The real "Cafeteria Catholics" and the minimum wage

This is a great note by Nitpicker (guest-blogging on the "Unclaimed Territory" site) on the real “Cafeteria Catholics” who oppose a minimum wage, somehow pretending that the Church’s teachings on a “just wage” merely support the typical conservative market-driven theory of wage determination: a willing buyer and a willing seller. In fact, the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” published on the Vatican website expressly contradicts that claim:

2434 A just wage is the legitimate fruit of work. To refuse or withhold it can be a grave injustice. In determining fair pay both the needs and the contributions of each person must be taken into account. "Remuneration for work should guarantee man the opportunity to provide a dignified livelihood for himself and his family on the material, social, cultural and spiritual level, taking into account the role and the productivity of each, the state of the business, and the common good." Agreement between the parties is not sufficient to justify morally the amount to be received in wages.

Note that not only does it expressly negate the conclusive effect of “agreement between the parties,” but also provides a hint as to the right measure to be used: “Remuneration for work . . . should guarantee man [sic] the opportunity to provide a dignified livelihood for himself and his family . . . .” In other words, wages should not be below what a person would need to provide for a family – suggesting that even the proposed $8.00 per hour after a couple of steps for the Federal minimum wage is still far from adequate. Should any employer who pays at the minimum wage be allowed to take Communion? Should any priest or bishop who does not enforce this important Church principle be permitted to give it?

By the way, what about the Church's declarations about unjust war and capital punishment as well? Yes, you have to pick and choose your battles, I suppose, but some of these Bush-cheerleaders go a little beyond that, I would say.