Jim DeMint on Jobs

Jr Senator; previously Republican Rep (SC-4)

Let states opt out of minimum wage

Jim DeMint's goal of abolishing the minimum wage is yet another "big bad idea" that would hurt South Carolina families and is further evidence that DeMint's radical views are out of step with South Carolina voters, US Senate candidate Inez Tenenbaum said today.

"Not only does Jim DeMint oppose an increase in the minimum wage, he favors abolishing the minimum wage altogether," Tenenbaum said. "His opposition to a minimum wage of any kind is another wacky, far-out idea that shows how out of touch he is with South Carolina." Tenenbaum supports an increase in the minimum wage over time, once the economy recovers.

DeMint acknowledged during a recent US Senate debate at WYFF-TV in Greenville, and again during Monday's debate at WIS-TV in Columbia, that he supports abandoning the federal minimum wage. In 1999, he introduced legislation that would allow states to opt out of the minimum wage.

Source: SC Senate debate analysis in Tenenbaum Press Release Oct 19, 2004

Voted YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business.

American Jobs Creation Act of 2004: <0l>

Repeal the tax exclusion for extraterritorial income - Permits foreign corporations to revoke elections to be treated as U.S. corporations Business Tax Incentives - Small Business ExpensingTax Relief for Agriculture and Small Manufacturers

Tax Reform and Simplification for United States Businesses

Deduction of State and Local General Sales Taxes

Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform

Provisions to Reduce Tax Avoidance Through Individual and Corporation Expatriation Reference: Bill sponsored by Bill Rep Thomas [R, CA-22]; Bill H.R.4520 ; vote number 2004-509 on Oct 7, 2004

Voted NO on $167B over 10 years for farm price supports.

Vote to authorize $167 billion over ten years for farm price supports, food aid and rural development. Payments would be made on a countercyclical program, meaning they would increase as prices dropped. Conservation acreage payments would be retained. Bill HR 2646 ; vote number 2001-371 on Oct 5, 2001

Voted YES on zero-funding OSHA's Ergonomics Rules instead of $4.5B.

Vote to pass a resolution to give no enforcement authority or power to ergonomics rules submitted by the Labor Department during the Clinton Administration. These rules would force businesses to take steps to prevent work-related repetitive stress disorders. Reference: Sponsored by Nickles, R-OK; Bill S J Res 6 ; vote number 2001-33 on Mar 7, 2001

Rated 7% by the AFL-CIO, indicating an anti-labor voting record.

DeMint scores 7% by the AFL-CIO on labor issues

As the federation of America’s unions, the AFL-CIO includes more than 13 million of America’s workers in 60 member unions working in virtually every part of the economy. The mission of the AFL-CIO is to improve the lives of working families to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation. To accomplish this mission we will build and change the American labor movement.

The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.

Source: AFL-CIO website 03n-AFLCIO on Dec 31, 2003

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