but, as described it wouldn't necessarily effect the "rich" very much. On the other hand, if the top tax bracket is at 40%, you could simply increase the exemption by $100k for every dollar the minimum wage is raised. For example, assume the President's desire is passed that removes the tax break for people making over$250k (which means the first $250 gets taxed at at a lower rae and earnings over that amount are at the top tax rate). If you raise the minimum wage by $1, then the tax break could be on the first $350k, with the higher bracket then kicking in. This approach might have a chance to get more poltical support.

But perhaps a refinement would be to base all 'inflation' based tax and benefit increases on the minimum wage instead. Wage goes up, SSI goes up, tax brackets creep up. Wage stagnates, everyone else suffers too.

I shouldn't have to spell that one out.