Economy

Sen. Sinema breaks with Democrats on $15 minimum wage

Published

2 years ago

February 12, 2021

Screen Shot 2021 02 12 at 2.17.59 PM scaled

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D) has broken with fellow Democrats on a federal $15 minimum wage that is included in President Joe Biden‘s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.

“What’s important is whether or not it’s directly related to short-term Covid relief. And if it’s not, then I am not going to support it in this legislation,” Sinema told Politico in an interview this week.

With the U.S. Senate currently split 50-50, Democrats need all the votes they can get in order to pass the package through budget reconciliation, which Sinema, a moderate who was elected in 2018 and became the first Democrat to become a senator for Arizona since 1988, opposes doing for the minimum wage provision.

“The minimum wage provision is not appropriate for the reconciliation process. It is not a budget item. And it shouldn’t be in there,” she also told Politico.

Her opposition to the provision, which Democrats and Biden campaigned for in 2020, could end up dooming the massive package.

Budget reconciliation is a tool that allows legislation to pass with a majority, circumventing the 60-vote filibuster threshold, which Democrats are using to force the bill through the Senate and to the Resolute desk. It should be noted, however, that this tool only pertains to bills dealing with budgetary matters.

However, amid recent calls from many Democrats to get rid of the age-old filibuster rule, Sinema told Politico that she wants to not only keep it, but to also rebuild it.

“There is no instance in which I would overrule a parliamentarian’s decision,” Sinema said. “I want to restore the 60-vote threshold for all elements of the Senate’s work.”

Sinema is joined by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D), who also opposes scrapping the filibuster.

“If I haven’t said it very plain, maybe Sen. McConnell hasn’t understood, I want to basically say it for you. That I will not vote in this Congress, that’s two years, right? I will not vote” to change the filibuster, Manchin told Politico in a late-January interview. “And I hope with that guarantee in place he will work in a much more amicable way.”

Despite Biden having called for a $15 minimum wage multiple times, he told CBS on Sunday that the provision would likely not show up in the final coronavirus package due to it not being a budgetary item and not being related to giving Americans pandemic relief.

“I do think that we should have a minimum wage, stand by itself [at] $15 an hour,” Biden said to CBS’ Norah O’Donnell. “Well, apparently, that’s not going to occur because of the rules of the United States Senate. […] I don’t think it’s going to survive.”

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @Douglas_P_Braff.

Economy

Biden’s 60 Minutes Interview Horrifies White House: ‘Does NOT Reflect the OFFICIAL Position’

Published

1 week ago

September 19, 2022

Sara Carter Staff

Uh oh. Someone let President Joe Biden speak by himself again and damage control immediately ensued. President Joe Biden’s “60 Minutes” interview which aired on CBS Sunday was 60 minutes of pure torture for viewers and 60 minutes of pure angst for the White House; everyone but the president himself.

60 Minutes’ official Twitter account publicly called out the President’s answers with an embarrassing statement that his own administration was in disagreement with him:

“President Biden tells 60 Minutes that U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan in the vent of a Chinese invasion. However, after our interview, a White House official told us that U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed.”

President Biden tells 60 Minutes that U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. However, after our interview, a White House official told us that U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed. https://t.co/ANg54LifSH pic.twitter.com/V5qjoqF36T

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 19, 2022

NEW: Asked on @60Minutes if US would defend Taiwan if it came under attack, Biden — again — says yes.

PELLEY: "To be clear, sir, U.S. forces, U.S. men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?"

BIDEN: "Yes."

(WH again says US policy hasn't changed.)

— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) September 18, 2022

CBS’ Scott Pelley also discussed inflation; an issue drastically affecting the welfare and wellbeing of families. Biden deflected with zero sympathy:

60 Min: "What can you do better to lower inflation?"

Biden: "inflation rate month to month was just up an inch."

60 Min:"You're not arguing 8.3% is good news?"

Biden: "You're acting like all of a sudden 'my God it went to 8.2%'"

60 Min: "It's the highest rate in 40 years." pic.twitter.com/DEwugGct4d

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 19, 2022

As for President Biden’s son Joe, he is sticking with the narrative that Hunter is the “smartest” person he knows and that “there’s not a single thing that I’ve observed at all that would affect me or the United States relative to my son Hunter.”

Biden also said that while the “proof of the pudding is in the eating” in response to being asked if he is fit to be President, Biden did not commit to saying whether or not he will run for re-election. His “intention” is to run again, “but that’s just intention” he said. “Is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen.”

“There’s not a single thing that I’ve observed at all that would affect me or the United States relative to my son Hunter,” President Biden tells 60 Minutes about his son Hunter Biden. https://t.co/7SixTElqbt pic.twitter.com/6E6FlxhzYp

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 19, 2022

60 Min: "Are you committed to running again?"

Biden: "My intention, as I said to begin with, is that I would run again. But it’s just an intention. But is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen,” pic.twitter.com/3R3W3I8e9Z

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 19, 2022