Minimum Estate Wage... What?

The bill was completely outside the realm of reason, yet Republicans still act surprised that it didn't pass. Via the Washington Post:

Senate Democrats blocked a Republican bid to combine a tax cut for the wealthy with a wage increase for the working poor last night, adding a volatile economic issue to this fall's congressional campaigns.

GOP leaders fell three votes short of the 60 needed to cut off debate and bring the package to the Senate floor, where it was considered certain to pass on a simple-majority vote. Republicans said Democrats will pay a price in November, contending that most Americans support the bill's call for an increase in the minimum wage and deep cuts in the estate tax.

Well, the Republicans are one of three on that. Americans DO support raising the minimum wage. But they don't support the permanent cutting of the estate tax and Democrats won't suffer in November. Here's why: Any Democrat worth his or her stripes will frame this as Republicans being more concerned about keeping the richest 1% rich (or making them richer) at the expense of an already massive national debt.

Classical Conservatives will see the cutting out of $800 billion of Federal Revenues while the debt grows as foolish. Progressives will see it as unethical (and underhanded) to attach the 'poison pill' of removing the estate tax.

The President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees agrees.

"This was a transparent attempt to dangle a minimum-wage increase for families struggling to make ends meet to secure yet another Texas-size tax handout for the wealthiest."

Credit to him for managing to get the Texas dig in there too.

Best description award, however, goes to the great Ted Kennedy:

"Under the Republican bill, Paris Hilton and her family will get $250 million, while the tipped workers in Hilton hotels will lose up to $5.50 an hour,"

Republicans think they outfoxed Democrats on this one. They're wrong. All they managed to do was show their true colors. The GOP would rather the richest (The Haves and the Have Mores) Americans turn themselves into defacto aristocracy by allowing massive estates to be passed through families without taxation while throwing small bones are thrown to the workers whose sweat and labor support those vast fortunes.