Rewrite!

We see the following headling in the New York Times: Senate Blocks New Rules on Pay for Overtime Work

And read:

With five Republicans breaking ranks, the Senate voted, 52 to 47, to ensure that the new Labor Department proposal does not deny overtime to any category of worker now qualified to receive it.

The headline should be: Democrats plus a handful of Republicans Block New Rules on Pay for Overtime Work

Because here are the details of the vote for the Harken amendment on overtime pay:

Harkin's proposal was supported by 46 of the Senate's 48 Democrats, as well as one independent and five Republicans. Two of them, Sens. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, are running difficult re-election campaigns in states where organized labor has a significant presence.

Republican Sens. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island also voted for the Democratic measure. Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia was the only Democrat opposed.

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, did not vote. An aide said he supported Harkin's proposal.

NOTE: Though Kerry didn't vote, he is a co-sponsor of the amendment.

posted by Quiddity at 5/05/2004 01:37:00 AM