Gavin Newsome, as slimy as they come..

[SunsetBengal]

Seems that he wrote a loophole in the $20 min wage law that was specifically worded to benefit one of his big doners. Go figure...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/california-s-new-20-minimum-wage-law-includes-odd-exemption-that-benefits-a-big-gavin-newsom-donor/ar-BB1j4gPy?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=898ff203687a495aa69d9ef9366837b9&ei=28

Quote:While Gavin Newsom and his cronies in the California legislature pat themselves on the back for their selfless magnanimity in raising the state's minimum wage, others have noticed a strange exemption whose beneficiary has ties to the governor himself.

Specifically, as noted by BNN Bloomberg, it appears the Panera Bread chain has evaded the new stipulation to raise their minimum wage to $20 per hour.

According to Bloomberg, there's a strange and oddly specific loophole in that law, which exempts chains that bake and sell bread as a stand-alone item from raising their minimum wage.

Which is akin to, say, Georgia raising the minimum wage for every business except chains that make chicken sandwiches and have partially literate cows as their mascot.
It's a little too specific.

It makes sense, however, when you learn that billionaire Greg Flynn, owner of a fast food and restaurant empire that includes several Panera Breads in the state of California, is a longtime friend of California Gov. Gavin Newsom who frequently donates vast sums of money to his political enterprises.

In this act, known as the FAST Act, fast-food chains in the state are forced to raise their wages to at least $20 per hour or face crippling fines, with many, like Chipotle, raising their prices to compensate for the wage increase.

Paneras in the area, meanwhile, have much more wiggle room, with some advertising the $20 minimum, while others are free to advertise wages of $16-18 per hour.

As Michelle Korsmo, head of the National Restaurant Association, said at an industry conference "everyone's scratching their head" at the suspiciously specific exemption.

Even more suspicious, according to insiders familiar with the negotiations that went into crafting the bill, it was Newsom who pushed for the exemption, possibly in light of Flynn's penning an op-ed in the political publication the Capitol Weekly, wherein he actually argued against the bill.

The plot, as they say, thickens.

As written, it seems clear to the casual observer that the exemption was put in the bill specifically to prevent Newsom from losing one of his major donors and political allies (though of course, no one has admitted that one way or the other).

At best, this is an almost archetypal example of government regulations failing to make sense.

At worst, this could be an example of blatant corruption from Newsom.

As Bloomberg reported, even industry insiders were puzzled by the bread-baking exemption.

Considering his well-documented relationship with Flynn, a personal one that goes back to high school, and a political one that goes back at least to 2014, the only reason for the exemption seems to be keeping his top political donors happy.

Granted, there's no proof one way or the other, but the evidence is at least incredibly suggestive.

And, given the evidence we do have of Newsom's rules for thee and not for me (such as eating at a fancy restaurant while the rest of the state was condemned to his brutal lockdown policies), it at least wouldn't be surprising

[Arturo Bandini]

Your politicians serve their donors not the people.

[GMDino]

(02-29-2024, 10:02 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Seems that he wrote a loophole in the $20 min wage law that was specifically worded to benefit one of his big doners.  Go figure...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/california-s-new-20-minimum-wage-law-includes-odd-exemption-that-benefits-a-big-gavin-newsom-donor/ar-BB1j4gPy?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=898ff203687a495aa69d9ef9366837b9&ei=28

Politician helps donor?  Dog bites man?

Not sure that make him any more "slimy" than anyone else.  Although based on the authors collection of articles she probably would.

I'm against such thing too though.  I don't know that we need an "investigation" as republicans in California want but these kind of shady deals/stipulations only degrade the trust in government more.

It's just that there's nothing new here.

[*pally*]

Do you mean like the 2017 tax bill having carve-outs for big real estate developers and other "flow-through" LLC's favored by Trump and big donors?

This is the way of politics...always has been always will be

[SunsetBengal]

(02-29-2024, 11:12 AM)pally Wrote: Do you mean like the 2017 tax bill having carve-outs for big real estate developers and other "flow-through" LLC's favored by Trump and other big donors?

This is the way of politics...always has been always will be

So when it happens, we're just supposed to dismiss it as business as usual?

[GMDino]

(02-29-2024, 11:17 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: So when it happens, we're just supposed to dismiss it as business as usual?

No.  But we can be consistent and dislike both and speak out about both.

[SunsetBengal]

(02-29-2024, 11:19 AM)GMDino Wrote: No.  But we can be consistent and dislike both and speak out about both.

Great, here's your chance to speak out about a Democrat Governor!

[*pally*]

(02-29-2024, 11:17 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: So when it happens, we're just supposed to dismiss it as business as usual?

it is sleazy regardless of who does it

The only way to hinder it is to take big money out of politics but as long as people just vote party line instead of holding politicians accountable for their job performances or lack thereof not much will change

TPTB has worked very hard to make the average citizen as powerless as possible. That is why Ohio voters preserving the right for citizen's initiatives to be placed on the ballot are so important

[GMDino]

(02-29-2024, 11:24 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Great, here's your chance to speak out about a Democrat Governor!

I did.

[*Nately120*]

(02-29-2024, 11:24 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Great, here's your chance to speak out about a Democrat Governor!

F*** Culbert Olson!

[*michaelsean*]

Kinda getting a both sides vibe here. Which makes no sense at all. Perfect time to get some “I don’t walk in lock step” cred. Very few people here are from CA. It’s not a national party thing like president or senator. Just agree the guy is a dirtball and move on.

[NATI BENGALS]

What a stupid rule.

If I was a California fast food restaurant I would start making a loaf of bread a day and selling it by itself. And then claim I am exempt from the $20 an hour minimum wage.

Definitely gives off the political favor vibes. But idk. Bread is cheap. And the small time bakery business probably isn’t very profitable compared to a nation wide fast food chain.

[SunsetBengal]

(02-29-2024, 11:01 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: What a stupid rule.

If I was a California fast food restaurant I would start making a loaf of bread a day and selling it by itself. And then claim I am exempt from the $20 an hour minimum wage.

Definitely gives off the political favor vibes. But idk. Bread is cheap. And the small time bakery business probably isn’t very profitable compared to a nation wide fast food chain.

Easy to achieve for a mom and pop type of shop.  A little bit tougher for the corporate chains to duplicate.  For example, could you imagine walking into Burger King and asking for just a bag of their buns?

[Luvnit2]

(02-29-2024, 11:01 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: What a stupid rule.

If I was a California fast food restaurant I would start making a loaf of bread a day and selling it by itself. And then claim I am exempt from the $20 an hour minimum wage.

Definitely gives off the political favor vibes. But idk. Bread is cheap. And the small time bakery business probably isn’t very profitable compared to a nation wide fast food chain.

If I use my common sense, how will Panera Bread or others hire workers if all of the fast food restaurants start at $20 an hour and they start at $16.? 

Newsome is a sweet talker who has run California into the ground, but his buddy may not be able to hire at $16 an hour if everyone else is hiring at $20 an hour.

[NATI BENGALS]

https://ktla.com/news/california/gov-gavin-newsom-fires-back-at-panera-bread-exemption-allegations-says-company-isnt-exempt-from-the-law/

““The governor never met with Flynn about this bill and this story is absurd. Our legal team has reviewed it, and it appears Panera is not exempt from the law,” a spokesperson from Newsom told Nexstar’s Capital Reporter Eytan Wallace.”

[NATI BENGALS]

(03-01-2024, 01:12 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: If I use my common sense, how will Panera Bread or others hire workers if all of the fast food restaurants start at $20 an hour and they start at $16.? 

Newsome is a sweet talker who has run California into the ground, but his buddy may not be able to hire at $16 an hour if everyone else is hiring at $20 an hour.

I think I read that the guy supposedly benefitting here had that same line of thought when asked about this story.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(03-01-2024, 01:12 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: If I use my common sense, how will Panera Bread or others hire workers if all of the fast food restaurants start at $20 an hour and they start at $16.? 

Newsome is a sweet talker who has run California into the ground, but his buddy may not be able to hire at $16 an hour if everyone else is hiring at $20 an hour.

Because in order to afford paying that much they will gut staffing levels and automate as much as possible.  Hence there will be fewer jobs to choose from.  $16 an hour is still better than $0.

[JustWinBaby]

Interesting that attacks on Newsome are ramping up....a conspiracy theorist might take that as a signal that he could be the Dem nominee (via brokered convention).

[*Nately120*]

(03-01-2024, 01:12 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: If I use my common sense, how will Panera Bread or others hire workers if all of the fast food restaurants start at $20 an hour and they start at $16.? 

Hopefully they go out of business.  I'm in PA and the minimum wage here is $7.25 and the wife wanted to go that damn place and we paid damn near $40 for two half sammiches and bowls of soup.  I assume if you buy that same thing in CA it costs like $100.

Any place that charges $20 for what amounts to the lunch my ol' man used to throw together when he could barely be bothered to tear himself away from the TV should be out of business and the people in charge locked up.  God I hate that place, and now all the Panera Breads from state where the minimum wage is above $7.25 will move to PA and I'll be surrounded by the damn things.

[*michaelsean*]

(03-01-2024, 06:57 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Hopefully they go out of business.  I'm in PA and the minimum wage here is $7.25 and the wife wanted to go that damn place and we paid damn near $40 for two half sammiches and bowls of soup.  I assume if you buy that same thing in CA it costs like $100.

Any place that charges $20 for what amounts to the lunch my ol' man used to throw together when he could barely be bothered to tear himself away from the TV should be out of business and the people in charge locked up.  God I hate that place, and now all the Panera Breads from state where the minimum wage is above $7.25 will move to PA and I'll be surrounded by the damn things.

I cannot understand the love of that place. It felt like they had to be laughing at me when they gave me the price and I paid.