Topic: Minimum Wage

Lottery surplus: It’s all about HOPE

By Jimmie Garland, Sr. | December 31, 2007 |

America, a land of many opportunities, has both real and perceived problems in communication between the have’s and the have-not’s. As citizens of this great country, we must never forget the trials and tribulations our ancestors witnessed as they worked to carve out our heritage. Many worked in the fields while others were viewed as “privileged” to work in the homes of their owners.

One might believe I am only referring to the plight of the blacks. That is far from the truth. Throughout the history of the United States, there were servants of all ethnicities and both genders.

I make this statement as a prelude for my response to Leaf Chronicle editorial (12.31.07). The editorial addressed the division of funds generated by the Tennessee Lottery to fund the HOPE Scholarship program. The apparent position of the writer was that anyone who can not maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average doesn’t deserve a chance to achieve a college education. Let me remind that writer that there have been presidents of this country who had less than a 3.0 GPA, and some who had no formal education at all.

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Sections: Opinion | 8 Comments

Minimum Wage should be increased even more

By David W. Shelton | July 26, 2007 |

The minimum wage increase went into effect on Tuesday. It’s now $5.85 per hour. Strangely, some corporations have whined that it would lead to layoffs. I could go on for hours why this notion is poppycock, but I’ll just as easily make my point with just one company.A few years back while I was a manager for a movie theatre chain, I was under a standing order to never, ever ask for a wage increase for hourly employees. They would start at minimum wage, and would be kept there! Furthermore, theatre chains are exempt from overtime laws. Some employees would work sixty to eighty hours a week to make ends meet, and were limited to minimum wage. These are often kids starting out in their first jobs, adults who want to supplement their incomes, or retired folk who just wanted something to do. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics | 11 Comments

Senator Kennedy on Republican efforts to block minimum wage increase for the poor, by tying it to more tax breaks for the rich

By Bill Larson | January 26, 2007 |

Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) goes off on Senate Republicans as they again try to block the first minimum wage increase in 10 years. These people have no shame, no compassion, or empathy for their fellow man.

One of the best suggestions I have recently seen is to require Senators to live on the minimum wage while in office. But barring that we should at least tie Congressional pay raises to increases in the minimum wage. To paraphrase the Soup nazi from the popular Seinfeld TV show episode… No minimum wage increase, NEXT! no raise for you.

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Sections: Politics | No Comments

Health: It’s not just what you eat

By Christine Anne Piesyk | December 6, 2006 |

Just this morning, I read that Tennessee is in the bottom five of fifty states when it comes to the health of its citizens. In only took a minute, if that, to mentally start listing reasons why, immediately followed by the question, “what are other 90% of our states doing better?”

The health of our citizens directly impacts the health of our state . The health of our citizens is impacted by many factors; it’s not just eating right or exercising or even being lucky or unlucky enough to have “good” or “bad” genes. It’s not just taking soda vending machines out of the schools or removing those bad fats from restaurant foods, or banning smoking. It’s a broader issue, that encompasses not just the obvious: health care systems, nutrition, exercise. It’s a broader issue rooted in economics, education, regional culture, public policy, and a multi-layered infrastructure in dozens of cities and towns that supports — or does not support — good health and well-being. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure | No Comments

A letter to the Democrats

By Bill Larson | November 9, 2006 |

To the Democrats who were recently elected, you have been given 2 years to prove to America that you can lead this nation, and solve some of the problems we face. We expect intense oversight of the Executive Branch to prevent the abuses that went unchecked with the Republican rubber stamp Congress. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics | 1 Comment »

House passes $2 minimum wage increase - with a $750 billion estate tax cut

By Beth Robinson | August 2, 2006 |

On July 29, 2006 the House voted 230-180 to raise the $5.15 hourly minimum wage in three 70-cent steps until it reaches $7.25 in mid-2009. The possible increase in the minimum wage is way overdue but the only way Democrats could get it passed was to let the Republicans ‘tack on’ an estate tax cut which overwhelming targets the wealthy.

Please join me in encouraging our US Senators to support increasing the minimum wage but without adding the ’sneaky’ estate tax cut which benefits the top 1% of the wealthiest Americans.

Initially, I thought the minimum wage increase was the highest priority and I couldn’t care about the estate tax.  Then I learned that the Estate tax would cost taxpayers $750 billion. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News, Politics | No Comments

$5.15 an hour, the minimum wage since 1997

By Beth Robinson | June 30, 2006 |

Most Americans support minimum wage increase
Published in the Leaf Chronicle - Jun 30, 2006

On June 21, our two multi-millionaire U.S. senators from Tennessee, Lamar Alexander and Bill Frist, voted “no” again on a bill to increase the minimum wage. I find this appalling.

Growing up on a small farm in Tennessee, it was impressed upon me that hard work was not only expected but also is an important character trait. I think most people agree that no one in the United States who works full time for a living should have to live in poverty. To me, that means they can afford basic housing, groceries (not including meals out), needed health care, child care and other necessities. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, Opinion, Politics | No Comments