Democrats Celebrate for One Day

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is poised to be the next Speaker of the House. She began her campaign today by laying out her agenda for the newly elected, Democratically-controlled Congress the day after the elections. Democrats immediately ceased their victory celebrations. Republicans quietly reposed and chuckled under their collective breath.

Politics as usual was the message that was heard when Pelosi announced that the first item of business would be to raise the minimum wage. Commentators, bloggers, and far-left radicals have prognosticated that the Democrats first order of business would be to impeach President Bush, but Pelosi dashed their hopes with a less than lustrous opening salvo.

Why raising the minimum wage is simple posturing
Who is going to vote against it? Increasing the minimum wage is a terrible idea that no one in their right or left political mind would vote against. It makes one look cold and heartless. Those just aren't traits that get someone reelected. It is an easy, first win for the Democrats.

Passing a bill to raise the minimum wage will give Pelosi and company early bragging rights. They can claim to have broken the back of the rubber-stamping monster that was the last Congress. "Progress achieved!" will be the cry from the Hill. "Momentum hoped" will be the real goal.

Why the celebration is over
A collective "Huh?" was let out in both red and blue states when Pelosi made her agenda known. The Democratic Party was in ecstasy over the win and Democratic voters every where were buying blue paint to re-color the map when the needle flew off the record with a resounding screech. Raising the minimum wage is not only a bad idea; it is a lame political move.

The far left was hoping for impeachment. The rank-and-file Democrats were hoping for an end to the war. The rest of us were just hoping for a change. This announcement indicates that change is a long time coming.

How the Democrats have shown their true colors (and the aren't blue)
Slogans about how the Democratic Party is pro-worker are just that, empty, political promises. Raising the minimum wage is all about political image. It has nothing to do with helping the working class.

Less than 3% off all hourly-paid workers work for minimum wage. This represents less than 1% of employees above the age of 25. Most people earning the minimum are under-educated and/or a minority. When/if the wage is increased, these are the people that stand to lose their jobs. Simple economics reveal that the least productive will be the first to be laid off when a business has to tighten its belt. Supply and demand tells us that if a business has to pay more per employee hour, it can afford fewer employees. How does a political party that portrays itself as "for the little guy" get away with slapping that guy in the face?

"Help wanted" signs abound and none say $5.15 per hour. Even the local hamburger joint offers $6.50 or $7.00 as starting pay. The market knows that the minimum wage is a joke. The market is willing to pay for what it needs. For the few jobs out there that do pay the minimum, the turn over is high as workers learn skills to move to greener fields. Freeing the local education system of Federal control would be a bolder, first move if the Democrats really wanted change. The results of such a move would take longer than two years to assess, so don't expect it.

A Secret Tax
Raising the minimum wage is just a tax (root: taxation, burden) on business. If a business pays more in wage, the government withholdings are larger. However, there is serious doubt that laying-off one million people just to send Washington the extra SSI withholdings from the remaining 200,000 is going to save the social security fund.

Politics as usual
For those that are unsure of how one becomes Speaker of the House, let's lay out the ground rules. There isn't going to be another election where the common populous gets to vote for the position. (This may seem elementary, but someone really asked me when the next election was where they could vote for Speaker of the House.) The deed is done. Your representatives will now elect the Speaker. This will be a vote on the most un-democratic terms imaginable. Backroom deals will be struck; compromises will be made; agendum will be penned.

Then the new Speaker will emerge and set the course for the next two years. They will emerge in sheep's clothing to continue business as usual. Minor things will change, but nothing substantial. The cosmetics that are politics have taken a much overdue turn in the form of lipstick, but that only means that the cigar butts in the backroom ashtray will have lipstick on them.

Conclusion
Nothing changes inside The Beltway. Some, such as I, were elated that we plowed under many incumbents during this election cycle. Until we can turn the field on a regular basis, nothing will change in D.C. Thomas Jefferson said, "A little revolution now and again is a good thing." Taking him out of context, but putting him in our current political context, this means that we must vote out incumbents on a regular basis.

If we let no one to put down roots in Washington, we will have realized a real grass-roots initiative.