poverty | The Left Call

July 27, 2012

House Democrats propose legislation to increase minimum wage to $9.80 an hour

On Thursday more than 100 House Democrats voiced supported for legislation to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.80 an hour. Introduced by Representative George Miller (D-CA), the proposed legislation (known as Miller’s Fair Minimum Wage Act – H.R. 6211) would increase the minimum wage in 85 cent increments each of the next 3 years. When it reaches $9.80 in 3 years, the proposed legislation would link minimum wage to inflation. “Anyone who works hard and plays by the rules should not live in poverty. Yet 47 million Americans now qualify as the working poor. Raising the minimum wage helps families make ends meet,” said Rep. Miller.

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July 14, 2012

Bill O’Reilly and Charles Krauthammer talk food stamps

We know that government is paying a lot more for food assistance (food stamps) due to the Great Recession and decades of failed trickle-down economic policy. But Bill O’Reilly and Charles Krauthammer think there is something much more nefarious going on:

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May 2, 2012

The Right-Wing Extremist Vision For America

I want to start by pointing out that I’m not talking about true conservatives in this article. I’m talking about a growing faction of right-wing extremists that have taken over the Republican Party and who are advocating policies that have no resemblance to conservatism.

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April 19, 2012

PA Sen. Pat Toomey: Only A ‘Small Segment’ Of Americans Are In Need

Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) apparently believes the poverty problem in this country is overblown. At least that is what I interpret from his statement that Americans “who really need help” are only a “small segment of our society.” Toomey made these statements while unveiling the Senate Republican budget plan for 2013. Toomey and his budget cohorts have concluded that the current assistance programs “encourage dependency.” This is nothing new, many Republicans have made similar statements for years and decades. Every time I hear a Republican make a claim like this I ask, “where’s your proof?” Well OK, I haven’t asked them personally, but you know what I mean.