Lavish Fund-Raising Parties of a Congress That Won’t Give America a Livable Wage
Among the long list of initiatives Washington failed to act on before policy makers scampered off for vacation last week was raising the federal minimum wage.
In 2013, President Barack Obama used the State of the Union address to call for an increase from a paltry $7.25 an hour to $9. A year later, he urged Congress to raise the wage to $10.10.
But efforts to give working Americans a living wage have gone nowhere fast—apart from the executive order Obama signed to increase the hourly rate for individuals working on new federal service contracts. Today only two states—Washington and Oregon—have minimum wages above $9 an hour, though more local efforts are under way in cities and municipalities.
To boot, income disparity in America has grown so bad that rating agency Standard & Poor’s issued warnings this week that inequality levels “are hindering U.S. economic growth,” International Business Times reported. The S&P report noted that top 1 percent earners saw their incomes rise an average of 15 percent from 2009 to 2010, outpacing the bottom 90 percent considerably, for whom incomes rose by less than 1 percent in that period.
But the lack of economic progress and destructive partisan gridlock won’t stop pols from hosting swanky fund-raisers during their five weeks out of session, so they can raise money to hold on to the power they’ve apparently chosen to do little with by way of legislation.
Despite a deep and growing unpopularity among Americans, the showboating will go on for Congress. The fancy political parties are a stark reminder of the difference between the haves and the have nots in this country.
Here’s a look at some of the glitziest moneymaking soirees pols are hosting this August:
Schmooze and Booze at a Napa Valley Getaway
A stone’s throw from some of California’s most pristine farmlands, the advertised activities at the getaway with Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., include five to six wine tours over two days, capped with a reception at the Solage Calistoga Resort.
Upscale accommodations at the resort include rooms with a fireplace and a private patio with a hot tub. The suggested contribution to attend is $1,500 for an individual and $3,000 for a PAC.
Shimkus has worried aloud that the Obama administration’s plan to bump the minimum wage would have a negative effect on young people.
“The impact here we’re gonna be talking about, what are things for kids to be doing over the summer? You raise the minimum wage, you almost ensure kids have a more difficult time finding part-time jobs during the summer,” Shimkus said in February, according to local broadcasters.
The Congressional Budget Office found in February that around 500,000 jobs would be lost in the event of a minimum wage hike—but it would improve life for 16.5 million low-wage workers.
Shimkus didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Spot a Celebrity in Beverly Hills
Those trying to curry favor with Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., can feel like Pretty Woman for the weekend, enjoying wine and fine dining at the Beverly Hills Hotel—a glitzy locale that came under fire recently after the owner, the sultan of Brunei, supported implementing stoning as punishment for adultery and homosexuality.
Alongside the congressman, attendees will enjoy a reception at the Polo Lounge, soak up sunshine at a reserved cabana, and have a Saturday-night dinner. The suggested contribution to attend is $1,500 for an individual and $3,000 for a PAC.
Whitfield didn’t respond to a request for comment, but in May, he spoke critically about Obama’s decision to boost earnings for workers on federal contracts.
The Kentucky congressman took issue with how the new requirement would adversely affect nursing facilities that are treated as federal contractors because they care for veterans.
“Because of this status as a federal contractor, many providers are being forced to increase wages even though reimbursement from the federal government for providing care to our veterans remains the same,” a Whitfield press release says.
The harm, Whitfield said in a statement, comes from “President Obama’s insistence on bypassing Congress and making unilateral policy decisions that haven’t been fully vetted.”
Meanwhile, protesters believe the real harm is in Whitfield’s choice of fund-raising venue—activists plan to protest his support of the sultan’s anti-women and homophobic laws.
Enjoy Extreme Luxury in Laguna Beach
Star in your own political reality show with Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., on a Laguna Beach trip at the swanky Montage hotel, where “bliss arrives on every ocean breeze,” at least according to its website.
The oceanfront property boasts a 20,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor spa and loads of beachfront activities, such as snorkeling, kayaking, and surfing. The suggested contribution to attend is $1,500 for an individual and $2,500 for a PAC.
The House did not vote on the bills aiming to increase wages this session, but the last time it did, in 2007, Duncan voted against it.
Interestingly, San Diego, the city he represents (part of), just voted to increase the minimum wage to $9.75 an hour by the end of this year and to $11.50 by 2017. That’s in excess of California’s current minimum wage of $9 an hour, which is set to rise to $10 in 2016.
So what’s the pay like for the people who work at the breezy seafront resort along some of California’s most pristine shoreline? One Glassdoor review from a former employee says the untipped wages are painfully low, and workers who get tips are the only ones earning a livable wage.
Live It Up in the Windy City
For $1,500 for individuals or $2,500 for PACs, you can join Rep. Mike Quigley, D.-Ill., for a dinner reception and a Chicago Cubs–San Francisco Giants ballgame at Wrigley Field.
The lack of progress on boosting the minimum wage, Quigley said in a statement, is thanks to Republican opposition.
“Raising the minimum wage is yet another example of a critical issue, supported by a majority of Americans, that House Republican leadership simply refuses to allow a vote on,” said Quigley, who is a cosponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act. “I believe no one working full-time should be forced to raise their families in poverty.”
To support the middle class and understand the concerns of low-wage workers, Quigley has embarked on an “undercover” series as an employee at businesses in his district. The employees know who he is, but the customers he is helping to serve may not. The undercover tour launched last spring when he worked the kitchen of HB Jones, flipping burgers, salting fries, and making quesadillas.
Party With the President on Martha’s Vineyard
The president is going to headline a fund-raising dinner on Martha’s Vineyard hosted by Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown and his wife, Linda Mason. The Obama family will already be vacationing there and reportedly be staying at a seven-bedroom house on a 10-acre lot valued around $12 million.
No word on what it costs to attend this dinner, but one has to imagine it won’t be cheap.
Related stories on TakePart:
• Here’s How Working Moms Could Call the Shots in the Next Elections
• Tired of Being Ignored by Washington, Military Families Are Taking Charge in Politics
• Fighting Fire With Fire: Super PAC Raises Money to Reform Campaign Finance
• Who Needs a Federal Government and a Farm Bill? (The USDA Does)
• Would You Do Volunteer Work to Pay Off Your Student Loans? Now You Can
Original article from TakePart
