Something to take Back to the Voters

Via Hotline:

Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-OH) 7/25 p.m. gave a letter signed by 48 House GOPers to Maj Leader John Boehner requesting a vote on the minimum wage before the Congress breaks for summer recess at the end of the week. LaTourette, along with Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), spearheaded a similar effort 7/12, picking up 25 mostly moderate Northeast/Midwest GOPers to help plead their case. House GOP leaders have instead brought up votes aimed at firing up their conservative base over the past 2 weeks.

While it remains unlikely that there will be anything in the schedule regarding raising the minimum wage before the August recess, it seems likely that a lot of Republicans will have to go on record voting against a minimum wage increase before facing re-election in November.

This vote will also highlight the gap between the moderate Republicans trying to stay electible in Blue States, and the growing numbers of Republicans inhabiting the fringe of the Right Wing.

If only the Economic Conservative part of the Republican base was as Hot/Cold as the Fundi-Christianist-Social Conservatives. If the GOP did something like embracing Civil Unions, the Social Conservatives would very quickly stop giving money to and voting for Republicans. Unfortunately, Economic Conservatives are smart enough to know that sometimes you have to make concessions and that their interests are still best served by the Republican Party.

Minimum Wage Republicans 2006 Election