At last night's two Republican debates, economic issues largely took a backseat. But one came up a few times: the minimum wage. In the so-called undercard debate, former senator Rick Santorum suggested raising it gradually. At the main event, Governor Scott Walker defended his previously stated desire to keep it where it is, citing the very real possibility that raising the wage could hurt employment.

One candidate, though, had a suggestion that falls between the two positions. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson suggested creating two minimum-wage tiers: a "starter" and a "sustainer." The former, he suggested, would be for younger people starting their careers, while the latter would be for older individuals who might be supporting a family.

In fact, America already has a policy like this. While the current minimum wage is $7.25 per hour for most people, federal law allows employers to pay a special minimum wage of $4.25, provided the worker is under 20 and has worked for the employer for less than 90 days.

Read the full article at RealClearPolicy.com: Minimum Wage: Ben Carson Has a Point