There was a story published on CNN's web site on New Year's Day called New State Laws Highlight Political Hot Buttons (article appears to no longer be available). The article outlines some new state laws ranging on things from the minimum wage, to preventing bullying in school, to cutting taxes on the poor. That's all fine, I guess. It's basically just reporting what happened. But right after the part where it talks about raising the minium wage in seven states, including Massachusettes, we get this little nugget:

"We've made Massachusetts the best state to live in for struggling working families," said Carl Nilsson, an activist for poor people, citing the higher minimum wage and an earlier state law that requires health care insurance for all.

Setting aside the fact that Mr. Nilsson is obviously completely ignorant about basic economics, or a socialist idiot, or both, we have to wonder about the inclusion of the commentary in an otherwise mostly objective list of new laws. I'm sure they could have done just a little bit of digging and found someone that would point out that this law is just as likely to cost the "struggling working families" their jobs because the employers could no longer afford to pay them. Or is is because the socialists at CNN are just so blinded by their love of government telling evil businesses how to operate that they never considered there is another side of the coin? Hell, even the title ("Hot Buttons") of the article indicate there may be differing views on the laws.

While they were at it, perhaps they could have found how many "struggling families" depend on a worker working for the minimum wage. I don't know the exact number, but I've heard and read that the vast majority of people working at the minimum wage are kids flipping burgers after school to earn a little gas money.

Alabama's minimum wage is still at the default federal level of $5.15 per hour. Yeah, that's not a lot of money, but even the local Wendy's (the last time I checked) starts new workers off at $6.00 per hour. What does that show? It shows that when businesses need people to work for them, they will pay what the marketplace demands. Even the much maligned Wal-Mart starts new workers out above $5.15. There is no need for heavy-handed government bureaucrats to come in with a one-size-fits-all minimum wage.

Oh, I wonder what brand of signature shoes the little socialist-in-training is wearing in the photo at left....

Update: I heard some statistics today (1/4/2007). A full two thirds of people earning minimum wage are people working in restaurants or places where they might be expected to receive tips that will suppliment their incomes. And a full two thirds of those are earning 10% more than minum wage six month later. As Will Anderson put it on his talk show, the socialists want you to believe that America has a strict caste system. They don't believe that there is any mobility in peoples' stations in life. They don't believe that through hard work, effort, and wise choices someone can improve their life. And they certainly don't want recognize the politically incorrect notion that someone can make their life worse by making stupid choices. To the left, a person being poor is always a result of losing at "life's lottery".