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Politics, Texas Politics

Minimum Wage Misconceptions

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Like most teenagers, I was not only excited to have my first full-time job, but proud to know that I had reached a significant milestone in my life. I didn’t have to rely on my parents for every want and need anymore. By having a job, and making my own money, I was able to contribute (in a very small way) to the household income, even if it was just by asking them for less spending cash directly. The minimum wage was a staggering $5.15 per hour back then, and I thought was really living the life by getting hired at $5.25. A full 10 cents higher!! I’ll never forget going to pick up my first paycheck of thirty-two dollars and fifteen cents. No great sum by any measure, but being my sum it was great to me.

I’ll also never forget the first time I worked the day shift at my job… a Sonic Drive-In in my hometown of Benton, Arkansas. Unlike the boisterous teenagers that ruled the store at night, Sonic’s day crew was very different. Most of them were older women who were at the store all day, working as many hours as they possibly could. I remember times when I would practically beg for extra hours, and asked my manager if I could work on Saturday mornings. She would always say “not unless you’re called in.” When I asked why, and was persistent, she would say “because they need the hours more.”

I didn’t understand it very well back then, but now those situations make a lot more sense. My managers weren’t being mean. They knew that the adult crew’s hours were truly a need, and not just a teenage want. As David Cooper and Dan Essrow of the Economic Policy Institute explain, the experience most Americans had with minimum wage work in their teens does not reflect the reality of those trying to survive on those wages. A full one-third of all persons working for minimum wage are over the age of 40. That means they aren’t just working to earn money for Friday night, but are struggling to support their families and put enough food on the table so that everyone can eat. They are trying to stem the tide of a constant stream of crises… hoping the car will run until payday, praying for their child to not get sick because they can’t afford to go to the doctor, praying that the lights will stay on until the end of the month. What seems to be petty annoyances to most in the middle class are a full-blown catastrophe to those making minimum wage.

No better place to witness these struggles than the Lone Star State. According to the Dallas Morning News, Texas is “king of the crop” for minimum wage earnings. Of the 3.6 million workers making the federal minimum, 452,000 of them are Texans. And though Texas is still one of the cheapest places to live in the United States, it may not be that way for long. The cost of living in cities like Austin has risen rapidly, with the state’s other big metros not far behind. Adding insult to injury is the fact that poor Texans continue to be denied vital assistance with healthcare, thanks to Governor Perry and Attorney General Abbott’s refusal to expand Medicaid. Despite what many say to the contrary, Texas’ working poor are struggling just like those in other states.

As we enter a new year, it’s time for the country to get out of that ‘teen mindset’ on the minimum wage, and start finding the reality around us. Sure, the minimum wage is probably higher than when most of us were in high school. The problem with that? Everything else is too.

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Greg Abbott’s Adviser thinks Wendy Davis “too stupid” for Governor

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At least, he thinks it enough to retweet the comment. From Christy Hoppe of the Dallas Morning News…

Dave Carney, a sharp political adviser who has helped guide Rick Perry’s state campaigns, tried to take on Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, over guns.

But he might have shot himself in the foot.

Carney was touting on Twitter the Colorado recall of two state senators who had supported gun control measures after Aurora and Sandy Hook. Both lost that election this week.

On Thursday, Carney was tweeting about it and pulled up posts by others that were critical of Davis on gun control measures.

He retweeted: “Total Recall in CO (and why Wendy Davis is too Stupid to be Governor)” Following the link supplied by Carney were posts that referred to Davis as “retard Barbie” and used other insulting language.

This social media fracas followed Abbott responding positively to a tweet last month that also called Davis “retard Barbie.” Abbott thanked the poster for his support.

On Thursday, Democrats expressed their outrage on behalf of Davis, who is contemplating a run for governor and would likely face Abbott.

“It’s clear that Abbott’s advisers are following a strategy of offending every woman voter in the state of Texas,” said Will Hailer, executive director of the state Democratic Party.

“A woman who worked her way from a trailer park to graduate from Harvard Law School with honors is anything but stupid,” he said.

And there we have it… another priceless bit of gold from the Greg Abbott campaign. You’d think for all of that money he’s raised, he’d ADVISE his advisers to not troll using their easily traceable Twitter accounts. Of course, I guess he’d have to teach himself the same lesson first. Needless to say, Texas Democrats need to put this one in the bank, and use against Abbott later.

Houston Politics

George P. Bush Wants to Defund Obamacare

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Though his candidacy for Texas Land Commisssioner technically started in July, George P. Bush actually started running for the office this week by offering his first set of firm opinions. From Grommer Jeffers Jr. of the Dallas Morning News, here’s the heir apparent finally speaking in something other than broad, non-committal platitudes…

Texas Land Commission candidate George P. Bush said Wednesday he supports controversial efforts by federal lawmakers to defund the Affordable Care Act.

“It’s a monstrosity of a law,” he said. “In terms of defunding it, that would be one way to reduce and mitigate the impact it’s going to have on practicing physicians and hospitals here in Texas.”

Bush was in Addison to deliver the keynote address at the Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce luncheon celebration the George Herbert Walker Bush Elementary School.

Before his speech, the Fort Worth Republican told me that he hoped Congress would be successful in stopping the implementation of the new health care law, which is commonly known as Obamacare.

Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, want Congress to approve a continuing resolution that funds government operations, but does not leave money for the Affordable Care Act. Such legislation would be vetoed by President Barack Obama, setting up a showdown that could result in a government shutdown.

Bush, the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, said he backed Cruz’s efforts.

“I agree with this effort to defund it, or keep Texas out of the program unless we can modify it to a Texas-specific solution,” he said.

Bush is running unopposed for the Republican nomination for Texas land commissioner. He’s considered one of the party’s rising stars and is expected to cruise in next year’s election.

He’s expected to “Cruz” through next year’s election, eh?

Unless there’s a strong Democratic candidate, that’s what will happen. In his quest for Land Commissioner, Bush is running unopposed in the Republican primary so far, and it’s quite probable that’s how things will remain. Conversely, He’s making a specific effort to stay well under the radar. Bush wants to get elected quietly and calmly… just how his uncle moved swiftly through the ranks before defeating Ann Richards in 1994.

But remember, when George P. Bush says he wants to defund Obamacare, that means he wants millions of Texans, eligible today for MediCaid, to continue to make due without any kind of health insurance. He wants hospitals all over the state to wade through the financial struggle of seeing patients without any compensation. He wants people to be denied health care due to a pre-existing condition. He wants insurance companies to keep spend money on executive bonuses, instead of providing the best health care for the hard- earned dollars of Texas families. What he and the Republican Party support is not better health care for Texas… it’s the continuation of Crisis Care.

This is a clarion call to Democrats. Most politicos in the state are pretty sure that George P. Bush is destined to win this seat. But a Democratic candidate can bring Bush out of the shadows by running a good campaign. A main reason why Texas Republicans are able to stay so dominant? Because Texans aren’t presented with reasonable alternatives. If Bush is running as a relative unknown, a Democratic candidate could, at the very least, force him into a debate so Texans get to see a true choice in this race. And of course… if they don’t run, there’s no way they can win.

Great, yet another member of the Bush family rising up through the political ranks. Which is why I agree with the family matriarch… “We’ve had enough Bushes” in Texas statewide politics. He just gave up some ammo here, and I hope Democrats choose to use it.