This study measures Americans' views on the minimum wage using dollars as a common scale and compares them to state policies.

Unlike previous work, we can directly compare these preferences with policy outcomes across states, revealing both responsiveness (how well policies track cross-state preferences) and bias (conservatism within individual states).

Key findings:

The average state's minimum wage is $2 less than public preference — a two-dollar gap. States with direct democratic tools show significantly reduced bias.

Why it matters:

This approach provides clearer insights into how policy representation functions in the U.S., especially regarding economic issues like wages.