Since high schools and colleges don’t teach the reality of socialism anymore I hope those young people who might read this will grasp some understanding of what socialism is all about.  It is certainly not a new deal, a good deal, or the newest Democratic name a better deal.  In reality it is a raw deal and a very bad deal, now keep reading for the real deal.

Socialism is the first step to communism.  Communism according to Karl Marx is the ultimate society, the perfect society.  There is no private ownership of property, the state controls the means of production and the state distributes goods and services as to what it deems are the needs of the people.  There is no ownership of weapons except by the state.  The state controls all media and will censor as it sees fit.  The state controls all schools and subject matter.  Everyone is equal and must contribute to the well-being of the state.  Everyone must contribute to the state with their labor so the state can function and this will allow society to function.

So what is the newest term for socialism; the Better Deal, promise to do?  Well it says that wage disparity is a huge problem.  In other words, the income gap between those in lower paying jobs is widening from those in higher paying jobs.  This is true and has been true for 20 years.  Do you know why?  The main reason is the loss of manufacturing jobs.  Why have manufacturing jobs left; mainly because of higher corporate taxes in America and lower labor costs in developing countries.  This has left America with fewer manufacturing jobs and an increase in service and retail jobs.  These jobs just don’t pay what manufacturing jobs pay nor do they have as good of benefits.

The Better Deal promises to narrow the gap between the income classes.  There are only a few ways to accomplish this and any attempt to alter the marketplace will result in a net loss of jobs.  One way is for the government to set artificially high minimum wage requirements.  Companies will then find ways to do the same work with fewer people, transfer the plants or production out of America, or just close the business.   Another way is for the government to force companies to provide benefits they cannot afford to provide.  The same result as described above will occur.  Yet another way is to raise taxes on businesses and high income individuals and provide subsidies to low income earners for benefits the private sector cannot provide.  Any interference such as these into the business/workforce environment will cause negative results for the overall economy.

If you want a modern example, just look at Venezuela.  Oh that’s right you can’t look because the state has shut down the media.  There are only scant reports getting out of there.  I have a friend whose brother and mother still live in Venezuela.  He is very worried for them.  His brother says there are violent protests there every day because there is very little food.  There are no jobs and the currency is worthless.  The military often fire live ammo into the crowds and many people are killed or injured.  His brother is a doctor and risks his life to get to the hospital to treat the injured.   This is what happens when the government confiscates the means of production.  This is what happens when the government artificially sets price controls too low and businesses cannot make money or when the government subsidizes prices too low and they have to borrow money to cover the loss.  You can only do this for so long.  Venezuela has reached her limit.

The best way to narrow the income gap is to re-establish manufacturing jobs in America.  This will require the corporate tax rate to be lowered.  Not only must it be lowered but it must be lowered with the assurance that it cannot be raised for at least 10 years; otherwise companies will not be likely to repatriate their money and factories back in America.  The income gap will not be narrowed quickly and guess what we did not get here quickly either.  Companies must feel confident they can move back here and still remain competitive in the world economy.  This will take time but it must start for us to get better.  Remember they have to report to shareholders not the government.  Guess what; if you are working and have a 401K you may be one of those shareholders.

Socialism and communism are failed systems.  Earlier I mentioned Karl Marx the author of The Communist Manifesto.  I read the Manifesto while in college and you know what, it describes the perfect society but you know what it doesn’t do; it does not describe how to transform the society to get there.  You know why?  Because at some point it will require violence from the state because no one will voluntarily surrender what they have worked all their life to achieve.  Marx would not put that in writing but every time this has happened in history that is exactly what did happen.  Cuba, Russia, and now Venezuela.

Remember, for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction and also nothing is free, somebody pays for everything.  So if the Democrats ever begin to install, programs to enact their Better Deal it will be a Raw Deal for America.  There is no socialist government anywhere in the world that is as successful as our Republic.  I cannot understand why the Democratic Party embraces and wants to force a failed Socialist system down our throats.