A new analysis by the CBO says that raising the minimum wage to $10.10 as Barack Obama suggests would cost the country half a million jobs, though it would raise some others (those fortunate enough not to be fired) out of poverty.
Expect the left to focus on mythical and magical increases in national wealth due to redistribution, ignoring the unlucky half-million — most likely to be young and minority workers — who will be unable to get a job.
The problem for Democrats is that the issue Americans are worrying about most, according to a Gallup poll released last week, is unemployment. Income inequality is not in the list of the top 10 issues cared about by voters.
Like a renewed focus on climate change, the Democrats are desperate to change the subject away from anything related to the economy and employment because voters now trust Republicans more on those issues. But making people care about things they fundamentally don’t care much about is a difficult challenge, especially for a president and a party who have squandered the public’s trust.