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Keely:<BR>
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Thanks for your reply.<BR>
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I considered that Christ might be a conservative thinker who though believing fervently in helping the poor and disadvantaged, would advocate doing it without the governments involvement, by giving aid directly to those who need it or through private charity organizations. So taxes to help the poor would not be the approach of a conservative altruist. But the minimum wage issue is different. For those who want to earn their way and not accept charity, especially single parents, the low minimum wage as set by federal standards (many states have already raised the minimum wage) is just too low. <BR>
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We are in an age of astonishing CEO salaries, bonuses and golden parachutes, yet these same corporations will lobby against raising the minimum wage. So it is OK to pay Jane Fat Cat CEO an extra million, yet if you advocate taking that extra million, which the CEO already making millions does not really need to feed, clothe and house her children, and suggest giving it via a pay increase to working single parents who are at the bottom, suddenly you are a "liberal" advocating antibusiness policies. Why then don't we just do away with the minimum wage, and let the wonderful "free" market place, that seems to have acquired status as a magical solution to humanities problems, work without nefarious government regulation? After all, ANY minimum wage is government regulation of business. Many corporations would love this! No need to out source or move to China, just pay workers in the USA $.80 an hour.<BR>
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I envision Christ busting into the board meeting of a Fortune 500 corporation and raising a ruckus...<BR>
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I wonder....<BR>
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Ted Moffett</FONT></HTML>