Six months too late on the minimum wage

Mar 21, 2005

During the election campaign, virtually nothing was heard about the minimum wage. Of course, the Democrats buried a line about it in their platform. But when there was the chance to make it a major issue, they did nothing. If the Democrats had pushed the issue before the election, proposing bills in Congress, it would have put the Republicans in both the House and the Senate in a corner, forcing some of those in tight races to vote for it. Raising it before the election would have made it difficult for Bush to veto it. But pushing it then raised the possibility that an increase might actually be passed – which the Democrats certainly weren't ready to do.

Today, the Democrats bring the issue to a vote, and they are quickly outvoted. It is purely symbolic. No one should fall for it!