Senate Parliamentarian just handed the Democrats another hammer
The Senate Parliamentarian last night ruled against the Biden Administration by disallowing the $15 minimum wage to be added into the $1.9 trillion Covid Relief Bill. This means that the Democrats can not put this minimum wage increase into the Covid Relief bill and can not pass it through reconciliation on a party line vote. While this is a blow to the immediate gratification of finally passing a living wage it does however set up a new opportunity for Democrats to use the issue in the future to show how callous and out of touch Republicans are with the rest of the country.
Nancy Pelosi, for her part, is going to still include the minimum wage increase in the House’s bill showing that the House Democrats are devoted to this issue and that they alone support workers around the country. And when it passes, it will further demonstrate how out of touch Republicans are with the American people.
Once this Covid Relief bill passes the Democrats should pass a stand alone minimum wage bill in the House and force a floor vote on the issue in the Senate. Let America watch as Senate Republicans vote no to a living wage. As they vote no to bringing people out of poverty. As they vote no to helping the economy grow. It will become just one more quivver in the bow of the self destruction of the GOP.
David Deutsch is on Twitter