Big Red Car here and it is cold, cold, cold — 27F — here in the ATX.  Not to worry, going to be 70F tom’w.  [Big Red Car is hoping that damn forecast is right because it is cold.]

So I watched the President’s State of the Union speech last night.  It reminded me of kung pao chicken with brown rice.  I love kung pao chicken (shrimp and beef also).

You know, the kind of Chinese food that is simply delicious — particularly if you have a couple of egg rolls and some crispy wantons to go on top — but an hour later you’re hungry for more.

I could not fail to feel that way because I remembered the President’s first Hope & Change SOTU speech in which he was going to project his extraordinary personality to change the trajectory of America and the world.  Now that was a program.  None of it happened but that was red meat — a 72 ounce steak with a couple of baked potatoes and some marinated mushrooms on the side.  Bernaise sauce.  Hell, yes!

Raising the minimum wage

When the White House began to talk up the President’s speech, your Big Red Car began to pay close attention.

Raising the minimum wage — that’s it?  Nothing more?

Your Big Red Car was even laughing thinking — damn good head fake, Mr President.  You got us all on that one.

And then it happened and that was all there was.  No, no — that’s it?

Under the microscope it was even more inconsequential as it only applies to new Federal contracts which have not yet been awarded.  Today, that applies literally to nobody.

Who should regulate the minimum wage, Big Red Car?

You raise a great question, Old Sport.  Who should regulate the minimum wage in America?

Work, to which the minimum wage would be attributable,  is rarely ever interstate commerce as that phrase is appropriately used in the Constitution to empower Congress to act, no?

Work is always local.  If you are digging a ditch in Austin, Texas then the wage environment would appear to be a matter of State or municipal business.  Certainly if it is Federal work being done in Austin, Texas there is some logic that says the Feds should have a say in things.  Should they set the wages?

Seems like the entire issue of minimum wages should be a local consideration and not a Federal consideration.  Is that illogical?

Please pass the Kung Pao Chicken, Big Red Car

So, here we sit feeling empty, hungry and disappointed.

Hope & Change has become such small ball as to be unable to even find the damn ball anymore.

Next year, perhaps, we will be having crispy Manchurian Duck — crispy lame duck, Big Red Car?

But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway?  I’m just a Big Red Car.  Stay safe.  Stay warm.