Onward with federalism

Well, since the national Congress is loath to set minimum wages high enough, states are taking things into their own hands. Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus Chairman, Mark Cohen, will introduce legislation to raise the state minimum wage, immediately by $1 and over two years by another $1.

"Pennsylvanians that work 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year at the current minimum wage only make $10,712, which is only 68.4 percent of what the 2004 federal poverty guideline is for a family of three," Cohen said.

Apparently, PA is behind its labor competitors in New Jersey and Deleware, both of which already have higher minimum wages and/or plans to raise them further.