The Patriot Post® · Michigan Raises Minimum Wage

Here’s the man-bites-dog story for the day: GOP lawmakers in Michigan passed a minimum wage hike, which was signed into law by the Republican governor. The law is a compromise because in raising the minimum wage from $7.40 to $9.25, the lawmakers are hoping to avoid the minimum wage rising to $10.10 through a ballot initiative. Danielle Atkinson, a spokeswoman for one of the groups pushing the ballot initiative, said “We know this is the only Republican conservative Legislature to consider an increase in the minimum wage, and that’s a direct result of our work on the campaign.” While the minimum wage may be bad economic policy, states can pass all kinds of laws the federal government shouldn’t in a federalist system. Unfortunately, when the number of minimum wage jobs shrinks, the people who wanted a raise in minimum wage generally won’t blame the policy for their unemployment. More…