Last Wednesday, I looked at the innovative but rather high-risk tactics that are apparently under consideration within the Dem House leadership for dealing on the floor with the ethics bill in the first days of the 110th Congress.

Another key element in Pelosi's 100 Hour program is a hike in the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour.

On the face of it, this is a rather simpler legislative exercise: a short bill, a couple of sections, raising the rate in one or two increments, according to the leadership's choice. Closed rule, bish, bash, bosh - and punt it over to the Senate side.

There's more...

I'd missed the Postpiece yesterday which details the Dem leadership's revised plan for dealing in the House with the ethics bill which figured as item #1 in her program for the first 100 hours:

Instead of forwarding one big bill, Democrats will put together an ethics package on the House floor piece by piece, allowing incoming freshmen to take charge of high-profile issues and lengthening the time spent on the debate. The approach will ensure that each proposal -- including banning gifts, meals and travel from lobbyists as well as imposing new controls on the budget deficit -- is debated on its own and receives its own vote. That should garner far more media attention for the bill's components before a final vote on the entire package.

This is refreshingly bold thinking from the Dem House leadership, and certainly deserves (and will be getting) a good deal more consideration.

There's more...