What will the Democrats do?

Re “Democrats’ to-do list is modest at outset,” Jan. 2

Raising the federal minimum wage apparently is good politics, but it remains bad economics. Minimum-wage legislation springs from the faith that insists that when government modestly raises firms’ costs of hiring workers, firms absorb most of these costs rather than shift them onto workers in the form of layoffs, fewer fringe benefits and more stressful work conditions. If correct, this faith implies not only that government can raise wages by passing legislation, it also, for example, can reduce unemployment by requiring each firm to hire a minimum number of full-time workers. We might call this “minimum-workforce legislation.” Of course, if you worry that minimum-workforce legislation will backfire -- say, by reducing the number of employers and causing unemployment to rise -- then you should also worry that minimum-wage legislation will backfire.

DONALD J. BOUDREAUX

Chairman

Department of Economics

George Mason University

Fairfax, Va.

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It is easy to be cynical about President Bush’s overtures for cooperation with Congress. Still, there is time for substantial improvement in the situation in Iraq, the state of ethical disrepair in our government, the state of emergency of our environment and a number of prominent issues worthy of policy overhaul. I hope and pray that our new Congress and the Bush administration pull together for collective progress to improve the sheen of Bush’s presidency and to improve the lot of us all.

G. COLBY ALLERTON

Albany, Calif.

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I applaud the efforts of new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) with her 100-hour agenda to make Congress more responsible, i.e., to stem the rise of corruption (there’s no other word for it). However, her efforts seem to be targeted at behavior or the symptoms of compromised ethics rather than at the cause, the desire to bend the law in one’s favor.

Such measures as banning gifts from lobbyists and full disclosure of all earmarks are attempts to catch members of Congress in the act, putting a spotlight on them by making their lives just a little too uncomfortable for business as usual.

Why not introduce legislation that requires periodic ethics training for both houses? This approach would be infinitely more dignified than trying to slap the errant congressional hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar and a lot easier than trying to muzzle all the lobbyists.

JOHN CONIGLIO

Sherman Oaks

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Re “Get serious on ethics,” editorial, Jan. 1

I believe the biggest ethical issue in our culture is accountability. Everyone wants responsibility; no one wants to be held accountable.

ED MCCULLOUGH

San Juan Capistrano