Income Disparity

Much of the impetus behind the blind drive to a socialist government in the United States derives from the disparity between the rich and the non-rich. This disparity has demonstratively grown in recent years to the point where the super rich and their lavish lifestyles are visible examples to the rest of us of a problem with capitalism. The simple solution to the simple-minded becomes socialism ... that economic policy that is inculcated into our children from kindergarten through graduate school by those pedagogues living in their left-canted ivory towers.

Yes, America now embraces snippets of socialism —  Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit, food stamps, etc. But we don’t yet have the public ownership of the factors of production or services like in Venezuela or Cuba ... where the disparity of income shifts to that between the governors and the governed.

Can this disparity be fixed under capitalism. Yes, it has in the past through anti-trust legislation ... which should be resurrected to deal with the new technology trusts that have reared their ugly heads in the 21st century ... whereas fixing this disparity with a socialists regime can only be accomplished by bringing down our capitalist government ... the goose laying these golden income-disparity eggs.

The time is also ripe for another capitalistic solution to income disparity other than the Bernie Sanders lunacy. And, I can’t believe that ham-fisted laws that restrict corporate compensation ratios will fix things. But perhaps our tax code could be used ... maybe by making taxes on capital gains progressive like that on incomes ... since much of these stratospheric executive compensations come from stock options? And finally, eliminating the  “carried interest” tax loophole that the Republicans promised to deep-six three years ago. What’s the delay Donald?

Afterward: Restrict this progressive taxing proposal to only capital gains achieved though stock option grants.