Robert J. Samuelson takes aim at both Democrats and Republicans in his latest Newsweek column. The initial subject of his sermon is the U.S. House effort to boost the minimum wage:
Among social scientists, it’s no secret that the minimum wage is a weak weapon against poverty. Modest numbers of workers are affected; a lot are teenagers, often from middle-class homes; and many of the poor don’t work. And a higher minimum may destroy some jobs. No matter. Democrats plunged ahead because raising the minimum wage is symbolically powerful. It says that you care about “economic justice.”
This is, I think, a metaphor for what ails our politics: it’s mostly about gestures and giveaways; it’s not about hard choices.
Lest the Democrats think Samuelson is spewing forth GOP talking points, he also criticizes Republicans for overspending and building up budget deficits.
