It's a rare opportunity we enjoy to have the federal government as a partner in business. Not one that pays any of the bills mind you, just one that bosses you around.
The new minimum wage requirement passed by Congress goes into effect today raising the minimum wage from $5.85 an hour to $6.55 per hour. This is the second of three annual increases mandated by the economic masterminds in Washington, DC which I am certain fully understand the affordability of part-time help at a bicycle shop in Bozeman Montana.
It may seem silly to be so specific but in fact that's what this type of legislation boils down to at its most basic sense.
Original legislation to protect workers from obvious hazards is an outgrowth of a government hoping to improve the quality of the work force and protect it for the future.
The setting of random minimum wage guidelines however have much less to do with compassion and more with the usual pandering and vote buying that passes for governance.
A Congress that was truly interested in the poor might be more open to oil and gas exploration in the United States that would lower one of the most regressive costs on struggling families and individuals in society; energy.
The lowering of the cost of heating one's home or driving oneself to work is a much more effective way to help the poor and disadvantaged than requiring their employers to pay them more money, which will undoubtedly result in many cutting back either their employee numbers or their total hours worked.
It will also result in the cost of this wage escalation to be passed along to consumers whether or not that price point adjustment is well-suited to the market. But then that decision would be made by the business owner and we know they can't be trusted.
