Those damned Republicans!!!

I don't believe it!!! After a decade of consistently raising their own salaries, and not upping the minimum wage even one dime, the House of Representatives finally got a bill to the Senate that would raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour (hardly a living wage) ... over three years -- BUT ... it's been tied to a decrease in the Estate Tax for the super wealthy AND it's been cleverly held up so that it's down to the last week before recess (in a Midterm Election year) so that it will be blamed on the Democrats if they line up against it -- which they SHOULD!!

Although over six million workers (mostly manual laborers) would benefit marginally from the minimum wage increase, it is estimated that more than 8,000 "heirs" would have $1.4 million added to their alrady multi-million dollar inheritances.

On top of that, the GOP has cleverly added some "sweeteners" (that's what they're called, anyway) that make it almost impossible for persons like my own Senator Maria Cantwell (up for reelection) to vote against it -- in her case, they added tax breaks for the timber industry -- the industry that has denuded the area around Grays Harbor County (my home!!) worse than the locust plagues of Biblical times, but from which all Washington State lawmakers slink and cringe.

So what to do? We stand tall!! We should ask our Senators to stick to sound and compassionate principles and kill the stupid bill when it's voted on tomorrow in its present form ... then campaign like all getout between now and November and elect a Democratic Congress (both houses) so as to put in a $11.23 per hour (scientifically computed by my better students at Grays Harbor College as the average national hourly rate associated with abject poverty) minimum wage -- along with a modest increase in the Estate Tax.

Damned Republicans! What will they think of next?