Dems to Force Vote on Gulf Coast Wage Cut
Invoking a never-before-used parliamentary rule included in the National Emergencies Act, the Democratic Leadership of the House are demanding an up-down vote on Bush's suspension of the Davis-Bacon law in the Gulf Coast. As a press release from George Miller's office explains:
Miller today introduced a Joint Resolution under the 1976 National Emergencies Act, which provides for fast track action by Congress when the President unilaterally suspends a law, as he did with Davis-Bacon. Although the National Emergencies Act is nearly 30 years old, this is the first time that a lawmaker has ever invoked its fast track procedures. By law, Congress must act on Miller's Joint Resolution within 15 calendar days - in this case, by November 4.37 Republicans have written to the President opposing his suspension of the Act, more than enough to overturn Bush's action, and they may have to put their votes where there's mouths are if the Democrats succeed with this maneuver.
A key to GOP unity has been avoiding tough votes on labor issues for Republicans in labor-friendly districts. But that gambit may be coming to an end.
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Comments (15)
This is exactly the kind of aggressive politics that Democrats should be doing repeatedly.
Of course, it just also occurred to me that the whole matter could be a way for moderate Repugs to preen their image on labor issues and distance themselves from W, in time for 2006. Can Bush veto Congressional action under this provision? If not it might provide a nice face-saving way for the W Administration to back away from an embarrassing policy on Davis-Bacon that would be sure to cost the Repugs a lot of swing votes. The notion of denying adequate wages in order to higher, according to Jesse Jackson, undocumented immigrant labor at below par wages is not going to sit well with most Americans, and the focus groups and pollsters for the Repugs have probably already let them know that.
Still, the point is -- the Democrats have to show that they fight for these things, forcing the Repugs to back down. It is important, whether the fight is won or lost, to put up a fight for people to see, whether on the minimum wage, on not truncating NOLA without proper participation by its residents, on trying to undo the Medicare scam Congress passed recently and so forth.
October 20, 2005 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bold moves from Dems! Gotta love it.
October 20, 2005 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
The scandal-ridden right wing is on the ropes and, with increased pressure, we can (finally) start handing them legislative defeats and pass an important bill that protects workers rights.
Let's step up the pressure and get wage protections passed. You can contact your member of Congress and urge them to support Rep. Miller's bill through the Campaign for America's Future's website.
October 20, 2005 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
So, who wants to set the over-under for how long this vote is kept open?
October 20, 2005 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
When bush first suspended David-Bacon, more than one commentator pointed out that contracts had already been awarded. That seems to the forgotten angle now. The suspension would be bad enough on its own merits, but I hope the Dems make some hay out of this suspicious windfall. Esp. now that FEMA has announced that "a lot" of projects are too far along to be re-bid.
October 20, 2005 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now let's make sure we don't lose any of those GOP votes we've currently got on our side of the issue. It would help bring about the tipping point.
October 20, 2005 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
All my kudos to the aggressiveness, and I don't mean to be a dick or anything, but, um, won't the republican congress just repeal that law, now that the "flaw" (from their perspective) has been pointed out?
October 20, 2005 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's still a vote for which the supposedly pro-labor Republicans can be held accountable.
October 20, 2005 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kudos to Representative Miller. It is heartening that some Democrats are willing to fight the Bush Party.
October 20, 2005 6:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is exactly the kind of aggressive politics that Democrats should be doing repeatedly.
YES, and it's funny that the little good news we get in the House of Labor thread actually has a pragmatic Democratic politician to thank, and will likely provide a real victory for labor which translates into increased political capital to help leverage other issues and is good for the Democratic party, the middle class and the poor.
For all the kvetching from regulars here, what have they delivered lately? Some whining about unknown and unpopular issues calling for the impossible? Absurd turf wars between union officials? Newman's open borders ideology?
Thanks but no thanks. I'll stick with pragmatists who get things done over whiney activists who get nothing done.
October 20, 2005 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
You seem to be the only one whining on this thread.
October 20, 2005 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would like to take a moment to let people everywhere know that we are hurting here in New Orleans. Our city is dying because people cannot return because of a lack of “temporary housing”. We are dying because we are in a chicken and the egg situation. Which comes first the people or the jobs? The businesses are struggling because there are no workers and the workers cannot return because housing is not available.
I am not one for conspiracy theories. However, the state of Louisiana is a “swing” state and we currently have a Democratic governor and senator Mary Landrieu is also a Democrat. I would not be surprised if the lack of housing or interest in getting these people back home is due to the fact that New Orleans is the Democratic part of Louisana. Without New Orleans residents, Louisiana will no doubt become a Republican bastion instead of a “swing” state that goes back and forth based on the particular people and conditions of a given election.
I am part of that Democratic New Orleans and I love it, warts and all. We are not perfect but we are unique. In the age of Wal-Mart, big box strip malls, and “planned communities” we stand as one of the few places you can still find something different. I have traveled over much of the world but I keep coming home to New Orleans because it really is one of the most charming places I have ever been.
October 20, 2005 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Until you get off your cowardly little ass and actually do things, please spare us your complaints.
October 21, 2005 5:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
And in that sort of instance, there is inevitably complaints about the "meowing". Erving Goffman called it 'looping'.
October 21, 2005 2:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
But the real defeatism is saying anyone is "locked out of power." Power is built, power is organized, power comes from the mass of people who think they are powerless, because they are divided, realizing and acting on common interests.
Most of those with illegitimate power hold it based on fear, confusion and demoralization of their opponents.
I'm quite happy at Congressman Miller's actions, but he would be the first one to say that HIS power is not based on his own virtue but on the support and mobilization over decades of union members and other community supporters who forced the change in government that passed the Davis-Bacon Act in the first place and then, with the abuses of power in Vietnam and Watergate, forced through the National Emergencies Act.
Social change does not emanate from Washington, D.C. The tools that currently exist in the legislature may reside there, but what creates new tools and strengthens the power of people like Rep. Miller are all the people talking, mobilizing and pushing for change throughout the country.
October 21, 2005 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink