Boustany: I would vote to repeal the minimum wage law

[AnnInLa]

((I just rec'd this email about a town-hall meeting with Boustany last night, 1/4/06.))



Stephen Handwerk <[e-mail]> wrote:
Greetings All,

Last night Anthony Fazzio, Frank Flynn, Gobb Williams, Richard Warren and I
attended a town hall meeting hosted by Congressman Charles Boustany. To say
the meeting was heated would be an understatement in my view. The most
upset and angry I have seen a politician for some time was the congressman
when pressed on Minimum Wage and a "livable wage".

The entire exchange started when a very concerned citizen spoke up and
shared her problems with the current state of affairs for the working poor
and middle class, stating that it was getting harder and harder to get by
and asked what the congressman was doing to help. The congressman then went
on to describe the help in ways of Mortgage help for Hurricane victims and
the like. Portia Evans, local talk show host, asked him about "regular
people" who do not have a mortgage they rented and there is little or no
help for them after January 15th.

Anthony Fazzio peppered the congressman with questions regarding minimum
wage and kept pressing the congressman on his stance on the minimum wage as
it currently stands, and in between his answers Richard Warren stood up and
made the point that the congressman just received a "cost of living"
increase to his salary, but Anthony Fazzio would not let it go here. He
pressed the congressman and first the congressman stated to us that he
didn't know what the right "number" for minimum wage should be even pushing
the question on to the Audience asking all of us - what should it be? But
Fazzio shot back with "We know that $5.15 is not enough" - Noticeably angry
the congressman tried yet again to change the subject and Fazzio was not
having that. Finally backed into a wall, his face noticeably red the
congressman stated he didn't support a minimum wage, that he believed in a
free market and if given the chance he would vote to repeal the minimum wage
statute. Well you could have heard a feather drop in the room.

It is worth noting that all during this exchange the majority of the room
was clapping to Fazzio and Warren's points and there was only a small
handful of folks who seemed to support the congressman's position on this.

Lastly - we also pushed the congressman on Ethics. Frank Flynn pressed the
Congressman with a direct question of "Will you return the money from
Abramoff" and the congressman gleefully announced that he hasn't accepted
any money from him and that he has a full time accountant trying to make
sure he stays completely clean. (it is worth mentioning at this point that
over half of the congressman's campaign war chest is made up of substantial
donations from "Special interest" PAC's). However, not wanting to let this
go I stood up as Boustany seemed to be trying to tell the crowd that his
campaign money was completely clean, I stood and specifically asked him of
the $25,000 donation he received from ARMPAC (Americans for a Republican
Majority lead by Tom Delay). The congressman's answer was quite shocking,
at least to me. He stated that "an indictment did not mean the person was
guilty" and that that money was clearly in the last election process. I
pointed out to him that the Bush Administration just yesterday announced
that they have returned their money by ways of a donation to the American
Heart Association. He claimed to know nothing about this, but held on to
the "there has been no indictment, so there is no reason why he would return
any moneys.

Below is the article that appeared in today's Newspaper. It is my intention
to not let these topics die, we must stand up and get answers and let the
congressman know he is not above reproach and that his constituents are NOT
happy with his voting record. We must also keep exposing these issues. The
Minimum Wage issue is huge here, and this hits everyone's pocket book.
Given that, we are going to insure that this message gets trumpeted.

The ground is right for a candidate now in the 7th... Who is going to step
up? Either way we are going to insure the congressman does not have it
easy. It is clear the crowd turned on him, as are the people of the 7th.

Onward...

____________________________________________________
Stephen G Handwerk

[tetedur]

1. What? He didn't screen the audience?

before he opened his mouth? He's not learning much from his bud. I got a flyer a few days ago saying how much money he was returning from Delay, Ney and everybody else. I think it added up to $38,000.