If only it were a parody...

But the truth is, this is exactly how corrupt government works daily. 

California's new $20 min wage law exempts restaurants that bake and sell bread, where bread is defined to exclude bagels and croissants. Only benefits Panera. Newsom mega-donor owns >24 Paneras. Newsom says "part of legislative sausage-making". https://t.co/8xvHPQQ3CD

— Ben Hunt (@EpsilonTheory) February 28, 2024

California did the stupid thing of raising the minimum wage in fast-food restaurants, asserting that minimum wage workers need to earn a "living wage." The fact that many workers will no longer be earning a wage at all with such a high starting wage, and that increasing wages without increasing productivity just raises prices, and hence reducing the buying power of those wages. 

Whatever. Commies being commies in California is called "Tuesday."

What is striking about this case of stupidity is how obviously corrupt the law implementing it truly is. Because it applies to fast food and fast casual restaurants, except those owned by one of Gavin Newsom's friends and big donors. 

Billionaire Greg Flynn, who made his fortune running one of the world’s largest restaurant franchise operations, is getting a new boost from sourdough loaves and brioche buns.

That’s because a California law that’s about to raise the state minimum wage at fast-food spots to $20 an hour from $16 offers an unusual exemption for chains that bake bread and sell it as a standalone item.

Governor Gavin Newsom pushed for that break, according to people familiar with the matter. Among the main beneficiaries is Flynn, a longtime Newsom donor whose California holdings include two dozen Panera Bread locations.

The specificity of the exemption has puzzled observers for months, especially after the governor told reporters last year that it came about as “part of the sausage-making” of politics. In response to detailed questions, Newsom’s office said the wage law was the “result of countless hours of negotiations with dozens of stakeholders over two years” — and will make a real difference for hundreds of thousands of Californians.

Flynn, who has been involved in business dealings with Newsom in addition to contributing to the governor’s political campaigns, said in a brief conversation that he didn’t play a role in crafting the bread exemption. He didn’t respond to requests for comment about his connections to Newsom.

In this case, it wasn't sausage-making creating the law, but rather the baking of second-rate bread. 

Greg Flynn insists that he and his contributions to Gavin Newsom have nothing to do with the exception to the minimum wage law that applies solely to Panera, and I suppose if you are dumb enough to be a commie you might believe it. 

Still, most people have a bulb bright enough to see that Panera is not some magically different type of business than Chipotle or Five Guys. They just serve a different kind of food with the same business model. And certainly their employees don't have a different "living wage" than anybody else. 

But Newsom likes Greg Flynn, so he gets to "exploit" his workers and get a leg up on the competition. His costs will be lower, and chances are good that this means more customers than his competition. 

Behind closed doors, he urged the governor’s top aides to reconsider whether fast-casual chains such as Panera should be classified as fast food, according to people familiar with the discussions, who asked not to be named because the talks were private.While that plan wasn’t adopted, the Service Employees International Union, a labor group that was the driving force behind the bill, decided to accept a narrower carve-out as the talks progressed — one that would only apply to restaurants operating bakeries. That position was adopted as a means of winning the governor’s support for the legislation, said a person with knowledge of the discussions. The rationale was the governor’s longstanding relationship with a Panera franchisee, the person said.

While Panera locations and a handful of other eateries get a break on wages, competitors are bracing for higher costs when the law takes effect in April. McDonald’s Corp. franchisees have estimated the wage law will cost each California location $250,000 a year, characterizing it as a “devastating financial blow,” according to a memo seen by Bloomberg News. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has said it’s considering a price increase to offset the extra expense.

Yes, that's right. Newsom wouldn't support the bill until his buddy got an exception. 

Really, though, are any of us surprised by this? Except, of course, for how blatantly this has been done, which says to me that Newsom is so confident that he can get away with this and not only keep his job as governor, but still be a viable candidate for president, as he so clearly wants that job. 

How can Newsom be so confident that he will get away with it? 

Simple. He knows the MSM covering politics will soft-pedal his obvious corruption. Bloomberg Markets may be covering this as a business story, but the corrupt bargain will never be hung around Newsom's neck in the MSM when he runs for office. 

That's how it works for the ruling class. They help their buddies and screw the rest. 

This is once again why independent media like Hot Air is so important to the information ecosystem. We help round out the stories, bring corruption like this to prominence, and keep Americans informed. 

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