Years ago, I read Howard Schultz’s book, “Pour Your Heart Into It,” about the amazing success story called Starbucks. As much as I admire his abilities as a persistent innovator and passionate dreamer, I think it’s time to say, “Hey, Howard, pour your head into it.” Here he is saying the federal government should jack the minimum wage nationwide. Then, from the other side of his spout, he predicts job-killing “traumatic effects” from the “unintended consequences” of jacking the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
[jwplayer mediaid=”164411″]Perhaps a full transcript would reveal more subtlety than this clip. He seems to suggest that some number south of $15 is a good idea. What’s that figure? Who knows?
Of course, Howard, you might also simply pour your cash into it. You are free to hike base pay for all Starbucks employees to $15/hour or beyond.
Given his great heart, perhaps Schultz is concerned that such unilateral action would drive competing coffee shops out of business by hiring away all of their best workers or forcing them to match his market-leading wages. Doubtless he’s concerned about the staffing reductions, inevitably sparked by higher wage expenses, that would leave more formerly low-wage workers languishing in unemployment. And naturally, his heart goes out to all of those folks who will have to pay even more for that essential cup of joe.
Therefore, it would be better if the federal government would mandate that which Schultz is unwilling to voluntarily initiate.
And isn’t that the heart of Progressivism?
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