Boy, that wasn’t predictable. Not only was it pretty easy to figure out that the Senate GOP would put a stop to this “minimum wage hike” nonsense, but they’re equally clear-eyed and reasonable motivation was easy to see comin’ a mile away.

On a vote of 54-43, Democrats fell six short of the 60 needed to end debate and go to passage of the House-passed measure, which would raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour from $5.15 per hour over two years.

Republicans demanded tax breaks be added to the legislation to help small business cover the proposed pay hike for millions of America’s lowest paid workers. Senate Democratic leaders have indicated they would be willing to go along with some sort of tax relief if necessary to win approval.

I could spend a few paragraphs ripping into this, going into why it’s idiotic and why this is what has turned so many moderates against the Republican party and undermined their whole “champion of the working class” nonsense, but I’ll let Ted Kennedy say it for me:

“Why can’t we do just one thing for minimum wage workers? No strings attached, no giveaways for the powerful?,” Kennedy asked.

Amen, Teddy. Amen.