Determinants of congressional minimum wage support: the role of economic education

• Published in: Public choice Vol. 147; no. 1/2; pp. 209 - 225
• Main Authors: O'Roark, J. Brian, Wood, William C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer 01.04.2011; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Congressional districts; Congressional voting; Economic legislation; Economic policy; Economics; Economics and Finance; Economics education; Economists; Education; Legislative process; Legislators; Legislature; Legislatures; Liberalism; Minimum Wage; Minimum wages; Policy making; Political Science; Politicians; Politics; Public Finance; Statistical significance; Studies; U.S.A; Voters; Voting; Voting behavior; Voting behaviour; Wages & salaries; Welfare state; Economic education; Congressional voting behavior; Minimum wage; D72; J38; A20
• ISSN: 0048-5829; 1573-7101
• DOI: 10.1007/s11127-010-9617-6

Much has been made about the lack of economic education among the public at large, yet little has been said about the limited education of Members of Congress. This paper examines the economic education levels of Members of Congress voting on the 2007 increase in the minimum wage. Controlling for a variety of characteristics of members and constituents, this study finds that members who majored in economics as undergraduates were less likely to vote for the minimum wage increase than their colleagues. No other major had a consistent influence. A large number of statistical specifications confirm the robustness of the finding.