It's funny watching the democrats being put under the microscope. House Republicans yesterday declared "something fishy" about the major tuna company in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco district being exempted from the minimum-wage increase that Democrats approved this week. "I am shocked," said Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican and his party's chief deputy whip, noting that Mrs. Pelosi campaigned heavily on promises of honest government. "Now we find out that she is exempting hometown companies from minimum wage. This is exactly the hypocrisy and double talk that we have come to expect from the Democrats." On Wednesday, the House voted to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour. The bill also extends for the first time the federal minimum wage to the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands. However, it exempts American Samoa, another Pacific island territory that would become the only U.S. territory not subject to federal minimum-wage laws. One of the biggest opponents of the federal minimum wage in Samoa is StarKist Tuna, which owns one of the two packing plants that together employ more than 5,000 Samoans, or nearly 75 percent of the island's work force. StarKist's parent company, Del Monte Corp., has headquarters in San Francisco, which is represented by Mrs. Pelosi. The other plant belongs to California-based Chicken of the Sea. "There's something fishy going on here," said Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina Republican. During the House debate yesterday on stem-cell research, Mr. McHenry raised a parliamentary inquiry as to whether an amendment could be offered that would exempt American Samoa from stem-cell research, "just as it was for the minimum-wage bill." A clearly perturbed Rep. Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat who was presiding, cut off Mr. McHenry and shouted, "No, it would not be." "So, the chair is saying I may not offer an amendment exempting American Samoa?" Mr. McHenry pressed. "The gentleman is making a speech and will sustain," Mr. Frank shouted as he slammed his large wooden gavel against the rostrum. Some Republicans who voted in favor of the minimum-wage bill were particularly irritated to learn yesterday -- after their vote -- that the legislation did not include American Samoa. "I was troubled to learn of this exemption," said Rep. Mark Steven Kirk, Illinois Republican. "My intention was to raise the minimum wage for everyone. We shouldn't permit any special favors or exemptions that are not widely discussed in Congress. This is the problem with rushing legislation through without full debate." A spokeswoman for Mrs. Pelosi said Wednesday that the speaker has not been lobbied in any way by StarKist or Del Monte.
Thank you for posting this. Figures the democrats and their press would try to convince the US that they are going to end poverty with a minimum wage hike, while the Samoans (who unlike the vast majority of American minimum wage earners) actually provide for their (large) families by working in the tuna cannery with the minimum wage they receive on the slime line. But they dont get a raise because the wealthiest democrat Nancy Pelosi needs yet another bribe, this time from Starkist.
I have never seen a post by the OP that was not a lie. Here is the real scoop: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/12/AR2007011201966.html The OP has at least 3 layers of lies: 1. For years, Republicans -- with the help of convicted lobbyist Jack A. Abramoff -- have fended off efforts to bring the islands under federal labor laws. Now on the first week of Democratic control, the Republicans cry foul that Samoa is not covered under federal laws? What had the Republicans been doing in the past 12 years? Talk about hypocricy! 2. Samoa Islands are represented by Del. Eni F.H. Faleomavaega (D), not Pelosy. 3. As soon as the Republicans started whining, Pelosy said that she would bring the Samoa Islands under the same federal law. When will the wingnuts stop lying?
You don't see the irony do you? It was the Republicans who had kept Samoa Islands out of the Federal laws, thanks to their corrupt politicians and lobbists. Now they try to pin that on Democrats after the first week, when in fact the Democrats are moving to correct this problem. If you want to accuse Pelosy of corruption, show us the money.
Starkist is owned by Del Monte which in turn is owned by (75%) HEINZ! Also Wikipedia "reports" that Pelosi's husband owns $17mil in Del Monte stock. We'll see if Wikipedia is forced to make a correction. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Del_Monte_Foods&diff=100228022&oldid=98156288 (scroll down to trivia)
"StarKist's parent company, Del Monte Corp., has headquarters in San Francisco, which is represented by Mrs. Pelosi." Unfortunately, there are far to many people who are content pulling the party line and become apologists. This country is doomed.
Reid tried to block this reform. Reid Backtracks, Accepts Tougher Earmark Reform By Justin Rood - January 12, 2007, 12:35 PM Win a few, lose a few. Yesterday, Paul reported on the fireworks erupting in the Senate over ethics reform. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) went to the wall for a watered-down reform proposal, which would have kept the public from knowing which lawmakers inserted billions of dollars worth of earmarked expenditures. Republicans, with the help of nine Democrats (and Joe Lieberman), kept him at bay by pushing an amendment that would force nearly all earmarks to be identified by their sponsors. Today, Reid appears to have accepted defeat. From CQ (sub. req.): After losing a critical floor vote Thursday and scrambling in vain to reverse the decision, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., found the spirit of bipartisan compromise more to his liking Friday morning. Reid offered an olive branch to Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., agreeing to embrace his amendment to a pending ethics and lobbying overhaul (S 1) with some modifications. DeMintâs amendment, which Democratic leaders tried but failed to kill on Thursday, would expand the definition of member earmarks that would be subject to new disclosure rules. . . . Friday morning, a chastened Reid said, âYesterday was a rather difficult day, as some days are. We tend to get in a hurry around here sometimes when we shouldnât be. Personally, for the majority, we probably could have done a little better job.â
Wow, the wingnuts are out in force. Did you just receive the marching orders? You think someone would believe an entry on wiki that was made today as credible source? $17 million at $11/share would be over 1.5 million shares. That would certainly appear as one of the top holders. Here is the list of major holders of Del Monte Foods: MAJOR DIRECT HOLDERS (FORMS 3 & 4) Holder Shares Reported WOLFORD RICHARD G 494,901 6-Dec-06 MEYERS DAVID L 182,870 28-Sep-06 LOMMERIN NILS 108,900 2-Nov-06 WILLIAMS DAVID R 61,909 21-Sep-06 BINOTTO DONALD J 58,491 5-Dec-05 I don't see anyone here by the name of Paul. Do you? Where is your credibility?
This is an outright lie. Here is the list of top institution owners of Del Monte: TOP INSTITUTIONAL HOLDERS Holder Shares % Out Value* Reported ATLANTIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC. 13,870,000 6.88 $144,941,500 30-Sep-06 WELLS FARGO & COMPANY 10,839,598 5.38 $113,273,799 30-Sep-06 LEGG MASON INC. 10,152,640 5.04 $106,095,088 30-Sep-06 Mellon Financial Corporation 9,838,394 4.88 $102,811,217 30-Sep-06 LSV ASSET MANAGEMENT 9,801,641 4.86 $102,427,148 30-Sep-06 SASCO CAPITAL, INC. 9,119,450 4.52 $95,298,252 30-Sep-06 JP MORGAN CHASE & COMPANY 8,815,353 4.37 $92,120,438 30-Sep-06 SOUTHEASTERN ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC. 6,481,200 3.22 $67,728,540 30-Sep-06 VANGUARD GROUP, INC. (THE) 6,038,040 3.00 $63,097,518 30-Sep-06 STATE STREET CORPORATION 5,129,988 2.54 $53,608,374 30-Sep-06 And here is the list of top mutual fund owners: TOP MUTUAL FUND HOLDERS Holder Shares % Out Value* Reported LONGLEAF PARTNERS SMALL-CAP FUND 6,382,600 3.17 $66,698,170 30-Sep-06 JP MORGAN MID CAP VALUE FUND 4,293,000 2.13 $46,321,470 31-Oct-06 Wells Fargo Advantage Small Cap Value Fd 3,968,835 1.97 $42,823,729 31-Oct-06 Wells Fargo Advantage Mid Cap Disciplined Fd 2,949,000 1.46 $31,819,710 31-Oct-06 Olstein All Cap Value Fund 2,259,700 1.12 $23,613,865 30-Sep-06 Advantage Funds, Inc.- Dreyfus Mid Cap Value Fund 2,015,800 1.00 $21,065,110 30-Sep-06 WESTPORT SELECT CAP FUND 1,713,000 .85 $17,900,850 30-Sep-06 COLLEGE RETIREMENT EQUITIES FUND-STOCK ACCOUNT 1,694,277 .84 $19,026,730 30-Jun-06 VANGUARD SMALL-CAP INDEX FUND 1,454,373 .72 $15,198,197 30-Sep-06 ADVISORS INNER CIRCLE-LSV VALUE EQUITY FD 1,226,231 .61 $12,850,900 31-Jul-06 Do the math yourself. These owners add to over 50% of total shares. How can wingnuts make up such stupid lies?