Prevailing Wages? That's Like So 20th Century Man

Estimated Property Damage:  $100 billion
Estimated Death Toll:  10,000 Americans
Using a national tragedy to cut wages for the poor:  Priceless

For everyone else, there's decency.

From LA Times (thanks to el s for the tip).

One action Bush did not trumpet publicly drew a quick protest from a leading Democrat. By executive order, Bush suspended the Davis-Bacon Act in areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, a move that will allow federal contractors to pay less than the local "prevailing wage" on construction projects.

Rep. George Miller of Martinez, senior Democrat on the House committee that oversees labor law, said the move would allow employers to pay "poverty wages" as they rebuild from the hurricane.

"The administration is using the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to cut the wages of people desperately trying to rebuild their lives," Miller said in a statement, noting that the prevailing wage for construction in New Orleans was about $9 an hour. "At under $9 an hour, workers certainly won't be able to rebuild their livelihoods."

See, there's no time to play the blame game. There's pockets to fill and people to screw!

Charles Norman Todd has more. So does Blogenlust.

Comments

[el s]

good on ya agi. this story needs to go publc in a big way. it boggles the mind. it really does.

[Mike]

Un-freakin believable!

Did he think that people wouldn't notice? So survivors get their lives and loved ones destroyed, the property wiped out and when it gets rebuild, they can be hire at slave wages to do the work.

With so many guns down there, I'm truly surprised a real revolt hasn;t taken place. This is an affront way worse than "taxation without representaion"...

[karen]

This is the sickest thing yet. We have millions unemployed and are going to pay slave wages to help boost GOPers profits in reconstruction. Facism.

[john @ blogenlust]

It's pretty amazing, really. Where the hell is the media? This should be one of the most talked about stories!

[xristim]

Now THERE's a sure way to help stamp out the poverty that's risen by 17% during his Presidency -- and left thousands of people stranded in the city of New Orleans, giving rise to the furor the Chief of the Counterfeit Compassionate Conservative And Oh Yeah By The Way Conspicuously Caucasian Caucus and his Dither of Dolts are now trying to bury.

Oh, and lest you think this action has not been carefully thought through, let me hasten to add that contracts for some of the reconstruction have already been let – and are going to friends and supporters and campaign contributors of the Chief and his Dither (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/diary/story/0,,1565941,00.html and http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/news/hurricane_katrina.html ) .

See how cleverly that works?

The crisis that would have been less severe had the Chief and his Dither acted in timely and competent fashion is now of such magnitude that it can be used as an excuse to lower pay standards because of the urgency of rebuilding, which rebuilding will be done by pals of the Chief and the Dither – with a lot less payroll expense than they would otherwise have faced.

Have I missed anything?

[Random Passerby]

Here's the dude who told cheney to fuck off.
http://casadelogo.typepad.com/factesque/2005/09/the_vice_presid.html

[JollyRoger]

Good Christ-the average pay in the New Orleans area is only about $17500.00 a year. How fucking low do they intend to go?

[Agi T. Prop]

Random Passerby, You are so random it's killing me, you cute little spammer!

[HelenWheels]

At least the bushco cronyism is getting into the MSM, it surprised me that this was a headling on yahoo:

Firms with Bush ties snag Katrina deals

Of course, by next week it will all be forgotten. Why isn't there more uproar about this unbelievable fascist crap he's pulling?? It's making me craaaaaayzeeeeee...