Establishing a fair minimum wage is constantly on the minds of political leaders both on the national and state level. Some cities are now trying to adopt a wage scale that will give them what they hope will be an advantage when it comes to attracting new workers and keeping those they already have. Not everyone sees eye to eye on the minimum wage issue.

Because the cost of living varies tremendously from one part of our country to another and even from state to state, we’ve always had a hard time understanding how establishing a minimum wage that gives blanket coverage to the entire country can succeed in accomplishing its goal.

Ten dollars an hour could turn out to be a starvation income and totally ineffective in some states or communities, yet go much further in another. Here in Maine, the cost of living differs tremendously in what are often called the two Maines, north and south.

Being able to afford a home and a comfortable lifestyle in northern or western Maine is far different than that of pricey southern Maine, where even a home can cost two or three times as much, or more.

It’s always bothered us that our government at any level — city, state or national — should be able to dictate what businesses pay their employees. Who is to say that the small shop owner can afford what someone else has determined should be paid to employees? Are we telling employers that if they can’t pay the “going” wage, they shouldn’t be in business? That somehow strikes us as a bit un-American.

Every conscientious businessman or businesswoman strives to keep his or her employees happy; but, sadly, much of the negotiating is no longer just between the employee and employer. Big Brother sets most of the rules.

It used to be that if an employee wasn’t content with overall working conditions, he/she looked elsewhere. It’s been a system that has appeared to have been successful for years. Nothing is more effective at guaranteeing good wages than healthy competition; pay less than your competitor and you lose your employees.

Everyone deserves to earn enough to support his or her family. We all agree on that. We’re just not sure that establishing a blanket minimum wage nationwide or state by state can accomplish this goal. We wish there was another more workable approach. What we really need is an over-abundance of jobs and too few potential workers to create a great incentive to pay higher wages.