There’s an AP story by Jim Kuhnhenn circling the newspapers that addresses the proposed minimum wage increase bill that passed in the house. However there is a serious problem with how Mr. Kuhnhenn wrote and framed this story. It reads:

Senators Kill Minimum Wage Amendment
Senate Democrats Defeat ‘Poison Pill’ Minimum Wage Proposal Offered by Republicans

An effort to increase the minimum wage in all states, even those that already have wage floors higher than the federal base, failed Thursday after Democrats labeled it a “poison pill.”

Democrats said the Republican proposal was designed to kill underlying minimum wage legislation.

An amendment offered by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., was an effort to show how raising the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over 26 months would have no effect in eight states because they already have wage floors of $7.25 or higher. Another two states have scheduled minimum wage increases that also would place them above the proposed federal floor.

My problem with this is that upon glancing at it, and the way he writes the first paragraph it looks as if Democrats struck down a proposed hike in the minimum wage proposed by Republicans, when in fact it is the opposite that is true. They actually struck down an amendment by Republicans that attempted to show that the raising of the minimum wage would have no positive effect.

That’s just bad journalism and I’m disappointed that this is being picked up by so many papers. Thumbs down Jim Kuhnhenn.

EDIT: Ted Kennedy Responds: