That is the deal, Cranky Nation: for years, places like McDonald’s, Walmart and suchlike have been paying such low wages, even their best workers are obliged to use taxpayer-funded services like food stamps, HEAP, and medical cards to keep a roof over their heads. It’s gotten to be so common, even bank workers are frequently on public assistance. Banks. Where the money is. Even they won’t pay their people a living wage.

That means, in short, these businesses are making we, the taxpayers, pay their bills, while they pad their bank accounts. Your tax dollars, being stolen to pay the bills that businesses are too greedy to pay themselves. That means higher taxes for all of us, meaning less money in our pockets.

The issue of low wages isn’t one that only affects the workers: it hits almost every American taxpayer in the wallet, too. Tired of having your pocket picked? Tired of politicos and nabobs transferring your hard-earned to their offshore bank accounts?

Then support an increase in the minimum wage. Even if you don’t give a s*** about your fellow man, it’s in your own best interest.

Lower taxes. Higher wages. It’s a win-win. Support it.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky