By David Macaray
For decades there has been an outcry from conservative lobbyists (e.g., U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, etc.) and their Republican minions, demanding repeal of the minimum wage, arguing that it impedes growth, contributes to unemployment, and results in hundreds of small businesses–the backbone of the U.S. economy–going belly-up each year. While that claim makes for good propaganda, the numbers don’t support it.