Local politics, the county, and the world, as viewed by Tammy Maygra
Tammy's views are her own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bill Eagle, his pastor, Tammy's neighbors, Earl Fisher, Betsy Johnson, Joe Corsiglia, President Obama, Tony Hyde, Pat Robertson, Debi Corsiglia's dog, or Claudia Eagle's Cats. This Tammy's Take (with the exception of this disclaimer) is not paid for or written by, or reviewed by anyone but Tammy and she refuses to be bullied by anyone.

It has been three years since the last increase in the minimum wage. While gas and milk has risen in cost those workers who depend on minimum wage are living in poverty while  the richest 1% have enjoyed huge tax breaks, the federal minimum wage has stayed at $7.25 an hour, which amounts to $15,080 a year. That's more than $7,000 below the federal poverty line for a family of four. Because of inflation the minimum wage purchasing power has dropped at least fifty cents in value over the last three years.

The economic recovery has been only for the top 1% because of the bush tax breaks , CEO's are making millions and corporations are making billions in profits every year while the middle class and poor are barley staying afloat and many families are simply sinking into poverty. An economic observation shows that the economic divide between the rich and hardworking Americans is continuing to grow.

The rich and powerful corporations are continuing their assault on the middleclass by replacing union wage jobs with low paying jobs. It is a simple strategy to mask billions for the coffers of a selected few and a form of control of the middleclass. If you keep the middleclass struggling it is easier to control the outcome of elections and other important issues that people tend to keep track of. But if you keep them struggling people tend to focus on trying to provide food on the table for their families.

If America really wants an economic recovery then America needs to put more money into the pockets of the working class, working class people are the ones whose purchases keeps the economy healthy. There has been a bill introduced into the House and the Senate called The Rebuild America Act.
The Rebuild America Act is designed to aid a long-term recovery. It will address raising the federal minimum wage for tipped workers which has not been raised since 1991 and is at $2.13 per hour. The Fair Minimum Wage Act, not yet introduced, is for a more decent wage for all Americans and economic recovery that extends to all Americans.

The federal minimum wage hasn't kept up with inflation, but CEO pay has risen 725% over the last 30 years and 80% of all real income growth has gone to the richest 1% of Americans.

The U.S. economy has been restructuring over the past 30 years away from middle-wage jobs in manufacturing and construction and toward low-paying jobs in the rapidly expanding service, retail and restaurant industries. This has been the grand plan of the Republican Party and the greedy CEO's and corporations. Destroy the middleclass by destroying good union wages, sending OUR jobs overseas and having the struggling middleclass pay for corporate tax abatements/ giveaways.


We know large corporations that are the principal employers of low-wage workers to voluntarily offer higher pay; just isn't happening. Rock bottom wages are a core profit-making strategy for retail giants and fast food chains. The corporate and republican rhetoric that prosperity at the top will eventually "trickle down" to workers at the bottom is just what it is bullshit. Corporate profits are at their highest level as a share of GDP, and wages at their lowest, since the 1950s.

We can all talk about the Wall Street crash; we all know that the crash was not brought on by union wages, or low income wages it was brought on by the greed for profits by the rich and their corporations. How much profit must we allow these greedy non-Americans to make before we demand a fair and decent wage paid to all their workers. I believe that they have made enough profit off the average worker in America. It is time for America's work force to get their share of the wealth.

If you have a healthy workforce then we will have a healthy economy all across America. But then Corporate America does not want a healthy economy and neither does the Republican Party. This group would rather see America go broke then pay a decent wage because they never have enough money or power.