Minimum Wage is not a "States Rights" issue

Recently, a friend of mine sent an email to Senator Mel Martinez of Florida asking him to defend his initial opposition to raising the minimum wage. In response, the Senator wrote:

"Minimum wage decisions should be left to individual states, and not dictated by the federal government."

Thankfully, the Senator did eventually give in to the will of the People and voted for the increase. Kudos to him.

However, I would like to address the link between "states rights" and the minimum wage. I'm sure it's an excuse we'll hear again from Republicans as they oppose measures that improve the plight of the working poor.

Frankly, I'm amazed that conservatives still love to brandy the "states rights" concept despite the many times it has shot them in the foot.

Isn't "states rights" exactly the same excuse used by the pro-Slavery faction in the ante-bellum South, and later by racists at the height of the segregation?

Repeatedly, those who wish to deny their fellow citizens economic and political reform - both Democrat and Republican - have used "states rights" to give themselves a fig-leaf of respectability during the debate over human rights. I suppose it's easier to talk about "states rights", than to openly admit to being a racist, a homophobe, or, in the case against raising the minimum wage, a classist.

Even if one ignores all the times "states rights" has been used to justify bad social policy; the bottom line is that setting a minimum wage is not a "states rights" issue even with the most conservative reading of the United States Constitution.

Senator Martinez needs to re-read Article I Section 8 which grants congress the power: "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes".

Congress therefore, certainly does have the power to establish or change a national minimum wage under it's interstate commerce powers.

So if you want to fight against raising the minimum wage, do so on sound economic policy. The "states rights" argument simply does not hold water

Read counterpoint here.

Tags: States Rights - Minimum Wage - Senator Martinez - Florida

Note: This post was co-written by Paul -V-.

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