But here’s the cold, hard, spreadsheet-certified reality check, stripped of all the feel-good fluff: Mandating a true, high-cost-of-living wage for every single employee, at every single business size, in every location, is a beautifully intentioned economic catastrophe. Let's stop talking about Jeff Bezos for one second, and start talking about Brenda’s Bakery and why she’s about to have to fire her kid.