January 29, 2014

If you listen to Chuck Todd's question to Paul Ryan, it sounds like he stopped himself just short of asking Ryan why he doesn't want workers to get a pay raise. Chuckie took a breath and asked the question in a kinder, gentler fashion, giving Ryan the ability to run on for a couple of minutes while saying absolutely nothing.

Ryan's argument against a minimum wage hike are predictable. Apparently Ryan thinks there are just so many payroll dollars available for everyone so if they're spread around thinly, more people can have a share of not enough.

Never mind that people can't live on what minimum wage pays. Sorry folks, but there's just that much money to spend on jobs and the way to get more people working for less is to hold tight on the minimum wage.

Oh, and tying it to the cost of living indexes? Horrors. We can't do that, because 'uncertainty.'

As usual, Paul Ryan speaks nonsense in an authoritative tone like he's actually saying something, but everything is predicated on the assumption that working folks are simply a commodity, a market. There's nothing human or even economically sound about what he's saying.

I think Paul Ryan actually believes one doesn't have to spend money to make money, or that a race to the bottom for decent wages is good for the country.

Would he be willing to sacrifice his six-figure salary and work for $7.25 per hour? Based on the number of hours the House worked in 2013, he'd probably have to get a second job at WalMart.

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