Michelle Leung is a writer for Media Matters; she holds a bachelor’s
degree in International Political Economy. Her article Fox Stokes Fears That Minimum Wage Increase Might Help Workers Too Much is an
analysis of the spin FOX news correspondents put on President Obama’s executive
order that would raise the minimum wage for newly hired federal contractors.
This is in an attempt to influence the national stage so that constituents may
refuse to accept inaction from their representatives on raising the minimum
wage for the whole country. Kilmeade points out that this is President Obama’s
effort to no be “hamstrung by a legislature that does not get along.”
Not getting along is putting it lightly. Kilmeade is
defending keeping a low minimum wage for honest hardworking Americans while bureaucrats
on both sides of the aisle are paid to not get along and the lack of
significant policy making that comes with it. Co-anchor Johnson Jr. also mocks
the stance with “let’s stop the income disparity in the country.” As if raising
the wage is so kind of entitlement that is being handed out to the impoverished
masses.
I fully agree with Leung and her links to the Economic Policy
Institute giver her article credibility that refute the arguments posed by
Kilmeade and Johnson Jr. Statistics such as the letter signed by over 600
economist that support the raising of the minimum wage. In addition the support
is also discredits the notion that it would negatively affect job
opportunities. While I agree with the argument posed by Leung I do feel as if
she missed a few strong points. For instance President Obama tried to mediate
with a broken Congress in his first term and it got him and the American people
nowhere. He also lost the influential bully pulpit power and this is a way for
him to see significant changes made. Without having to try and negotiate with
Republicans in the house who oppose any legislation associated with President
Obama’s policies. That being said the article
is still very effective and the attached link to the original FOX video allows
readers to trust what Leung is writing. It removes the idea that words may have
been taken out of context and lends greatly to the effectiveness of the
article.
