Why Maryland is fighting windmills.

A George Will piece (Getting mugged in Maryland), explaining why the Maryland legislature has decided to attack the paper tiger of Wal-Mart. Will cites Wal-Mart's ample benefits and pay, and finds that the state's requirement that Wal-Mart (and Wal-Mart alone) pay more for employee health care completely unjustified by the facts.

It all comes down to organized labor and unionized competitors of Wal-Mart "rent-seeking," which he defines as "using government to impose disadvantages on competitors with whom they are competing and losing." Exactly what proponents of a minimum wage increase (as well as similar anti-Wal-Mart proposals) are trying to do in Pennsylvania.