158 Democrats Vote Against the Minimum Wage

And against a reduction in the death tax, but it's the minimum wage part that hurts. If you haven't turned on a TV in the last 18 hours, the Republicans pulled a brilliant bait and switch - they agreed to let the minimum wage come up for a vote, in a package that would also exempt the first $5 million of an individual's estate or $10 million of a couple's estate from the death tax. Democrats have understandably been screaming bloody murder, but I'm not all that sure if they're angrier about the "principle" of the bill (which hopefully is at worst a wash for small business) than about the fact they got cornered by Rove & Co...brilliantly. This minimum wage hike affect a miniscule number of families, and a large number of suburban teenagers flipping burgers at the Golden Arches (and after reading Fast Food Nation I find myself with a shortage of charity towards McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, etc.); the estate tax reduction (and can we be honest and admit that claiming this minor adjustment affects the "super-rich" is pathetic? The super-rich measure their wealth not in millions but in billions) benefits small businesses and working farms who are asset rich and cash poor and to whom the estate tax truly is a death tax. Taking a stand on the minimum wage is merely symbolic, but working to alleviate the threat of lost livelihoods for future generations.
Decent coverage from the AP here.
The full roll-call (#425) here.