I’m a little disappointed that House Democrats have apparently caved into the demand that, in order to get a minimum wage hike, business has to get tax breaks. Is there any piece of economic legislation that we can pass in this day and age that does not have a tax break in it? Please.

Here’s the first few paragraphs from today’s Wall Street Journal story that reports on an emerging deal:

House Democrats are preparing a $1 billion package of small-business tax breaks to be paired with an increase in the federal minimum wage, hoping to break a stalemate with the Senate over one of their top legislative priorities.

In doing so, the House is likely to avoid many of the revenue increases passed by the Senate in its small-business tax package, increases that have caused heartburn for business groups and lawmakers in both parties.

The House package is far smaller than the $8 billion, 10-year package of tax breaks the Senate approved last week as part of its minimum-wage-increase package. Still, it represents a nod by the House to the Senate’s insistence that tax breaks are needed to get Republican support sufficient to enact a phased-in, $2.10-an-hour increase in the minimum wage.

There was no need for the tax breaks. Who will have the courage to stand up and say, “Enough” when it comes to the mantra on tax breaks?