Wednesday, January 31, 2007

From the District of Bizzaro

Senator Joe Biden ought to wear a sign that says, "insert foot here" with an arrow pointing to his mouth. His choice of adjectives in praising the abilities of Senator Barrak Obama was curiously myopic and prone to misinterpretation. Perhaps he was merely trying make sure he got on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart if his presidential bid was not newsworthy enough. No one expects you to win so keep it clean, Senator. I understand Neil Kinnock has some stump speech suggestions for you.

The Charlatan never met a safe audience he did not like. He wows them at military bases and on Wall Street. His appearance on the street of broken dreams was rewarded with another record session. The war is just dandy with Wall Street bulls. Of course he was only kidding when he chided that CEO salaries have no relation to reality let alone performance. Mayor Nagin wants to know if he can get Parsons Inc. to build a new levee in Plaquemines Parish. They have done such a good construction job in Iraq.

Meanwhile back in the District of Bizarro, the Charlatan's team players in the Senate are doing their dead level best to torpedo the minimum wage bill with "poison pill" amendments. Cloture has been invoked, and they have just thirty hours to figure out how they can give the rich more tax breaks they do not need. At $3,000+ an hour they can get real inventive.

Weekend Update: The Senate passed a bill increasing the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour over two years. The vote was 94-3, but the Democrats had to include tax credits for small businesses and a provision barring companies that hire illegal immigrants from federal contracts. It also had to reject an offered amendment eliminating the federal minimum wage altogether. All three votes against the increase were cast by Republicans. The bill goes to the House for reconciliation with the no-strings attached bill it passed.

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