“Raise the Wage” – Yeah, right.  I just heard yesterday that the House of Representatives passed a minimum wage hike from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour.  Oh, my heroes!  Not.  I know it sounds great on the surface, but that’s all it is…a facade of American Prosperity.  But when you walk through that Hollywood door, you realize there’s nothing in it.  It was nothing more than a beautiful, inviting front with no substance.  That’s why they call it a facade.  

I’ll admit, I’m not the smartest or wisest person in the world, but even an economist of basic intelligence can see this is the blueprint for economic disaster in our country.  Does everyone not see that to fund a wage jump like this would only double the cost of everything else?  Let’s just take a fast food restaurant for instance.  The price of a burger, fries, and drink are about $5 (speaking modestly, of course).  So, if the employer of that restaurant starts her employees at minimum wage and allows the employee to earn his way up the scale, all is well.  But, if that restaurant is suddenly told they have to start employees at $15, they will have no choice but to raise the prices of their menu to cover their new expenses.  This, of course, will raise the expenses of everyone else.    Anyone should be able to see the affect of such a blunder.

Now, to the true point of my blog today.  This move by the House of Representatives is nothing more than a political move to gain support from the masses who don’t understand the ramifications of such an action.  The House voted the increase to force the hand of the Senate or the President, who will see the move for what it is and vote this preposterous agenda down.  Then they can point fingers at those who did the right thing and say something like, “They hate the poor” or “The rich just want to stay rich.”  Come on, Americans, don’t fall for the facade of an easy fix.  The definition of facade is this:  “an outward appearance that is maintained to conceal a less pleasant  or creditable reality” (Google Dictionary).  The Cambridge Dictionary says a facade is, “a false appearance that makes someone or something seem more pleasant or better than they really are.”

I don’t know which is worse:  promising something you won’t deliver, delivering something that will ruin our country, or being deceitful in order to destroy your opponents.  I guess it’s the combination of the three.  I have no doubt those who proposed and voted for a 100% increase in the minimum wage, know it will not pass the Senate or President.  I also have no doubt they know it is not a good idea in the first place.  Let’s get back to the characteristics that made us a great country in the first place.  Work hard, spend wisely, stay out of debt, and save for the future.  Stop reaching for easy and stand for what’s right.

Mitchell