals, is at minimum USD $10.00 per day (USD $70.00 per week or USD $210.00 per month) and public transportation if you are lucky enough to live in an area or city with good transportation runs at a minimum USD $3.00 per day (USD $15.00 per week or USD $60.00 per month). After deducting food and transportation you are left with USD $502.94 or USD $480.00 net to pay the rent or mortgage and to provide clothing. If anyone in Congress, either in the House of Representatives or the Senate, really believes that a person can survive much less progress on the minimum wage then I would urge you to reduce your own personal salaries to the USD $5.15 minimum wage amount for it is what you and your representation of your constituents is worth. It would be best at USD 10.00 an hour but knowing that Congress would never consider helping their constituents to that level then in must be raised to at least USD $8.50 an hour. THE MINIMUM WAGE MUST BE RAISED TO A LEVEL OF AT LEAST BASIC SUBSISTANTS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND IN FACT THE SALARY OF ALL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES (CONGRESS INCLUDED) SHOULD BE SET AT THE MINIMUM WAGE LEVEL APPROVED BY CONGRESS FOR THE NATION. ********** [142745:071806] w.m., New York, NY I still remember when, in the dead of night with only a voice vote so you could not be held accountable...you raised your salaries while all of us suffered and the lobbiests and corporations continue to be fed while we go hungry.... You did not pledge allegience to the United CORPORATIONS of America...so remember you work for your STATES! A $4,000 raise is nothing to you with what you make, but a raise in the minimum wage should happen every year so people can keep out of poverty-wages. Thanks to those of you who do vote for it! I'll vote for YOU! ********** [130951:071806] R.R., Nevada City, CA I suggest to our illustrious Congress that they need to make a law wherein they aren't allowed any income increases until they raise the minimum wage in the U.S.; further, I suggest that whatever pay-raise percentage they wish for themselves be automatically given to all American citizens. It's only fair, folks!!! ********** [075010:071706] N.H., Detroit, MI It is reprehensible that the U.S. Congress cannot pass a minimum wage increase for our poorest workers in the United States. At the same time, accepting another increase in their's and other government offical's salari8es and benefits. It is understood that these governmetn officals have received upwareds of $35,000 in increased salaries and benfits since 1997 - the last time there was an increase in the U.S. minimum wage. We should all be ashamed! ********** [142055:071606] p.p., Santa Rosa, CA The federal minimum wage is at its' lowest point in 50 years, in terms of buying power, according to Paul Krugman. This is a disgrace. I will be looking to support any representative who votes to increase the minimum wage. I will oppose any senator/congressperson who works in opposition to this goal. Thank you for your time. ********** [052934:071606] D.P., Santa Rosa, CA Blockage of only a modest raise of the minimum wage of $5.15 per hour was an act of AMORALITY! and is unacceptable. Come on politicos, step up to the plate. ********** [200509:071506] P.G., Naples, FL Quick, name one of your family members that could survive on $5.15 an hour. Even a teenager living at home, trying to save for college or a car or even just a future. NO one can survive on that kind of money. The minimum wage needs to be raised. A two dollar an hour raise may seem a lot but even then, a person working a 40 hour week is making less than $15,000 a year. Counting ALL income, you probably make that in a month! ********** [231755:071406] S.A., Orlando, FL I urge you to vote to raise the minimum wage which is long overdue. It is my understanding that minimum wage has stood at $5.15 for 10 years now. How many employees work that number of years without a raise? Do you know a single person that could support themselves working 40 hrs a week @ this rate? It's not possible to pay for housing, transportation and food not to mention any other expenses and that is for 1 sigle person. Minimum wage earners are forced into communal living and working more than one job just to make ends meet. I feel certain if you take the time to even look at this situation you will be compelled to be sure the minimum wage is raised effective immediately. ********** [151332:071306] S.W., Ventura, CA When CEO's average pay is in the millions and inflation is increasing; it is immoral to not raise the minimum wage. We are all better off with a strong middle class. The common good - not greed should be our guiding principal. Sheila Williams ********** [204614:071206] P.W., Flagstaff, AZ What's good for the goose, as they say, is good for the gander... YOU live on minimum wage!!!... After that, maybe, just maybe, you might see the Light... The Light, in this case, being the fact that EVERYONE in this country is ENTITLED to a DECENT LIVING WAGE. ********** [174616:071206] K.S., Toledo, OH People need to able to live, to support themselves and their families. Please help people achieve a decent standard of living. ********** [141655:071206] J.K., Nashville, TN This Congress, both House and Senate, is totally owned and controlled by the greed mongers of big business corporate America. This is especially true of all the Republican Congresspersons with the exception of Chuck Hagel. The fact that these Republicans will not pass an increase in the minimum wage is a total shame and diisgrace. No one can live on $5.15 per hour especially in this age of $3.00 gas. Throw the greedy Republican bastards (especially You Marsha Blackburn) out of the people's house this November. ********** [131125:071206] M.M., Loa, UT It is hard to be appropriately respectful, when my so-called representatives erode my respect every day with their cash-grubbing, uncaring and downright lying behavior. This nation used to be great, but it has come to the point that the economy has been sold out to our enemies, the poor are not only disenfranchised but are trodden upon daily, and the rich and their friends in the government continue to erode the rest of our economy for their own profits and aggrandizement. Let's make a clean sweep, and vote all of these self serving politicians, wbo are less believable than used car salesmen, and who have broken their oaths to represent their constituents and to protect the constitution of the United States. ********** [123937:071206] S.K., Alexandria, VA Thank you for supporting a raise in the minimum wage for those workers who desperately need it to make ends meet. ********** [083826:071206] J.M., Scituate, MA People cannot be expected to live on $5.15 per hour. It is discgraceful that it has been this low for nearly a decade. ********** [073541:071206] W.M., Brick, NJ Everyday I see the poor trying to make "ends meet" -- they can't do it at $5.15 per hour, and without Welfare, which has been seriously cut back. We need to be more realistic as a nation and help! **********