Suitably Flip

The Munchausen Majority

Handing the Democrats this enormous minimum wage hike had better come with substantial quid pro quos, as its negative effects on the economy (most notably on small businesses and, in turn, their ability to create new jobs, constraining the supply of jobs and creating downward pressure on prices (wages)) are bound to be significant.  As usual, this favorite liberal policy point - while warm, fuzzy, and populist-sounding - will be most harmful to those it purports to help.  It'll help keep people poor, which (if all goes according to plan) will fuel their perceived need for more Democratic policies in the future.

Yes, the Dems slinging this economic gruel are essentially akin to a lonely old lady mixing bleach into her poor, sick grandchild's soup so he'll stay sick and give her purpose.

Teddy weeps.

"Minimum wage workers have waited almost 10 long years for an increase," responded Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, who has said that boosting the federal minimum wage will be his chief goal when he takes over as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. "We need to pass a clean bill giving them the raise they deserve as quickly as possible."

10 years and no wage increase?  That sounds terrible for those minimum wage workers.  Speaking of which, how about America's kindergarteners?  They never seem to get anywhere in life.  Kindergarteners have been going to kindergarten for years!  Decades even.  Won't someone please think of the children?  They seem to be in such a rut.

Well, whether they've developed the required skills or not, we need to pass legislation to move kindergarteners into a higher grade - let's say third.  That ought to make us feel good.  It'll be tight in there with all the existing third graders, but it'll work itself out somehow.  Maybe the schools will just have to implement a policy where only half the kids actually come to school and the rest stay home.  Kids hate school anyway, right?

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The Munchausen Majority

Handing the Democrats this enormous minimum wage hike had better come with substantial quid pro quos, as its negative effects on the economy (most notably on small businesses and, in turn, their ability to create new jobs, constraining the supply of jobs and creating downward pressure on prices (wages)) are bound to be significant.  As usual, this favorite liberal policy point - while warm, fuzzy, and populist-sounding - will be most harmful to those it purports to help.  It'll help keep people poor, which (if all goes according to plan) will fuel their perceived need for more Democratic policies in the future.

Yes, the Dems slinging this economic gruel are essentially akin to a lonely old lady mixing bleach into her poor, sick grandchild's soup so he'll stay sick and give her purpose.

Teddy weeps.

"Minimum wage workers have waited almost 10 long years for an increase," responded Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, who has said that boosting the federal minimum wage will be his chief goal when he takes over as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. "We need to pass a clean bill giving them the raise they deserve as quickly as possible."

10 years and no wage increase?  That sounds terrible for those minimum wage workers.  Speaking of which, how about America's kindergarteners?  They never seem to get anywhere in life.  Kindergarteners have been going to kindergarten for years!  Decades even.  Won't someone please think of the children?  They seem to be in such a rut.

Well, whether they've developed the required skills or not, we need to pass legislation to move kindergarteners into a higher grade - let's say third.  That ought to make us feel good.  It'll be tight in there with all the existing third graders, but it'll work itself out somehow.  Maybe the schools will just have to implement a policy where only half the kids actually come to school and the rest stay home.  Kids hate school anyway, right?