Liberal Myths That Seem Superficially Plausible, But Are Dead Wrong

The Bulletin ^ | Wednesday, May 20, 2009 | Herb Denenberg

[curth]

Much of the liberal agenda is based on myths rather than facts. But when liberal mythology is promoted by the mainstream media, it has an enduring position in our national debates.

No one does a better job of fighting that liberal mythology than the Heritage Foundation, an organization you should join. But in any event, it is an organization whose Web site and research and advocacy output you should take advantage of — check out www.myheritage.org. Here are some of those myths identified by the Heritage Foundation:

Myth: Amnesty Halts Illegal Immigration

One of the most dangerous myths is that amnesty for illegal immigrants will halt illegal immigration. That is ridiculous on its face but still has remarkable currency. Why would rewarding illegal immigration discourage more illegal immigrants from pouring in to get a free ride on the amnesty train? What’s more, we’ve tried amnesty in the past and it doesn’t work, compounding problems rather than easing them.

The Heritage Foundation has sound ideas for a better approach. It is one that:

• “Does not grant amnesty to illegal aliens

• Provides the infrastructure to properly implement a guest worker program

• Ensures internal enforcement of immigration laws

• Effectively engages the cooperation of states in Latin America

• Requires an effective border control strategy.”

I would add that before even considering so-called comprehensive immigration reform, we should first seal our borders against illegal immigration. That’s a national security and economic security imperative. With the flood of illegal immigration stopped, then some of the other proposals, such as guest worker programs, should be on the table.

Myth: Increasing The Minimum Wage Helps Workers

This myth, like most of the liberal mythology, seems plausible until subjected to close analysis. But once the minimum wage is unmasked as a fancy form of price control, it’s true nature can be realized. Once the minimum wage is established it simply means that it will cause higher unemployment among the least skilled, as their wages will simply exceed the value of their productivity.

Here is how the Heritage Foundation makes the case against the minimum wage. It finds it harms the very people it is supposed to help since minimum wage laws:

• “Artificially increase the cost of unskilled labor

• Encourage employers to minimize their demand for low-wage employees, either by using more machines or by changing the way that they offer services

• Create a surplus of unemployed unskilled workers, further depressing bargaining power

• Draw young students away from school and into the labor market prematurely. This causes teenage unemployment to rise.”

The impact of minimum wage laws requires an understanding of who ends up with that minimum wage. Few minimum wage workers support families on their own. When you look at minimum wage workers, this is what Heritage Foundation found:

• “Over half were teenagers or adults under 25 years old

• A third were enrolled in school

• More than half were voluntary part-time workers

• Only 7 percent were heads of families

• Their average family income is $45,200.”

Myth: Income Inequality Is A Serious Problem

[curth]

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[Islander7]

The dirty secret of liberals and leftists calling for increases in the minimum wage is simple: many union wages are tied to the minimum wage; raise the minimum, raise the union wage.

[massmike]

“It’s not that liberals are always wrong,it’s just that they know so much that isn’t true!”-Ronald Reagan

[Recon Dad]

Amen brother, a fact that is always omitted.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Effectively engages the cooperation of states in Latin America

Ho ho...that's rich. It is to laugh.

[genghis]

Actually nothing liberals believe seems plausible- except to morons and tyrants.

[arthurus]

For one: Amnesty will turn the flood into a series of tsunamis as Central America depopulates to follow the Mexicans north.

[arthurus]

we should first seal our borders against illegal immigration.

Seal our borders and get rid of the many millions who are already here. Amnesty of any sort gives the country over to a permanent Social Democrat majority and Socialism. America becomes Mexico with a mostly white upperclass that controls everything and lives luxuriously and a huge lower class that supposrts it by having all its resources co-opted by the white elite. It won't last very long, however, because there are other societies on the planet who have been doing it longer and know how to use it for conquest.