Tuesday's announcement that initiatives for stem cell research and a minimum wage increase will be on the November ballot could serve to tighten an already close U. S. Senate race between incumbent Jim Talent and State Auditor Claire McCaskill.
Talent sided with President Bush recently, voting against a measure which would have increased stem cell research, a view which has divided conservative Republicans in this state and nationwide and caused a reassessment of what it truly means to be pro-life.
The minimum wage debate is the same one we have every few years. Those who favor an increase note that the cost of living has far surpassed what those making the minimum wage can afford to buy, while those who oppose an increase say it will cause employers to have to reduce their workforce.
Two issues can be linked to the minimum wage this time around. While refusing to pass a minimum wage hike at the federal level, Congress has continued to increase its own wages, plus House Republicans recently tried to link a minimum wage increase to the elimination of the so-called "death tax," which affects only a few millionaires. That, combined with the increasing push to cut taxes for the wealthy, should make the minimum wage a potent issue in November.
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