You're correct in your assessment Dave. Minimum wage is a scam that has always been perpetuated by union bosses. In spite of what proponents claim, minimum wage has never helped raise people out of poverty but it has cost jobs and padded union pockets.

If you imagine all wages to be represented by a ladder whose first rung is currently at 7.25 and the top rung is in the millions, what is being asked is to raise that first rung. You have raised it too high for some people just entering the job market and they can't reach it to get started. But you have also created a situation where those people who are employed on a rung just above that first rung feel that they need a raise. And, if that happens, the people on the rung just above that want theirs. And so it goes.

Another falsehood is that employers are depicted as evil Scrooges who want to cheat their employees. Granted, that idiot does exist but, by far the majority of employers are looking for the best people and are willing to pay them when they find them and reward them in order to keep them. There exists a competition for good employees at all levels. People should be paid what they're worth.

And lastly, if a minimum wage made any sense at all (which it doesn't) it could only be justified on a state-by-state basis. A Federal minimum wage is a preposterous idea that only an intellectual could embrace.

This is the first time I've been called a liberal in over 40 years - so I can see you are confused.

Let me try to clarify - the allegation is that a congressman works on 5% of the time because that's the only time he is in his seat in chambers. Now, in order to get elected every two years, most congressman in other than Rangel like districts, must maintain a high public profile. Doing so is part of their "work" - further, one would hope that unlike Pelosi's suggestion, one might read some of the legislation that is voted on. Again, such an activity might be considered as an element of the job's "work" -

Let me go one step further, despite you labeling me a liberal, I am one of those who think a lack of legislation if preferred over much of the legislation we've seen for some time. If I had my way, the only legislation I'd favor is that that would repeal much of the past legislation - starting with Obamacare. That could be done with 1% of their time - and if they did that it would be one of the most productive sessions in a generation.