Compassionate Conservatism Shines Through

Do you ever ask yourself how most Republicans in Congress can actually go to bed at night and sleep? What are they thinking when they think opposing extremely popular legislation is a smart political move.

The Senate Democrats are as one and voted to pass the same stand-alone minimum wage increase approved by the House of Representatives two weeks ago. Meanwhile, the Republican minority voted against cloture on the bill thereby creating a roadblock until Democrats agree to more business tax cuts.

A clean minimum wage bill went to a floor vote after the line-item veto was killed and, despite the fact that the minimum wage has not been raised in 10 years and an increase is supported by the vast majority of Americans, almost all Republicans voted against the increase and it fell six votes short of the three-fifths required to reach cloture.

The vote was 54-43, with every Democrat voting to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour and only five Republicans -- Coleman, Collins, Snowe, Specter and Warner (Kudos guys)-- crossing the aisle to vote with the Democrats.

Don't the Republicans realize that continuing to suck up to business interests like this is going to give Democrats a big edge in 2008. Here is the list of Republicans up for election in 2008 who voted against a clean minimum wage bill: Cornyn, Dole,. Domenici, McCain, Smith and Sununu. I don't care if you are Jesus Christ voting against the minimum wage isn't winning votes. The only place keeping a throttle hold on minimum wage is popular is among business interests who will be donating to the election campaigns of these Republicans. Even in defeat and for the first time in many years a minority Republican still think government is just a way to reward the key money cows of their election machinery.

This bill will pass eventually. There is no way Republicans can hold out on this one indefinitely, considering how popular it is. Democrats need to keep pushing this as long and hard as possible until five more Republicans are forced to cave, even if that means the bill won't pass until 2009.