Some folks tell us that the basis of support for today’s Republican Party is racism. Others say, no, it’s people who have lost or fear losing jobs and status who are trending Republican as America becomes more openly and more clearly diverse. Each position is probably right. At least partly. But neither tells the entire story.

If the tip credit were to be eliminated, waitstaff would earn the standard minimum wage, but for most this will mean a drastic pay cut, because the median hourly earnings of waiters and waitresses in Maine can range from $21-$30 per hour. It would mean a triple-digit increase in tipped labor costs, and because restaurants operate on very tight margins that would be crippling, even under normal circumstances.