To the 6.6 Million American workers whose wages are tied mercilessly to the Federal Minimum Wage, the U.S. House of Representatives did no favors last week. During the final working hours of the House before their 5 week vacation for a job well done, the members of the House voted to `outfox' the Democrats by pairing the Estate tax giveaway to the much needed increase in the Federal Minimum Wage. Now the Republicans in the House can go to their districts for some much needed campaigning, all the while touting that they voted to raise the minimum wage. As soon as they return to Washington they will be touting the fact that the Democrats have voted against raising the minimum wage, when they are forced to do so to prevent the 8,500 wealthiest families of this nation from depleting the resources of the Federal Government by some estimated $25 Billion Dollars.
Having accomplished so much in the 109th Congress that the members can afford the luxury of a five week hiatus from their public service duties (while still collecting their recently increased nearly $170,000 salaries) to campaign to keep their jobs, here are some of the record amount of expenditures they decided not to take up in an effort to hold no member of their own party accountable:
In the War in Iraq, we the Citizens of the United States spend $8 Billion a Month.
In the War in Iraq, we citizens of this great Nation spend around $266 Million a Day.
In the War in Iraq, we citizens of this great Nation spend around $11 Million an Hour.
In the war in Iraq, we citizens of this great Nation spend around $185,000 per Minute.
A person earning the minimum wage earns a little over $10,700, while the poverty line in America is over $16,000 by comparison.
Consider this: If a minimum wage earner has to drive to work 8-10 miles each way and has a car that gets 20 mpg, that minimum wage earner has to spend one hour working just to afford the privilege of working for a meager living. (Assuming a minimum wage earner could afford a car or the upkeep on it, much less the fuel!)
Since I brought up the high cost of Fuel, let me close with this little gem of knowledge.
Exxon's 2nd quarter totals for 2006, recently released, show earnings of $10.3 Billion.
For three months in 2006, Exxon made more than $114 Million Dollars a Day.
For three months in 2006, Exxon made more than $4.7 Million Dollars an Hour.
For three months in 2006, Exxon made more than $79,000 Dollars a Minute.
For three months in 2006, BP made more than $55,000 per Minute.
How many minutes would the Big Oil Companies have to do without their profits to ensure every hard working American earns a living wage, especially since the oil companies are profiting off the backs of those hard working Americans?