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House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced the Democrats' plan if they retake the House in the November elections. Far from being the sweeping mandate that led to the last changing of the guard (1994's GOP "Contract with America"), the Democratic plan is a perfect model of why we shouldn't vote Democrat. The three promises are a higher minimum wage, lower prescription drug costs, and lower student loan interest rates.

Why should these concern us? Let's take a look at them, shall we:

• Higher minimum wage: a close look at Department of Labor statistics will show that, among minimum wage workers, very few are over the age of 25, and most do not have a family to support. Raising the minimum wage will result in either a net loss of jobs or inflation as small businesses must act to compensate the additional financial burden, which will include an increased contribution to social security, making the minimum wage increase even larger and more burdensome than it initially appears. An overall bad idea.
• Lower prescription drug costs: This can only be accomplished in one of two ways. Strict government regulation of the drug industry, or government subsidies to drug manufacturers. Either way, you'll pay higher taxes for the Democrats' plan, which benefits a small segment of society. A far better strategy would be to end the ban on Americans buying drugs from Canada (which would seem to contraindicate NAFTA anyway, but I digress), and to put drugs back on the free market rather than allowing the government controlled monopolies that currently exist.
• Lower student loan interest rates. Translation: higher taxes. Sure, little Jimmy should be able to go to college even if daddy's only a burger flipper, but he shouldn't get a free (or reduced price) ride from the government. If he wants government aid for his education, the GI Bill is nicely set up for people like him.

The DNC plan for 2006 is just more smoke and mirrors for a party that is fast becoming irrelevant and desperately trying to halt its fast skid into the political graveyard of ideald that have become anachronisms. They will need to come up with something MUCH better if they're going to salvage their chances.