Obama on Comparable WorthMike Rappaport

One of the stupidest public policy proposals is that of comparable worth — establishing a system to pay workers what some bureaucrats believe are their comparable worth.  It is price fixing based on a politically motivated baseline.   Apart from ignoring the market, it was often unfair.  In the 1980s, people would suggest that secretaries should be paid the same as construction workers, ignoring among other things that secretaries got to sit inside in nice offices, while construction workers had to do heavy labor at greater risk.

Apparently, Barack Obama has endorsed this proposal.  This may not hurt him with the left, but it should suggests that he would pursue very bad policy ideas.  One doesn’t endorse this type of proposal if one has sound ideas about other matters. 

Hat tip: Glenn.