Another Minimum Wage Proposal

Tom Harkin, Senator from Iowa, is proposing raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.   Or, as I like to call it, the Killing Jobs in America Act.

Many minimum-wage workers — who serve in important and often difficult jobs, but earn just $7.25 an hour — do not earn enough to pay the bills, much less achieve the American Dream....

This means that American workers are falling behind. If we are truly going to rebuild the middle class, we must start by helping these workers.

While I was heartened to hear President Obama make the minimum wage a centerpiece of his State of the Union Address, I believe that his proposal of $9 per hour does not go far enough to ensure that working families can make ends meet.

Soon, Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., and I will introduce legislation that would gradually increase the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour...

Raising the minimum wage is one of the simplest and most effective ways to help working families succeed.

I think the American Dream consists in having a 4 bedroom, 3 bath house, with two new cars, annual vacations to the beach, a winter ski trip, private school for children, and early retirement at age 55.   I think a lot of Americans might have similar "American Dreams."   Shouldn't the federal government require my employer to pay me enough to "achieve the American Dream"?  

I think about $250 an hour ought to do it. 

Look, this is a simple thought experiment.   If $10.10 minimum wage is good, why isn't a $20.20 minimum wage better?   Or $40.40?   Or $80.80?   Wouldn't that "help working families succeed" even more?   And, if not, why not?   Somebody should ask Harkin questions like this.   They used to call them "reporters"... not sure what happened to them.

You see, what liberals like Harkin won't admit and are never forced to admit is that there actually are economic consequences from raising the minimum wage, just as there are economic consequences for requiring employers to provide healthcare once they have 50 employees, or once their employees work more than 30 hours, as Obamacare does. 

The consequences are fewer jobs, fewer entry-level opportunities, more poverty.   Which is a pretty stupid way to "ensure that working families can make ends meet."