McCaskill: Talent should take a stand

    With the Labor Day weekend coming up, Claire McCaskill called on Sen. Jim Talent today to tell voters whether or not he supports the minimum wage ballot initiative. Talent has opposed congressional attempts to raise the minimum wage, but has been mum on the state ballot measure.

   "He has refused to say how he stands on the minimum wage increase in November," McCaskill said during a conference call with reporters. "I don't understand that."

    Talent's Democratic opponent said the state's $5.15 per hour wage hasn't changed since 1997. The ballot initiative would raise it by a dollar.

    "This administration, with the help of the Republican Congress, has been all about the very thinnest sliver at the top - CEOs, Wall Street, board rooms - and not about working families," McCaskill said.

     She also repeated her call that oil companies should be forced to retrofit gasoline pumps with temperature-sensing devices to prevent consumers from being ripped off. The Star recently revealed that drivers were paying for gas they weren't getting because when fuel is hotter than normal, it expands.

Posted by David Goldstein

Comments

Go Claire!!!

[alan]

This is about just as important as asking Claire her stand on the gay marriage initiative in 2004. At least she answered then.

[KC Cicero]

Talent is like the rest of the Bush/Chaney Kleptocracy. He is in favor of minimum wage -- as minimum as it can get!

These folks aren't good capitalists. It was Henry Ford who raised his employees salaries -- and when criticized by the Chaneys of 1900 -- told tham that it did little good to make cars if no one could afford to buy cars.

Talent's a chicken. Why can't he just say he doesn't support raising the minimum wage? Balk. Balk. Balk.

[John Evans]

These guys don't associate with anyone who would work for minimum wage. They let a flood of illegals come in to drop the construction workers wages which were starting to rise. We are in the grip of a Republican ran, corporate financed Dictatorship. They will steal another election and go on about dismantleing our constitution. Talent is a disgrace to this nation.

[Ed Friedemann]

John Evans

The Bushco bunch are all guilty of treason. And I wouldn't mind seeing them having to build their own gallows on the front lawn of the White House before they walk or are dragged up the thirteen steps, have their heads stuck in a noose and drop from the rope to twist slowly in the wind.

The price for treason, from the constitution they so despise.

Like Judge Roy Bean would have said: "Of course we'll give em' a fair trial first."

[bill]

Um, KC Cicero, are you aware of what you wrote above?

You criticize Bush for not being a "good capitalist" -- and then you use PRIVATE INDUSTRY to justify increasing GOVERNMENT SPENDING. Republicans have no problems with higher wages -- but we want the companies to raise the wages.

The economic arguments DO NOT argue for the idea that a higher minimum wage (by government) is good for the economy.

And, even for people who DO support the minimum wage -- can you at least understand that STATES or CITIES are in a better place than the federal government to have minimum wages (it costs more to live in California than Kansas; it costs more to live in Chicago, IL, than it does in Springfield, IL). What good is a Washington, DC-based minimum wage for the entire country?

In writing, I'm hopeful that you base your arguments off fact. I haven't read enough from you, so I don't know if you're nuts, like Ed.

[gary]

This post should be titled, "Americans: Reporters should start reporting."

Dave Helling and Steve Kraske COULD do a news story about why studies show that raising the minimum wage results in a loss of jobs. No, no -- don't even talk about why -- just please at least report that evidence points toward this idea.

Note to Helling and Kraske: do you guys understand why the NY Times and LA Times is losing so much money? Do you understand why Connie Chung didn't make it at MSNBC? Why CNN's ratings stink?

Competition.

The very fact that the Star does this blog shows that there is serious competition from other people (in the cases of blogs, mostly from people who don't even make any money off of it). We've seen the news stories that show the NY Times laying off staff. The minute that an "Examiner" or similar paper shows up in town, let's all get ready for the headlines: "McClatchey lays off 500 people this week."

[Tommy]

Gary has it right...and people should quit ignoring the FACTS about minimum wage and the MAXIMUM negative impact they have on the economy.

[Political Moderate]

Recent studies by an Oakland economist associated with UC-Berkely with the best information and the best effort at impartiality indicate there isn't an adverse effect on entry-level jobs as the opponents want others to believe.
Instead, some interesting economic modeling shows the opposite effect occurs; there is a slight increase in these minimum wage jobs.
While there is a short-term effect on profits, this adjusts and there is a beneficial reward for raising wages. This happens as the result of revenue enhancement.
We are so often stuck in our paradigms that we don't look at the science and the evidence.
Republicans have been blocking this measure so long that they aren't looking at information available that points in other directions.
Ostriches have this same problem.
A follower like Jim Talent would never question the paradigms.
Jim Talent is bad for Missouri.

[Chris]

Why does it matter what Talent thinks? This is a STATE ballot issue, not a National one. This is just Claire trying to get Jim to take the bait. Smart move by Talent to just ignore it.

[Political Moderate]

Stealth campaigning. Got to admit that worked for Matt Bartle under the direction of Jeff Roe.
Of course, some people think this is a gutless way of being a leader...a Senator.
I like to know how my representatives feel about important issues. Silly me to be concerned with more than the fat cats of this State.

[tsquare]

I have some questions:

[ tsquare: no personal attacks please. Thanks, Keith ]

Could someone tell me why the Democrats haven’t yet figured out that it’s the 21st century and that the time of thousands of workers laboring in a factory is over. The economy is no longer about what you can do it’s about what you can think.

And while we’re at it, could someone tell me just what you have to do to earn only minimum wage?

MacDonnell’s pays more… 7.25 to start. Wal-Mart pays more, Charter Communications for it’s call centers pays more 8.00 to start. Temp factory jobs, I don’t know what that means, or anything, I just looked it up on Monster, starts at 10.00 with raises for performance (showing up)

What job is there that is ‘lower’ than Wal-Mart or MacDonnell’s? Or temp factory work.

[Old Drum]

Chris, do you think our junior Senator should be consistent or not?

Why does it matter what Talent thinks? This is a STATE ballot issue, not a National one. This is just Claire trying to get Jim to take the bait. Smart move by Talent to just ignore it.

****
So, why is the junior Senator able to take a position on stem cell research but not on the minimum wage?

Of course, the junior Senator is a resident of Missouri, so what is wrong with asking him how will vote on ALL these inititives? He can on some, but not on the others.

What a profile in courage!

[Ed Friedemann]

Blogging for the KC Star?

[susan]

Many retail jobs start at minumum wage. My college-aged son has several friends who work at Abercrombia & Fitch, Hollister, etc. and they make minimum wage.

[Wes]

Good points, Bill. The frustration is that the vast, vast majority of time, left to their own devices, corporations will not look out for the interests of the workers. I have not been a proponent of unions in my life and definately for less government, but representation of workers has given way to greed - and not just the extreme examples like Enron et al.

[Chris]

Old Drum - So now we should just make it standard practice to ask everyone how they will vote? Since when is that public knowledge?

Perhaps if the Democrats didn't block the bill in Congress, we would all know where Talent stands on Minimum wage.

Talent - lying hypocrite:

While others pick sides, Talent silent on minimum wage measure

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Locked in a partisan dispute, the U.S. Senate has been unable to agree on legislation raising the federal minimum wage.

But Missourians will get a chance to decide the issue themselves this November, with a ballot measure that would raise the state's minimum wage from the federal level of $5.15 an hour to $6.50, effective Jan. 1. Each year after that, the state's wage rate would continue to rise with inflation.

The Missouri measure was certified last week to appear on the ballot. And the battle sides already are forming.

Labor unions are for it. The state's major business groups are against it.

Republican Gov. Matt Blunt also voiced opposition Friday, saying the ballot measure could harm job growth and the economy. On Saturday, the Missouri Democratic Party endorsed it, saying it would ensure fair pay for workers long overdue a raise.

Democratic state auditor candidate Susan Montee is helping finance the campaign for the ballot measure. And incumbent State Auditor Claire McCaskill has made her support for the minimum wage increase a frequent talking point in her Democratic Senate campaign against Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Talent.

Talent, however, has refused to take a position on the minimum wage ballot measure.

"I don't generally take positions on state and local issues, including ballot issues," Talent said Friday, echoing a response he has given several times before.

Talent explains that it's his role to take positions on federal issues - for example, on a minimum wage bill being considered in Washington. And he adds: "I think it's a little presumptuous for federal officers to just freely tell, to just prolifically or regularly tell state and local people - Missourians - about how they ought to handle other issues."

Of course, Talent already has made a very high-profile exception to his rule against taking sides on Missouri ballot issues.

After considerable deliberation, Talent came out in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would protect embryonic stem cell research in Missouri.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/

>> After considerable deliberation, Talent came out in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would protect embryonic stem cell research in Missouri. <<

[Max]

The points against the minimum wage brought up in this thread are at least solid and well researched, if flawed. You'd think if there were such solid points against such a minimum wage hike that Senator Talent would show some political backbone and make his case for why it shouldn't be raised.

But no one ever accused Talent of having a spine. He's probably busy asking the Bush administration what his stand should be on the issue.

[milwolf]

Claire still has not responded to the Ethics and Campaign violations which were levied against her .

Kraske and Helling have given her a free pass !!!

[Old Drum]

Chris, We know who Talent stands on the minimum wage in Congress: the working poor get an increase if the wealthiest Americans get a tax cut. That was the vote and Talent tied raising the minumum wage to Paris Hilton's tax cut.

Why can't he tell us his position on an initiative in the State of Missouri when the minimum wage is not tied to Paris Hilton's tax cut?

[Chris]

Because it is an initiative in the State of Missouri! He or Claire will have no effect on it from Congress in Washington. All they can do is vote on it, like you and me. As I said before, it is a political ploy by Claire to try and get him to answer.

And why is it that the Democrats refuse to accept a compromise in Congress? Minimum wage for Tax cut. Turns out the Democrats don't really care about raising minimum wage as much as they will lead on.

[milwolf]

What is amazing to me is that NONE of the LIBERAL OPPONENTS to the recent tax cuts HAVE RETURNED THEIR TAX SAVINGS back TO THE GOVERNMENT to help the poor people...

Why ? Because they are hypocrites !!!

[Phyllis Nudsakk]

Hmmm... let's see. Talent doesn't like minimum wage hike federally, but has no stand in the state he represents. It takes about a 2nd grade education to deduce if he doesn't like beef, he won't eat a hamburger. He doesn't like the big picture (federal wage hike) he probably won't like a specific, more narrow part (state wage hike). Why should the upper class get a tax break when the lower class gets a wage boost? How about this... how about every time the upper class gets a tax break or another perk by our "government" then the lower class gets a wage hike? Same concept the conservative right are arguing, only reversed. We'd all be millionaires in about 2 and a half years.

Oh, and about the whole "liberal" thing. You say it like it's a bad thing, but you think "conservative" is a compliment. As a "liberal", I am no longer calling you "conservative". I am going to hither-fore call you "dog droppings". Why? Your ideas stink, your compassion is lop-sided and when you leave the system it will be a big relief!!