So before we get to ripping on disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his bid to become the next mayor of New York City, let's ponder answers to the following:

Does artificially raising the minimum wage — meaning raising the minimum wage without economic or free-market justification to do so — disrupt the economy?

Would raising the minimum wage above the current median or average wages force businesses — especially small businesses — to lay off workers or close altogether?

Would employers facing unsustainable labor costs opt to automate or eliminate jobs where possible, cut hours, or relocate, thus disproportionately harming low-skilled and entry-level workers?

Would prices for affected goods and services increase as businesses attempted to cover higher payroll expenses?

Would artificially raising prices fuel inflation and ultimately hurt the very people it was intended to help, and perhaps destabilize the broader economy? 

If you understand that the answer to all five questions is "yes," then you also understand that Democrat politicians raising the minimum wage beyond a justifiable level amounts to a blatant attempt to buy the votes of low-information rank-and-file voters.

Now let's rip into Andrew Cuomo.

As reported by The New York Times, Cuomo, the front-runner for the Democrat Party’s nomination for mayor of New York City, was scheduled to pledge in a speech on Wednesday that he will raise the already-stretched city’s minimum wage to $20 an hour if elected, putting the city's minimum wage among the highest in the nation. 

The former governor plans to announce his proposal during a campaign rally with several trade unions that are endorsing his candidacy, including the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union and the Amalgamated Transit Union. 

Cuomo said in a statement:

New York City needs to be a place where working families can afford to live and thrive, and right now that’s out of reach for far too many in what is supposed to be the greatest city in the world. 

Perhaps "supposed to be," Mr. Cuomo, but a majority of NYC residents apparently have yet to learn — if ever — that Democrat "leadership" has all but destroyed the peace and stability of the Big Apple, just as Democrat-dominated city governments across America have all but destroyed other cities.

Here's more, via The Times:

[Cuomo's] proposal would need support from Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers. They raised the minimum wage to $16.50 an hour this year in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island; it is $15.50 in the rest of the state and is expected to rise in the future based on inflation.

Many states have moved to raise the minimum wage as inflation has worsened. Washington, D.C., has one of the highest minimum wages at $17.50 per hour; several communities in Washington State have a minimum wage above $20. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Mr. Cuomo said his proposal would raise wages for roughly 800,000 workers in New York City. He is calling for the new rate to start on Jan. 1, 2027, the one-year mark of his first term if he wins.

Several communities in Washington state have set their minimum wage above $20 per hour, while Washington, D.C., also boasts one of the nation’s highest minimum wages at $17.50 per hour, significantly higher than the federal minimum wage, which remains at $7.25 per hour.

ALSO CHECK OUT: The Heat Is On: DOJ Opens Investigation Into Andrew Cuomo's Deadly COVID Response

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Running for Reelection—Just Not As a Democrat

Some Democrats — including current NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who's running as an independent in the general election in November — are skeptical of Cuomo’s various campaign pledges, arguing that the former governor will instead prioritize the wealthy donors who supported him when he was governor, the job from which he resigned following a series of sexual harassment charges that Cuomo of course still denies. 

Said Adams of Cuomo: “He would say anything to get elected."

Is there any doubt?

The Democrat Party has never been less popular as voters reject their globalist agenda.

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