Minimum Wage

I was reading the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal today when I stumbled across an article titled Grappling Over Minimum Wage Builds as Republicans Disagree. The opening premise of the article is whether Republicans should try to pass an increase in the minimum wage after returning to the hill after Labor Day, or to let the issue pass and risk facing voters in November.

Apparently some Republicans in tough races are chomping at the bit for another chance to raise the minimum raise in order to "deprive democrats of a major campaign talking point." Where are their principles I say? Chris Shays-R Connecticut was quoted as saying, "I think it should be passed under our watch." The usual petty, party politics game in Washington is being played simply to maintain power, much to the dismay of low skilled workers who face potential job loss or work time reductions if such a measure is to pass.

Mr. Shays was also quoted saying, "... it’s not like we're increasing it in a way that would cause unemployment." I wonder how come Mr. Shays doesn't understand that the current minimum wage is causing unemployment. Of-course raising it would only serve to increase the unemployment that it is already causing. This is yet another example of a politician who does not understand simple economics.

This reminds me of the massive prescription drug plan the GOP passed in 2002 that pilfered the pockets of younger workers to line the wallets of the wealthiest group of Americans in our countries history. All the republicans cared about at that time was that they passed it first. Not much has changed.

A possible strategy for the Dems is to wait out the issue until a spending bill comes up that would provide for pay raises for legislators. The author of the article proclaims that the Dems would then be able to slam the Republicans for raising their own pay, while failing to do so for minimum wage earners.

Of-course no one in the mainstream media is going to point out the truth that law makers have no natural, legal authority to intervene in the affairs of private business in the first place.