46. All of you selfish republicans that are against the minimum raise hike: are you working for $5.15 an hour with no hope in sight of a raise. Put yourself in their shoes. If a business can not afford to pay minimum raise than perhaps they need to look at whether they should be in business.

Diana Frasure at 4:00PM on Jan 24th 2007

47. I'ts whats in the bil that McCain objects to. He is for a wage increase

robert pirillo at 4:16PM on Jan 24th 2007

48. McCain may not be much to look at but he has this one right. Kennedy and friends know what is appealing to people on the surface but raising minimum wage only hurts the growing group of small business people in this country. Could it be the minority Dems were playing this same game for the past 6 years???

Clay Morris at 3:48PM on Jan 24th 2007

49. I love all the people that want an min wage increase. They have never had to make a payroll or deal with the government. I guess people would rather have someone else determine the worth rather than bring something to the table like work-education or risk. Lets just pay 20.00 per hour and raise milk to 6.00 dollars a gallon. You see the Dem's are just trying to buy your vote bY letting business raise prices to support you stupid people that have never brought anything to the table.
GOOD LUCK

M. leveta at 3:54PM on Jan 24th 2007

50. John McCain may be using this vote to win conservatives and the business people, but he's losing me.

Ronny at 3:53PM on Jan 24th 2007

51. I feel the minimum wage should be raised, considering that there is a wide gap between low/middle-income families, and upper-income families. This will help those less-fortunate, who reside in high cost-of-living cities like New York, to feed their families without depending as heavily on soup kitchens and food pantries. Those opposed to the increase should talk to someone living in borderline poverty, volunteer in a soup kitchen...There are too many people struggling, for anyone to deny them the opportunity to work (Yes, and NOT sit at home collecting a check) for better pay.

Christina at 3:55PM on Jan 24th 2007

52. I used to like him. What on earth happened to him? Has he been brainwashed? I hope he never becomes president. Typical Republican war monger who only cares about the rich.

Kim Roseberry at 3:55PM on Jan 24th 2007

53. I am proud to be among the 25 percent of Americans that are adamantly opposed to any increase in minimum wage. In this case Senator McCain refuses to be a demagogue and pander to gullible people for votes. I applaud him.

William Kerr at 4:20PM on Jan 24th 2007

54. I've thought a lot about John McCain through the years. In 2000 he'd have gotten my vote, had Bush not tried to destroy him, resulting in Bush winning the Republican nomination. But in the years since 2003, McCain has become almost a carbon copy of Bush, I don't know if he thinks that is what one has to be to win or if he now truly thinks like Bush, but whichever the case may be, he is no longer "for the people", which is clear by his fillibuster support, and any Presidential nominee who isn't strongly "for the people" first, for big business second is not going to win. Americans are sick and tired of Washington decisions being based not on what's best for the people, but best for Corporate America. I'd like to see any one of them try to live on the current minimum wage of any state in the U.S.. Even here in California, where the minimum wage is already $7.50 per hour...in a 40 hour week that is only a gross income of $1200 per month, after taxes it's more like $900, I'd like these Repubicans who are fillibustering to try and live just one month on that amount and then be able to fillibuster in all good conscience. It's ridiculous, and McCain will lose the nod if he joins in on this fillibuster...guaranteed.

carrie at 3:56PM on Jan 24th 2007

55. John McCain is a smart and decent man. I own a small business and have never paid anyone minimum wage, I always wanted to do more. There must be something that John McCain knows that I am not getting, I look forward to his explaination and continue to believe he could make a fine President and that he has a desire to do the right thing for the USA.

Dwight at 3:56PM on Jan 24th 2007

56. I agree with a lot of things Senator McCain has to say ,but not on this issue. I thing our politicians(both party's) are killing us slowly. The only thind they think about is there parties and themselves, it time they all get a wake up call, we need normal people in our government not the select few.We need them to be responsible to our needs not thier own

Paul at 4:08PM on Jan 24th 2007

57. Deliver me!

God, help us all. Now we have a President who has come forth to help screw us over once again. Personally, I cannot afford any more of his "helpful ideas" and implementations regarding my health insurance. I have an employer sponsored secondary insurance and Medicare as primary. It is not enough my monthly premiums for Part B have tripled during this Bimbo's Administration and that I had a grand secondary private insurance to help pay much of my many prescriptions but now, I get to eat that financial doughnut hole wih my scripts and also thanks to him shoving Medicare D(AKA, Mcare DISASTER) down my throat and another monthly premium ($100/mo) for THAT too and higher copayments. Please, wake up and smell the JAVA, folks, if those of us who are single and disabled at young ages, without the advantage of working a lifetime and saving well get anymore "help" from this Administration, we'll be dead for sure, smothered from the further escalating bills we did NOT have until "help for M-care" came along. Imagine the ignorance over imposing penalities on employees/employers who offer health insurance. I get it, as usual, the employer gets a hefty tax break throguh some loophole. The Employee is told "Hey, we'll give you a $15,000. tax credit." Personally, I cannot afford anymore republican "tax credits" and I definitely cannot afford anymore assistance with my health insurance. The bills are scuttling me. Yep, I fear becoming one of the 46 million people in the US who are uninsured and I am already UNDERinsured and was just fine, thank you before Bushy Boy became my President. Is this the best we can do in this Country to have the likes of him as President? let's get somebody in there who can do the job and doesn't use all the "good ol' boys" from past administrations (Bush has sure used all his dad's buddies so out of touch with reality and they were when Papa bush was President too.)

Minimum wage: Plenty of jobs are available-just go check anywhere there are employees who earn min. wage. They;ll also tell you they cannot begin to support themselves let alone a spouse and a family too on their income. Get with it, raise the minimum wage, give the little independent business owner a tax break in the process. And, for God's sakes, PLEASE, somebody do something about the health insurance!

Mark at 5:04PM on Jan 24th 2007

58. Whatever happened to good old work ethic, bust your but and take pride in your work and you will be rewarded. No employer has a strangle hold on its employees. One can always find an employer who rewards their best employees. If people stop worrying about giving me what Joe is getting, and develope a work ethic; then their wages will reflect their abilitties and efforts. Linking the minimum wage to inflation, that's a methodical mathematical MBA coward decision. In other words, I do not have to consider qualitative parameters because the quantitative parameters work. If one's work ethic is not recognized by one's present employer, then another enterprising employer will gladly take offer to reward you efforts. Minimum wage is a starting point, no employee should strive to wages pushed up by a law. If you are stuck at the minimum wage, relate this to the Peter Principle; then you are incompetetent at the entry level position and should consider another job. And yes if you raise the minimum wage, those costs will be past on or cut some where else; more oursourcing for sure.

Real at 3:59PM on Jan 24th 2007

59. Both parties are wrong on this issue. Let the market set the wages. There are more than enough jobs that pay $8.00/hour or more and not enough teenagers making party money to fill them. Raising the minimum wage will have no impact on the economy other then win more votes for the cry baby dems. Republicans are also wrong by saying the employers will cut jobs. There are far more important issues to worry about.

Tom at 4:09PM on Jan 24th 2007

60. Senator John McCain is revealing more of himself just as he did last night during the State of the Union Address when he winked at his cronies as Bush spoke of getting rid of the earmarks. For a while he had lots of Americans wondering what his true colors are but now we know as we see many shots of him hugging Bush and initiating a surge for Iraq that will be filled by America's disadvantaged sons and daughters who are asked to make the ultimate sacrifice while their families have no shot at a minimum wage hike if old John can help it. That a way John, keep taking care of the corporations and Big Oil so you can join the Billionaires club.

Catherine Bode Friederich at 4:03PM on Jan 24th 2007