Like so many issues today, an increase in the minimum wage is a contentious and divisive proposal.  I support the increase since it will give some relief to  economically stressed working-class Oregonians.  Will it slightly raise the cost of goods and services in Oregon? Yes, but that raise won't be either as widespread or as large as opponents would have you believe.  

I don't think it's either fair or accurate to contend it's the result of "corruption becom(ing) as common as it is among Oregon Democrats."  We know that virtually every legislative action becomes a battle between special interests with the leglslators the "foot soldiers".  That's true of members of both major parties and very few individuals manage to retain what I term "genuine integrity and independence."  The majorty Democrats who favored this bill "did the bidding" of their "sponsors", the minority Republicans who opposed it, of their sponsors.  The corruption you reference in built into the entire system.