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Moore for the working poor

Give N.C. Treasurer Richard Moore high marks for courage. Speaking to business groups this week, he called for an increase in the state's minimum wage.

Moore, a Democrat, may run for governor in 2008. If he does, maybe he'll make the minimum wage one of his main issues.

That's fine. It will stir some good campaign debate.

Whatever the merits of Moore's argument, I was bothered by one comment he made Tuesday about raising the minimum wage: "Our morals demand it."

Sorry, I don't like a politician telling business people that "our" morals depend on them paying their employees more. They may be paying employees what their work is worth in the marketplace. Are they morally bound to pay more than what the work is worth? If so, is it morally permissible for businesses to raise prices beyond what their products or services are worth so they can afford to pay higher wages? And if that causes their sales to decline, is this whole approach to economics morally bankrupt?

Well, never mind.

The minimum wage debate may resonate throughout the whole country. Not only does it pop up in Congress regularly -- where immoral Republicans keep voting down an increase -- and in state legislatures -- where immoral Republicans and Democrats in North Carolina buried it last year -- but it may be put to referendum in several states.

Here's a proposal in Arizona.

The New York Times comments about the state initiatives here.

Molly Ivins also wrote on the subject (in our Dec. 31 print edition; online at Creators.com here).

Ivins touts the referendum approach as a way for Democrats to trump Republicans. Let the people decide. That also could draw more voters to the polls who are likely to favor Democrats.

No doubt. Anytime people can vote themselves a pay raise, they're likely to do it.

We'd all like to do that. You can have referendums on raising pay for teachers, police and firemen, college professors and basketball coaches at major universities.

Although, if voters think they might have to pay more taxes to fund raises for public sector workers, they might say no.

Sticking it to businesses is much better, until you stop to think about the eventual cost to consumers. Well, never mind about that, too.

Too bad North Carolina's constitution doesn't allow such a referendum here. If the state's minimum wage goes up, the legislature -- perhaps prompted by a new governor -- will have to do it.

Posted by Doug Clark on January 5, 2006 3:24 PM | Permalink

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Moore for the working poor

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