My objection was to the word "artificial," (which is why I didn't quote further) as if mandating a minimum wage is somehow different from everything else we do

My objection was to the word "artificial," (which is why I didn't quote further) as if mandating a minimum wage is somehow different from everything else we do with the economy. The "natural" economy doesn't exist, except insofar as the adjusted economy we have is the natural economy. Making changes from what is to what someone wants is entirely normal.