Bullsh*t from Americans United

“All boats should rise with the tide – not just the yachts,” said Jeremy Funk, spokesman for Americans United. “For far too long, ordinary hardworking Minnesotans have been denied a livable wage, but the passage of this bill to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour with such strong bipartisan unity is an extraordinarily positive step forward. It’s just disappointing that Rep. Bachmann chose to stand on the side of the corporate specials interests instead of standing on the side of working families and supporting an increase in the minimum wage.”

If one is going to criticize a vote against the minimum wage, let’s criticize it on economic grounds, on policy grounds, or on something substantive and not unmitigated bullsh*t -- trying to create an impression rather than trying to clarify the debate.

Start with this -- “For far too long, ordinary hardworking Minnesotans have been denied a livable wage.” Where did the law “deny” anybody a wage greater than the minimum wage? In fact, it is the new law that denies an individual the right to prove his worth and offer to work for a starting salary less than $7.25 an hour.

As has been pointed out many times, minimum wage has no effect on employers -- they simply pass on the cost to consumers or cut staff and eliminate jobs or hours. Consumers are hurt by higher prices or less service; workers that need entry-level jobs are hurt not having those jobs available.

That’s what Bachmann was voting against. That’s an economic argument that can be debated. Roiling that she stands “on the side of corporate interests instead of working families” is just an attack, not an argument. Of course, argument and debate and truth is not the objective of Americans United. If it were, they'd challenge Bachmann's premise not her character.

It’s indeed ironic that Democrats blast Bachmann for being “anti-science,” but when it comes to the science of economics, Democrats ignore the science and opt for a faith-based trust that they are doing good.