[LearsFool]

Raise the minimum wage and many entry level jobs are simply eliminated.

Precisely!

It's my suspicion that minimum wage hikes are driven by nothing less than racism:

Young black men are undereducated and underskilled. They therefore need the lowest of entry level jobs in order to even enter the workforce, where they would: gain skills, learn responsible behavior required of men, earn self-respect and the respect of others (particularly women), begin the climb out of poverty, and progress toward being able to support a family. Absent this course of life, we can expect young men - of any race - to become renegades and rogues.

If I wanted to keep the black race dependent and "at heel" as an underclass, I can think of no better place to begin than by ensuring young black men are priced out of the job market.

[Just another Joe]

Young black men are undereducated and underskilled.

And why is that?

Are we to blame race?
Are we to blame behaviour?
Are we to blame society?

Why is it young black men that need all the breaks they can get?

Is it possible, just possible, that the problem is individuals? That they follow the wrong role models? That they don't think about the long haul, all they care about is the NOW?

I don't think racism has anything to do with it at all, or at least only peripherally.
I think it's individual choice.

[ricks_place]

...Young black men are undereducated and underskilled...

This certainly doesn't apply to all Black young men, as my son's high school friends are great kids, ambitious, college-bound, motivated, and good. But there is an underclass that needs to be reached.