Funny, normally the levelers known as Socialists or Communists prefer to bring the high-earners down so everyone is “equal”.  This business owner in Seattle tried it the other way, making the minimum salary at his tech firm $70,000 per year.  Yes, even new hires with less experience were paid at that rate, higher to start than many longer-serving employees.  You and I can predict the result.  He, of course, did not.  Hard times, indeed.