NEWS: Sanders Statement on Parliamentarian's Advice

[Donkees]

Link to tweet

[AZSkiffyGeek]

1. He could try to write another bill...

But he’s going to hold up Covid relief instead...

[sheshe2]

2. Yup. nt

[Sympthsical]

4. That's not even slightly what he's doing

He said he would provide incentives for companies to raise their minimum wages. Something that could pass through reconciliation rather than a direct mandated increase to the federal minimum wage.

Basically he wants to skirt around the parliamentary ruling to get at least some Americans a better wage.

The man's now aiming for the half loaf we're forever told we must settle for, and he's still going to get crap about it? Good grief.

Bernie will never be right for some people, even when he compromises like he's been yelled at to do for eons.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

7. He's talking about rewriting the reconcilliation

With two weeks left to pass it. It sounds to me like his pet project is more important than Covid relief.

[mvd]

9. No it definitely isn't

IMO he’s just trying to do what he can to get it in. He would not torpedo the bill.

[Cha]

14. This Better Not Mess UP the Covid Relief

for Americans who are Desperate for it.

[OnDoutside]

27. Not sure about that as the Covid Relief Bill will have to be re-approved by the House once they

remove the Minimum Wage section, so some Senate amendments could be added before that happens.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

32. That makes sense

I hope he knows what he’s doing. I’ve seen it mentioned that he was very quick on the response and was likely expecting this.

[NurseJackie]

33. You're correct... this will fuck it up, and the Democrats will be harmed by the delay.

[still_one]

10. Exactly, and after the delay, it is unlikely his amendments won't pass in the end

[WhiteTara]

18. his amendments will pass or won't?

Your comment was so ambiguous, I had to ask. I'm hoping his amendment does pass, but what do you think is the end result?

[still_one]

19. I believe adding an amendment to reconciliation requires 51 votes to pass, and

Manchin and the Senator from Arizona already indicated they were not in favor of increasing minimum wage. Unless that changes, or there are some republicans to support it, it is unlikely to be included

Even if we didn’t have to go through reconciliation and we didn’t have the filibuster to contend with, could they get 51 voters?

The question is would they be able to get minimum wage increase less than 15 dollars that would be acceptable to those whose votes we need to pass the rescue package?

If we are able to get the 1.9 trillion rescue package with or without minimum wage attached to it, it would still be very helpful and significant

Regardless, we have nothing to lose, and the worst that could happen is we don’t have 51 votes to have the amendment added

It will be interesting

[Donkees]

3. Bill Dauster: The Parliamentarian decided incorrectly.

I was proud to have argued the case for the minimum wage in reconciliation. The Parliamentarian decided incorrectly.

Link to tweet

[Enter stage left]

5. Sic 'em Bernie...

Good Senator...good senator!

[theneworiginal]

34. Incentivizing small businesses and making Big Corps pay for it takes away the argument

that is getting the most traction to hold it back (aside from procedural case.) It makes it very palatable.

[NJCher]

6. It's essential it goes in this bill

"It" meaning minimum wage or what Bernie is proposing in his press release above.

That is because we are doing reconciliation to get this through. We only have two reconciliations where we can get bills passed without maneuvering with republicans. Bernie was asked in an interview a few days ago if the minimum wage could be resolved through a separate bill. He said no--that republicans would never vote for it.

[still_one]

13. Or what? Manchin and the Arizona Senator already said they oppose it, and it is almost certain that

no republican will support it

Get the Covid relief passed, and incorporate minimum wage in a separate bill

I cannot be any Democratic Senator will not vote for the package if this isn’t included

[NJCher]

16. whatever

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215159147

[still_one]

20. It doesn't matter NJ, they need 51 votes in the Senate, and two Democrats have indicated they were

not in favor of that. Will they change their position on that? I don’t know

[MichMan]

8. What does he have to say about Vermont having a State Min. Wage of only $11.75 ?

[Turin_C3PO]

11. I'm sure he doesn't agree with it

but he’s not responsible for VT state laws.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. He says a federal minimum of $15 will fix that. Anything else you need clarified?

[MichMan]

25. Any state can pass an increased min wage whenever it desires

Doesn't require the Federal government to do anything.

Let the red states (like WV) explain to their voters why it stays low, while the blue states raise it to $15 per hour or even higher.

[Donkees]

12. Bernie announces his next move:

Bernie announces his next move: An amendment to take tax deductions away from large corporations that don't pay above $15-an-hour wages. Wants it IN the reconciliation bill

Link to tweet

[still_one]

21. I believe reconciliation amendments in the Senate need 51 votes to get added. Do we have 51 votes

for that?

By all means try and get it added because you have nothing to lose, but because of Manchin and the Arizona Senator, I am not sure they would vote for the amendment

[Donkees]

36. Schumer is looking at adding to Senate COVID bill a new provision to penalize large corporations

per senior dem aide -- schumer is looking at adding to Senate COVID bill a new provision to penalize large corporations that don’t pay their workers at least a $15 minimum wage ..

Link to tweet

[TwilightZone]

15. He seemed very confident that the parliamentarian would rule it valid.

Hmm.

[still_one]

23. It looks like he misjudged the situation. Even if the ruling was favorable, would we have 51 votes?

[The Magistrate]

17. A Sensible Proposal, Sir

An indirect route to the goal, that is certainly within reconciliation bounds.

[still_one]

24. Sure, but doesn't a reconciliation amendment require 51 votes to be added to it, and do we have

51 votes for that?

[roamer65]

26. Repeal the Repuke corporate tax cuts.

Go for the jugular.

[OnDoutside]

28. Joe Scarborough yesterday morning suggested that Democrats should send a straight Up/Down Min

imum Wage Bill back through the House up to the Senate, and make Republicans vote against it. Make them vote against something that has 60%+ support amongst the American people. It makes sense, and hopefully House Dems will now do that.

[Tommymac]

35. Filabuster.

It would NEVER come to a vote on the Senate floor.

sorry.

[OnDoutside]

37. No, the point is to let the Republicans vote against a straight up and down $15 Minimum Wage. Get

them on record, for a measure that has 60% support amongst the public.

As an aside, Lawrence O'Donnell said the last time the minimum wage was increased they included it in a "Must Pass" Defense spending bill back in 2004/5 and he suggested this was the way to achieve the increase.

[Donkees]

29. Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has found that the wage provision does not have ...

Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has found that the wage provision does not have a sufficient fiscal impact in relation to its effect on the economy to qualify for budget reconciliation, according to a person familiar with the decision, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-26/biden-s-minimum-wage-increase-ruled-out-of-order-for-senate-bill

[Donkees]

30. Senate parliamentarian rejects the wage hike because of the way it's currently drafted, ...

Senate parliamentarian rejects the wage hike because of the way it’s currently drafted, per sources, noting it isn’t possible because it’s a mandate on businesses.

The Senate’s Byrd rule does not allow extraneous measures to the budget bill.


Manu Raju (@mkraju)

[dansolo]

31. With that logic how could she have approved Trump's tax cuts?

They were passed by budged reconciliation, and of course it then blew bast the budgetary limits that allowed it to be passed that way.