At the end of the day, neither Republicans nor Democrats got what they wanted -- but Democrats emerged from the debate over the minimum wage in better political shape. For years, congressional Democrats have pushed for a hike in the minimum wage, which is now $5.15 an hour. And even if the fight was futile, the issue of providing low-income workers with a pay boost provided campaign fodder. This election year, Republicans saw a chance to combine the minimum wage law with a cut in the estate tax. Democrats could have their hike in the minimum wage -- taking it to $7.25 over a three-year period -- if they also voted to exempt from the estate tax all estates valued at less than $5 million (or $10 million for a couple). Linking the two measures could be viewed as a savvy, legislative maneuver, but it comes across as a poor political gambit.