Tax Breaks for The Minimum Wage

    I'm a little disappointed that House Democrats have apparently caved into the demand that, in order to get a minimum wage hike, business has to get tax breaks. Is there any piece of economic legislation that we can pass in this day and age that does not have a tax break in it? Please.

    Here's the first few paragraphs from today's Wall Street Journal story that reports on an emerging deal:

House Democrats are preparing a $1 billion package of small-business tax breaks to be paired with an increase in the federal minimum wage, hoping to break a stalemate with the Senate over one of their top legislative priorities.

In doing so, the House is likely to avoid many of the revenue increases passed by the Senate in its small-business tax package, increases that have caused heartburn for business groups and lawmakers in both parties.

The House package is far smaller than the $8 billion, 10-year package of tax breaks the Senate approved last week as part of its minimum-wage-increase package. Still, it represents a nod by the House to the Senate's insistence that tax breaks are needed to get Republican support sufficient to enact a phased-in, $2.10-an-hour increase in the minimum wage.

    There was no need for the tax breaks. Who will have the courage to stand up and say, "Enough" when it comes to the mantra on tax breaks?

Comments

[Sean P]

So what happened to Pelosi's (and the Congressional Democrats') pledge to implement pay-as-you-go budgeting? Are they planning to cut the Pentagon budget by $1 billion to generate the necessary bribes to Republicans and business interests so that the minimum wage can be raised by a pathetic amount?

According to "A New Direction for America" fact sheet:
"Democrats also plan to pursue pay-as-you-go legislation in order to protect our grandchildren from mountains of debt and spur economic growth."

Seems like the New Direction is identical to the old direction.

[Sean P]

So what happened to Pelosi's (and the Congressional Democrats') pledge to implement pay-as-you-go budgeting? Are they planning to cut the Pentagon budget by $1 billion to generate the necessary bribes to Republicans and business interests so that the minimum wage can be raised by a pathetic amount?

According to "A New Direction for America" fact sheet:
"Democrats also plan to pursue pay-as-you-go legislation in order to protect our grandchildren from mountains of debt and spur economic growth."

Seems like the New Direction is identical to the old direction.

[Jessica Emami]

Yes, I am pretty ticked off about this tit for tat from the administration. Do we really owe them tax breaks after years of them having done NOTHING for the average worker on this issue? Lifting the minimum wage will affect all business across the board but they use it once again as an opportunity to create additional windfalls for their rich friends. :(

[uniter]

why doesn't someone put language in the bill that says, " if you take the tax cut , you can't layoff any employees"
other wise it's the same old thing take the taxbreak and screw the workers

[Robin O. Hunter]

Bend over America. It's another screwing for the middle class and their children who will have to pay these whining businessmen to stay in business. Usually it's the Republicans doing it to us. I'm damned chagrined that the Democrats want to emulate the GOP (Grease Our Palms, Grab Our Profits and Give Others Poverty). For everyone who jumped on the Democratic horse hoping to head off in a sane direction, this is a U-turn -- and we should beat this horse til it heads in the proper direction.