The Minimum Wage and You

 This is William A. Niskanen, Chairman of the CATO Institute. I took him to task last weekend for chastising the house in June for what he felt was their ridiculousness in considering a Minimum Wage increase. I don’t know Mr. Niskanen, and until I happened upon his blog post quite accidentally, I didn’t know he was the Chairman of the CATO Institute.

The CATO Institute was founded in 1977 and is named after some letters that were written by a couple of British gents early in the 1700’s that our forefathers used as their inspiration for America. If you go to the CATO Institutes About page, you will see a rambling explanation of labels like conservative, liberal, libertarian, etc. My first thought was, these folks don’t know what they are.

But then, further down the page, is this paragraph:

Would a Minimum Wage increase impact me?

Yesterday, I wrote a post about increasing the Federally Mandated Minimum Wage. At this time, I think it should be $10 an hour, however, I’d be willing to settle on $7.25. Now, I say that as though I am currently making $5.15 and am making a public argument to give myself a raise.

Why a Minimum Wage increase?

An article in yesterday’s New York Times reported Chicago’s City Council voting to allow the Mayor to veto a regulation that would impose a $10 an hour minimum wage for companies with more than one billion (yes, that’s BILLION) dollars in average sales and stores of at least 90,000 square feet, which would include stores like Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot (in the article, they refer to these companies as “big-box” stores).

NYT reporters Monica Davey and Michael Barbaro wrote that this was in stark contrast to the aldermen voting 35 to 14 in favor of the ordinance that would require “big-box” retailers to pay at least $10 an hour by 2010, plus $3 and hour in benefits.

How do you begin a blog?

How do you begin a blog?

I’m finding this first post to my new blog incredibly difficult. I say my new blog, because I’ve had blogs before, but they were personal drivel. You know, who died, what I ate for breakfast. The kind of stuff only my friends cared about and was so boring, even I lost interest after a while.

This blog is different. This blog is serious. This time, I have things I want to say. Starting a serious and hopefully intelligent blog is daunting. Yes, absolutely daunting. And I would be lying if I told you that I was confident, because I’m not. I’m nervous and I’m scared. I’m scared of the things most people would be scared of . . . being criticized and people not liking me or what I have to say. But I’m also feeling compelled. Immensely compelled. So much so, I’m will to take the risk of being criticized or of being unpopular.

Why am I so compelled? I’m worried and I’m feeling helpless. As a single mom working a full time corporate job, I just don’t feel like I have a future anymore. Yesterday, while lunching with some co-workers, someone mentioned dancing with the stars, then someone mentioned Jerry Springer, then someone mentioned how he had protested George Bush’s tax cuts for the rich several years ago. Then we started talking about taxes, the deficit . . . you know where I’m going. This lunch group was a mix of Democrats and Republicans, but everyone felt the same way. There isn’t enough money to pay for the gas in our cars or the natural gas to heat our homes. Food is going up in price. Will there be enough Social Security for us? Will I have to work forever? Will I even have a job forever? When will this war end? And this was coming from people with GOOD jobs!

Big sigh.

I am a registered Republican, and I vote just about every election. Occassionally I’ll miss a primary in the Spring, but for the most part, I do vote. And I do make a point to know who I’m voting for. Mostly, I make a point to understand the source of any information I indulge in. Even if I’m reading a newspaper, I make a point to understand the editorial edge. After all, most newspapers are not without bias. Many are editorially leaning to the left or the right. Do you know which way your newspaper (or cable channel or radio show) leans? I am a Republican, but I lean to the left.

My point in this blog is to vent some commentary. I just want to voice how I feel legislations or wars or whatever is happening in the big world impacts my little family of two. Even if it’s just an emotional impact.

Thanks for reading.

The Liberal Republican