Didn’t we just have a rare bipartisan meeting of the minds on the perils of a mandatory $15 hourly wage? Did this moron not see the study or has the Party Of Science simply resolved to write off the empirical data in this case?

I guess we’re going to need to learn this lesson again the hard way.

Supporters say a higher wage will especially benefit low-income and people of color. Some critics, though, warn the ordinance may chase cost-conscious consumers out of the city and force Minneapolis small businesses to cut staff or reduce hours to offset the required higher wages… [Councilman Blong] Yang was the only council member who voted against the amended law in committee on Wednesday. “It will likely hurt some businesses, especially small businesses,” he said. “Within the context of north Minneapolis, where I live, we have Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park and those places that are really close by. So businesses have options that other places may not have.”

Silver lining: They’re phasing in the wage hike for small businesses over seven years, giving the city time to repeal this before it does major damage as other blue states’ experiments with a $15 minimum wage inevitably backfire. But that assumes that the political will is there, and it almost certainly won’t be. Minneapolis hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since the early 1970s. They’re going to stick with this policy as a matter of pure dogma whatever the cost.

Here’s Ellison performing “The Layoff Song.”