Roskam named one of the top public enemies of the Middle Class in Congress

Readers of this blog already know the Roskam is an enemy of the Middle Class residents of Il-6, but now he has just been named one of the top public enemies of the Middle Class in Congress. Read more below:

Americans United for Change Unveils List of Top 18 'Public Enemies of the Middle Class' in Congress

These Enemies of the Middle Class to be targeted with Ads, Events and Online Protests to Convince Them to Stand with Middle Class Americans

* Voted against raising the minimum wage for the first time in a decade
* Voted against leveling the playing field for middle class workers by restoring their freedom to choose unions
* Put the special interests first – double check

Washington D.C. – In response to their full frontal, unapologetic assault on the middle class agenda in the 110th session of the U.S. House of Representatives, Americans United for Change today dubbed eighteen Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, ‘Public Enemies of the Middle Class,’ including Peter Roskam (IL-6).

Specifically, Americans United took issue with the Representative Roskam's votes against: 1) H.R.2, the Fair Minimum Wage Act which would raise the federal minimum wage for the first time since 1997 from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years; and 2) H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act, which would level the playing field for middle class workers by fixing a badly broken system for forming unions and bargaining with big business and Corporate America for better pay and improved benefits. Both bills passed in the U.S. House with bipartisan support, and Americans United for Change, the non-profit advocacy organization perhaps best known for leading the fight to beat back President Bush’s disastrous proposal to privatize Social Security in 2005, is now urging Members of the U.S. Senate to do the right thing and move each element of the middle class agenda to the President’s desk.

“More and more of America’s working people are struggling to make ends meet, and our middle class is disappearing,” said Jeremy Funk, spokesman for Americans United for Change. “At least two meaningful pieces of legislation to reverse this trend have already come before Congress this year – and, unfortunately, these eighteen Members were no where to be found when the middle class families they represent needed them most. Just last week, they each opposed the Employee Free Choice Act, which would give middle-class workers a fair shake by fixing a badly broken system for forming unions and bargaining with Corporate America for better pay, improved benefits and retirement security. Earlier this year, each of these Members opposed the first increase in the federal minimum wage in a decade. They couldn’t even be counted on to stand up for the most vulnerable workers in their states who live in borderline poverty. It’s a question of priorities and a question of values – and it’s clear that each of these Members have lost touch with the values of middle class Americans, whom overwhelmingly support these important initiatives. Until they get their priorities straight in Washington and stop pandering to the special interests at the expense of working people, we will continue to identify each Member as their districts’ ‘middle class public enemy #1.’”

While more than 18 Republicans voted against both the minimum wage increase and the Employee Free Choice Act in the House, these 18 were selected as public enemies of the middle class because they either come from districts where these issues have gained added resonance because of the growing disparity between the wages of workers and corporate executives or because they had been identified as persuadable on these issues.

“Americans United for Change is prepared to make ‘poster children’ out of there 18 members – and others – who continue to put the interests of the corporate America – which has had its way in Washington for the past six years – ahead of the interests of families and workers,” said Funk. “If it takes television ads, online protests and public events with angry constituents to get these folks to do the right thing by middle class Americans -- then so be it.”


Why middle class workers support the Employee Free Choice Act:

The Employee Free Choice Act would: 1) strengthen penalties for companies that illegally coerce or intimidate employees in a effort to prevent them from forming a union; 2) bring in a neutral third party to settle a contract when a company and a newly certified union cannot agree on a contract after three months of negotiations; 3) establish 'majority sign up', meaning that if a majority of the employees sign union authorization cards, validated by the National Labor Relations Board, a company must recognize the union.

It would level the playing field in a system that’s stacked entirely in employers’ favor – a system that routinely lets corrupt employers’ get away with harassment, intimidation, coercion and even dismissal of workers who try to organize unions. See this report from American Rights At Work exposing the shocking reality of routine company union-busting intimidation tactics in the workplace.

The Employee Free Choice Act is overwhelmingly supported by 69 percent of American public, according to a recent poll from the AFL-CIO. More than half of U.S. workers – nearly 60 million – say they would join a union right now if they could.

Workers who belong to a union earn 30 percent more than nonunion workers. Union workers are 62 percent more likely to have employer-provided health coverage and four times more likely to have pensions than nonunion workers.


Why middle class families support the Fair Minimum Wage Act:

The minimum wage has not been increased in nearly a decade, making this the longest span without a minimum wage increase since the wage was first implemented.

Adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage is at its lowest level in 50 years.

83 percent of Americans support an increase in the federal minimum wage.

Workers earning the minimum wage will only make $10,700 over the next year, $4,367 under the poverty threshold for a family of three. 3

Nearly 13 million people would likely benefit from the increase – 5.6 million directly and 7.4 million indirectly.

See this report from the Center for American Progress debunking the myth that a minimum wage increase would hurt small businesses.

Sneaky Pete strikes again

Sneaky Pete is at it again. Last time I wrote about him he was introducing and bragging about an amendment that he previously voted against (and that doesn't do anything). Now he is cosigning letters urging legislative provisions that he previously voted against. It appears his hypocrisy knows no bounds.

What I’m referring to is the fact he just cosigned a letter written by Republican swing seat battler Heather Wilson urging Pelosi to immediately pass the Senate’s legislation to raise the minimum wage. In the letter they say specifically,

“We believe it is past due for a raise in the minimum wage, which is why many of us joined in supporting a stand-alone minimum wage bill in the House. . . .

. . . we believe considering the Senate amendment is the quickest and most effective means of giving low-income workers a pay increase. Workers who make $10,700 per year while working 40 hours a week do not care if a bill to increase their wages originates in the House or Senate, or if such legislation includes tax incentives for their employers. They simply care if their wages are raised.

Madam Speaker, we believe it is time the minimum wage is increased and a bipartisan solution is within reach. We urge you to bring this compromise package to the House floor for a vote and raise the minimum wage without further delay.”

I agree with the letter's underlying premise that the minimum wage must be increased. The problem is that hypocrite Roskam voted against raising the minimum wage in the first place. The Republicans have been in power for over 10 years without once raising the minimum wage and now hypocrite Roskam is telling Speaker Pelosi, who with Democrats has made raising the minimum wage one of her top priorities, how workers need to have the minimum wage raised immediately. How someone can have the audacity to sign such a letter after voting against raising the minimum wage is beyond me.

Sneaky Pete needs to be asked if he thinks it is so important for the minimum wage to be raised immediately regardless of what else such legislation includes, why did he vote against it? And why do I have this sinking feeling that hypocrite Roskam will end up voting against raising the minimum wage when it finally gets out of conference? We’ve already seen during the last campaign how this guy will flip-flop and say anything to anyone to get elected, but his voting record shows through his hypocrisy and reveals the compassionless extreme conservative he really is. His record speaks for itself and we're not letting him fool us with his empty talk.

Roskam continues to vote out of step with Il-6

Rep. Roskam continues to be a rubber stamp for the Republican leadership too conservative for Il-6. Yesterday's out of touch vote was for a Fiscal 2007 Continuing Resolution, which in layman’s terms is the spending budget for 2007 that was needed because the Republicans failed to complete a budget when they were in power. This resolution would basically continue the 2006 budget but with added funding for veterans' health care, the National Institutes of Health, tenant-based housing vouchers, Pell Grants, and military housing allowances.

The bill passed overwhelmingly, 286-140. While I don’t have polling data, I think most Americans would support continued 2006 spending with these needed additions. But not Roskam – he once again joined the minority of hard line conservatives with his dissenting vote. Seeing him once again vote against the majority of Americans and his Congressional colleagues, I thought it would be interesting to look at the most recent polling to see how Roskam’s other early votes compare to public opinion. Not surprisingly, it is clear the Roskam is voting way too conservatively and is out of touch with the majority of Americans and Il-6 residents.

Now to be fair, there is very little Il-6 specific polling out there so most of the polls I cite are national polls. But lets face it, Il-6 is a battleground district in the Chicago suburbs so we would tend to be pretty similar to the rest of the country. None of the polls are really even close, but if anyone can give me a reason why Il-6 would be so radically different from the rest of America, I’m all ears. And remember, Wheaton college enrollees make up only a small part of the electorate and even there they now allow dancing – so you’ll have to come up with a better reason then that!

Anyways, without further ado I’d like to present Roskam’s early voting.

Minimum Wage – Jan. 10th – HR 2
Despite the fact 86% of Americans support raising the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, Roskam still voted no. It passed the House overwhelmingly, 315-116.

Stem Cell Research – Jan. 11th – HR 3
Overall Americans support using stem cell research to help cure diseases by a nearly 2-1 margin with 61% in support against only 31% who oppose such a measure. All of the leading Illinois Universities strongly supported allowing this critical research. Even State House Republican Leader Tom Cross recognizes the popularity of using stem cell research to find cures, "Stem cell research has bi-partisan support in both chambers, just as it has overwhelming support across the state and across the country." Despite Roskam’s no vote, it sailed through the House 253-174.

Medicare Part D – Jan. 12th – HR 4
79% of Americans support having Medicare use its bulk purchasing power to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices while only 17% are in opposition. Does Roskam side with American seniors and the 79% who would like them to have access to cheaper prescription drugs? Of course not. Despite Roskam siding with the pharmaceutical industry, the bill easily passed the House 255-170.

Energy – Jan. 19th – HR 6
Already written several posts about this vote. Despite Roskam’s no vote, it passed by over 100 votes, 264-163.

Not that it was needed, but there you have it. Further proof that Roskam is out-of-touch with his constituents and too conservative for Il-6.

Roskam votes against hard working Illinoisans

DumpRoskam.org Chides ultra-conservative Rep. Roskam for Vote Against Long Overdue Bill to Raise the Minimum Wage to $7.25/hr

Ultra-conservative Rep. Roskam voted against bipartisan legislation to boost earnings for nearly 13 million American workers and their families for the first time since 1997

Lomard, Il – As thousands of Illinois workers and their families celebrate the passage of legislation in the House to increase the minimum wage, the first step in an effort to increase the minimum wage for the first time since 1997, DumpRoskam.org criticized U.S. Rep. Roskam today for his/her vote against H.R.2 – legislation to raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years. The long overdue, bipartisan bill passed by a wide margin of 315-116 – including 82 Republicans -- Wednesday night in the U.S. House of Representatives without the support of Rep. Roskam. The minimum wage has not been increased in nearly a decade, making this the longest span without a minimum wage increase since the wage was first implemented. Adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage is at its lowest level in 50 years. In fact, workers earning the minimum wage will only make $10,712 over the next year, $4,367 under the poverty threshold for a family of three. Nearly 13 million people would likely benefit from the increase – 5.6 million directly and 7.4 million indirectly.

“All boats should rise with the tide – not just the yachts,” said Jeff Cruz, spokesperson for the Change America Now! campaign. “For far too long, ordinary hardworking Illini have been denied a livable wage, but the passage of this bill to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour with such strong bipartisan unity is an extraordinarily positive step forward. It’s just disappointing that Rep. Roskam chose to stand on the side of the corporate specials interests instead of standing on the side of working families and supporting an increase in the minimum wage.

100 Hours: Raising the Minimum Wage

During the first 100 legislative hours of the 110th Congress, one of the bills that the House will consider is a bill that will help up to 13 million Americans and their families by increasing the minimum wage. The measure would increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years.

Increasing the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour would bring a pay raise for up to 13 million Americans.

*Raising the minimum wage would provide an additional $4,400/year for a family of three, equaling 15 months of groceries, or over two years of health care – helping them to keep up with rising costs. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, August 2006; Consumer Expenditures Survey, 2003-2004]

*Nearly 13 million people would likely benefit from the increase – 5.6 million directly and 7.4 million indirectly. This includes 7.7 million women, 3.4 million parents, and 4.7 million people of color. [EPI, December 2006]

*It is wrong to have millions of Americans working full-time and year-round and still living in poverty. At $5.15 an hour, a full-time minimum wage worker brings home $10,712 a year –nearly $6,000 below the poverty level for a family of three.

*A minimum wage increase is particularly important at a time when America’s families have seen their real income drop by almost $1,300 since 2000, while the costs of health insurance, gasoline, home heating, and attending college have increased by almost $5,000 annually. [Government Reform, 9/21/06]

*The minimum wage has not increased in more than nine years – the longest period in the history of the law. During that time, Members of Congress have received a $31,600 pay raise. The real value of the minimum wage has plummeted to its lowest level in 51 years. [Economic Policy Institute, 6/06]

*An average CEO earns more before lunchtime in one day than a minimum wage worker earns all year. [EPI, 6/2706]

Increasing the minimum wage has broad bipartisan and popular support.

*Supported by 89 percent of the American public in a recent poll. [Newsweek poll,11/11/06] Another recent poll showed 72 percent of Republicans support the minimum wage increase. [Pew Research poll, 4/19/06]

*President stated he would “find common ground” with Congress on a minimum wage increase. [11/8/06]

*Voters in six states passed minimum-wage-increase ballot measures in November – including Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio. [Washington Post, 11/19/06] As of January 1, 2007, twenty-eight states along with D.C. have a state minimum wage above the current federal level.

*Supported by a range of organizations, including labor (AFL-CIO, SEIU, AFSCME, UNITE, Steelworkers), religious (National Council of Churches, the Interfaith Alliance, U.S. Catholic Conference, Alliance of Baptists), and civil rights organizations (NAACP, MALDEF, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee).

* The minimum wage increase has the support of the majority in both the House and the Senate – with 64 House Republicans voting for a $7.25 per hour minimum wage under a vocational education bill in July 2006, and a majority of Senators, including eight Republican Senators, voting for the minimum wage increase in June 2006. [Vote #366, motion to instruct on S.250, 7/12/06; Vote #179, amendment to S.2766, 6/21/06]