Democrats' Minimum-Wage Bill Is as Dead as Impeachment in the Senate. Why'd It Get a Vote?

[BeyondGeography]

A reminder that "moderate" Democrats are the only Democrats who matter.

Charles Pierce

...this bill is as dead as Kelsey's nuts in the Senate and everybody knows it. Mitch McConnell will not even allow it to come to a vote. And this whole ball-spiking in the House strikes me as peculiar. After all, the Democratic House leadership won't even swing for an impeachment inquiry at least in part because it never would result in a conviction in the Senate. But this bill, which has no more chances of passing through the Senate than an impeachment would, is an occasion for chest-pounding.

And, of course, there was resistance among the only Democrats in the House that seem to matter. They got courted. They got their hands held. They didn't get snotty remarks aimed at them through the moth-eaten cultural references of Maureen Dowd.

Still, Democratic moderates — especially those who represent districts carried by President Trump — were nervous about the measure, and it took champions of the bill months to bring them around. In the end, the sponsors tacked on two provisions: one authorizing a study of the measure’s effects after it has been in place for two years, and another extending the deadline for a $15 minimum wage from 2024 to 2025.

In other words, to win over the only Democrats who matter, the leadership had to set the bill's effective date for six years from now, and they had to authorize a study two years after that. If any progressive congresscritter had tried that kind of a hold-up, the howls from the leadership and from sensible liberal pundits wouldn't have yet died away. Six Democrats voted against it anyway. They will pay no political price. Because they matter.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a28437132/democrats-minimum-wage-bill-impeachment-house/

[Hortensis]

1. Of course it and hundreds of other pieces of admirable and

much needed legislation, notably including our giant corruption and elections reform package, HR 1, which we passed first thing, are "dead" in the senate -- right up until Democrats get control and they magically spring to life as new law.

Notably, even though our senators know they can't pass any of them now, they're still writing senate versions so that the reconciliation and passage process can begin immediately.

They wait on us.

[BeyondGeography]

2. A new law that doesn't take effect for six years

A law we could easily pass anytime we want to with a Dem majority.

This compared with a one-time chance to hold the biggest crook to ever occupy the White House accountable.

I see your point.

[Hortensis]

4. I don't see yours. Let's leave that there.

[democratisphere]

3. Do nothing criminal Mitch McConnell once again stops legislation

for the greater good of the American people while aiding and abetting the corrupt wealthiest and corporations.