Washington Post’s probably most left-wing op-ed columnist Harold Meyerson doesn’t like that the Republican controlled Congress is doing what it can to not increase the federal minimum wage. Here’s what he has to say:
So the solutions for national problems get kicked downstairs. To date 23 states have passed minimum-wage standards higher than the feds’ — [...]

There is a strong and perhaps unstoppable push for an increase in the federal minimum wage. Republicans have tried to stall it by tying it to an extension of the estate tax cut in the House of Representatives, but it could well be that Congress in the end finds itself compelled to increasing it.
Republicans should [...]

Hugh Hewitt has published a statement by Congressman John Boehner regarding the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal. Boehner is in a bit of a pickle since has received $32,500 in contributions from Abramoff, and clearly needs to come out against the pork-lobbyist axis of waste and sleaze. I don’t know much about Boehner, in fact, I [...]

Michael of Southern Appeal brings attention to an ugly development on Capitol Hill, where Congress Republicans are apparently, according to Washington Times, looking to squeeze money out of oil companies because gas prices are so high (high, but tumbling, as it happens). That kind of foolishness is straight out of some two-bit Latin American dictator’s [...]

President Bush squeaked the Central America Free Trade Agreement through Congress this week, but not without some compromises. Shortly after the midnight CAFTA vote, Dennis Hastert directed the House to pass a $286.4 billion highway bill, reportedly in exchange for support for CAFTA. The bill is $2.4 billion more than the President’s 2005 veto limit, [...]

Robert Novak downplays the odds of Alberto Gonzales getting the nomination if a vacancy opens up on the Supreme Court, bit also notes that he may be the easiest way for president George W. Bush to get his nominee confirmed:
Since Gonzales was confirmed as attorney general after a nasty debate over treatment of terrorist detainees, [...]

My reaction to senator Dick “you-are-all-Nazis!” Durbin’s apology is the same as that of most people: That’s an apology? “If me comparing our soldiers to the Nazis offended you, then I’m sorry”? How about “I was an idiot ass for saying that and if you weren’t offended, then I’m sorry for that, too”?
The Northeast Dilemma [...]

Some are calling for the senate to censure Dick Durbin. I strongly disagree.
This is not an issue you should handle in the senate, it is one you should take to the voters this fall, and again next fall, and then in 2008. Every time national security comes up, we’ll toss Durbin’s comments at the Dems. [...]