From Heath Shuler on Minimum Wage
Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 06/24/2006 - 6:36pm
“In North Carolina, the state Democratic Party complained that Rep. Charles Taylor (R-N.C.), "one of the richest members of Congress, ... cares little for those at the bottom of the economic ladder." Taylor voted against raising the minimum wage as a member of the House Appropriations Committee on two occasions.”(Chicago Tribune, June 22, 2006)
Friends, I wanted to write to you today to make sure you heard that within the past week Charles Taylor voted twice against raising the federal minimum wage.
Since the last minimum wage increase, over nine years ago, Congress has seen its salaries RISE by nearly $35,000. That’s more than what a person working full time at minimum wage makes in three years…in RAISES ALONE!
Since being elected to Congress Charles Taylor has voted SIX times against raising the minimum wage. Six times he has said no to helping hardworking Americans. With gas costs soaring and the cost of health care continuing to sky-rocket, we need to help these working American families by raising the minimum wage.
On an ironic note, the House of Representatives also released the personal financial disclosures for Members last week. Those disclosures showed us that Charles Taylor is the wealthiest Member of Congress in North Carolina.
Yet, he can’t support raising the minimum wage? It’s not right.
An increase in minimum wage would benefit 7.7 million people in the nation and 140,000 here in our state. Rather than standing with the working people of this district, Charles Taylor has again chosen to side with the big corporations. The time has come for the working families of Western North Carolina to have a representative who will stand up for them in Congress.
If you’re tired of Congress working for the corporations and special interests, forward this email to your friends and families.
Let them know what Congress is doing. Let them know how Congress is taking tens of thousands of dollars in pay-raises, but refusing to give the poorest among us a raise. Let them know that by working together we can make a difference.
As always, thank you for your continued support and efforts.
Heath
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Help Improve The Future for North Carolina Families!
Help Heath as the campaign moves ahead! Our campaign is making great progress and moving forward, but there is much more to do. We need your help to continue reaching out to Western North Carolina voters and to defeat Charles Taylor and his special interest friends.
Here are some things you can do:
1. Contribute to the Campaign: Thanks to your support we have been extremely competitive in our fundraising so far, but we know that Charlie Taylor’s lobbyist friends will be lining up behind him to try and keep their influence in Congress. By contributing today you can help take our campaign to the airwaves and to support our grassroots campaign to reach out to voters across the district, clicking here.
2. Tell Your Friends and Family: You already are an important part of this campaign, and we need more people like you to join us. Talk to your family, friends, and neighbors about the campaign. Let them know why you’re supporting Heath and encourage them to do the same.
3. Sign up as a Volunteer: Have an hour here or there that you can give to the campaign? Sign up to o become a volunteer on Team Shuler by clicking here.
Help us keep our momentum going, and thank you for your continued help and support!
Paid for by Heath Shuler for Congress
I would like to see heath
make more of a connection with the blogs. In football, they have taken the game off the chalkboard and onto the spreadsheet. They know every tendency in every situation. I would hope that Heath would use technology in a similar way to give himself every advantage.
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Ditto about Heath
I don't see Heath blogging anywhere AND I also don't see the campaign latching on to Screwy's posts (or mine! or Dan's or Southern Dem's or anyone else's) and I think they're missing out on some great opportunities. And a lot of fun!
Anyone reading this have any influence with the campaign? I wish they'd see how Larry or PJ take advantage of their web opportunities.
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.” So enjoy the Drama.
I know that some bloggers don't like to hear this
But it hasn't really been established as a matter of fact that blogs are important in political campaigns, at least barring some special circumstances. I believe that they are, and I feel that I can make a pretty good case that they are. But reasonable people disagree. In 10, 20, or 30 years, we will look back at candidates embracing blogs today as either progressive or misguided. Maybe Heath's people don't feel like blogs are going to get them where they need to go.
I think you've got it
Plus some blogs can get really nasty if they don't love a candidate 100 percent.
But it doesn't hurt to try!!!!
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.” So enjoy the Drama.
If someone has stats
on what blogs can do for a campaign, I'd love to see them.
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.” So enjoy the Drama.
I would argue that much of Larry's current momentum
has been fueled by his embracing the Internets. I know personally that the fundraiser I'm hold for him on Wednesday would have no way happened in a thousand years if it weren't for BlueNC.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
It depends on how you measure success.
If my blogging in support of Larry has done nothing more but charge up the base and help raise a few dollars, then I consider that a success. He will have campaigned for almost a year come election day. I bet it's good for those folks working on the ground to know that we are cheering them on and helping in our own way...as I matter of fact, I know it is. They've thanked me.
We help coordinate activites and we keep information flowing. A campaign like Larry's that wasn't picked up by the DCCC typically has no chance of getting national attention. I think the furor at MyDD, DKos and other blogs created by the constant flow of diaries helps the campaign's hard work get noticed.
That is how I will measure our success - at least for the time being.
***************************
Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
See highlighting above
“Of all the varieties of virtues, liberalism is the most beloved.” —Aristotle
I already saw it, Lance
I didn't say that you don't believe blogs are effective or part of a campaign's success anywhere in my post. I was simply weighing in on how I would measure success.
***************************
Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
I agree with Lance
Bloggers are informative for internet readers, but we haven't demonstrated the ability to swing voters or elections. It will be interesting, after the '06 races, to see some polling regarding what role different media played in voters' choices.
The more money we can raise for campaigns, the more clout we'll have as well.
I like that the campaign isn't latching on to our work here. Sending informatino out on a timely basis to bloggers and other media is good practice for any campaign, but I wouldn't necessarily want to coordinate message and/or take the chance of somehow hurting the campaign. I've been known to rant obscenely in my blog posts, and I wouldn't want the campaign to have to answer for my words...
More later, my wife and I are having tea.
Scrutiny Hooligans - http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us
I agree BUT
it's also a way to communicate with a whole range of people a candidate wouldn't normally ever have contact with. And it's free. So, isn't that worth the minimal effort it requires?
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.” So enjoy the Drama.
I disagree because
bloggers are voters. By showing up here Heath reaches out to as many people in five minutes as he could knocking on doors all day. Plus, they are dedicated politicos who might actually donate time and money to the campaign.
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Yeah, but
Weren't we all going to vote in November anyway? And guess on which side. It is true that if we're more excited we're more likely to bring in others, and that's a part of my argument in favor of blogs as important political tools. My point is just that there's no good evidence that it works.
Isn't it time for "yeahbut"
to be a word on its own?
And is there no evidence because no research has been done (because the major think tanks and DC consultants prejudge blogs)? Or because there is no evidence?
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.” So enjoy the Drama.
I'm not sure I understand your distinction.
I think it's a hard thing to test. Any social scientists out there who can imagine a good study setup for getting an answer?