Fair is Fair

The other day, I ripped into Howard Kurtz for his opening line. I must admit that after reading his column, he did go in and explain that that was what the conservatives were saying but still, to have an opening sentence like that... was just sleazy.

However, in my eyes, he redeemed himself today. In response to a quote from the Conservative Voice,

"'This is a terrible situation and we need to have compassion. The truth is black people died not because of President Bush or racism, they died because of their unhealthy dependence on the government and the incompetence of Mayor Ray Nagin and Governor Kathleen Blanco,' said Rev. Peterson."

Does not being able to afford a car amount to unhealthy dependence on government? (emphasis mine)

This question, in conjunction with what Americablog found this morning on the WH website

(b) The wage rates imposed by section 3142 of title 40, United States Code, increase the cost to the Federal Government of providing Federal assistance to these areas.

(c) Suspension of the subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, 40 U.S.C. 3141-3148, and the operation of related acts to the extent they depend upon the Secretary of Labor's determinations under section 3142 of title 40, United States Code, will result in greater assistance to these devastated communities and will permit the employment of thousands of additional individuals.
...
And, as to such contracts to be performed in such jurisdictions, I do hereby suspend, until otherwise provided, the provisions of any Executive Order, proclamation, rule, regulation, or other directive providing for the payment of wages, which provisions are dependent upon determinations by the Secretary of Labor under section 3142 of title 40, United States Code

kind of stacks the odds against poor people doesn't it?

In case you didn't want to understand that legal gobblety-gook, translated into plain english means that the Federal Government just said bye-bye to State Government's minimum wage. So if you work in a state that has a higher minimum wage than the Federal Government's, too frickin' bad. You're getting a wage cut.

So tell me, this isn't class warfare? Who the hell benefits from such wage cuts? And tell me, what are the gas prices in YOUR town? About half of what the federal minimum wage is, huh?