Since Roy and his Boy are from the city in which I reside (as is John Ashcroft, plus Jerry Falwell went to college here) I'll try to keep tabs on him. As expected, Blunt has come out against legislation that would raise the federal minimum wage.
"The last thing Congress should do is pass legislation that imposes an unfunded mandate on small businesses that employ millions of American workers and are the backbone of our economy," Blunt said in a statement.
"Small businesses create good jobs, and often provide families with health care and other essential benefits. Congress has an obligation to protect job creators and the workers they employ by ensuring that any effort to raise the minimum wage is balanced with protections that enable employers to continue to provide jobs and benefits for workers," Blunt said.
"As Senate Democrat leaders have agreed, these protections are critical for moving a minimum wage increase. A number of House Democrats have voted in the past for these important worker protections. It is my hope that the same group puts partisanship aside, agrees with their Senate colleagues, and votes to protect workers and job creators."
Blunt doesn't use all the Republican talking points on this issue, but he does stick with a few. I especially like the "unfunded mandate" claim. Wonder if Rep. Blunt feels the same way about his own Congressional pay raises, which have totalled more than $31,000 since the last increase in the federal minimum wage.
The current federal minimum wage is $10,712 a year. Congressional pay has increased by just shy of three times that amount in the last 10 years. Considering the far less-than-40-hour work week for Congress, I'm surprised Rep. Blunt hasn't returned his pay raise.
And thanks to Blue Girl for "inviting" me to participate on this blog (quote: "Strannix, you and Doc Larry don't get to decline, I need help with the Ozarks, and I'll hunt you down with dogs!"). Talk about mandates!
Reporting for duty, sir?
