Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Socialism vs. Free Markets

Countries who rely on free markets and have an expansive private sector fare better than countries who rely on big government socialism.  Venezuela is the current poster child for failed socialist governments with hyperinflation and citizens starving in the streets.

In a true free market economy, prices are set by consumers and fluctuate based on supply and demand. A “bumper crop” of anything will drive prices down. Farmers would rather sell everything at lower prices than let a harvest rot in their silos. A drought or a bad harvest could drive prices up. If prices are too high, consumers won’t buy. If beef prices go up and chicken prices come down, everybody buys chicken. There are no shortages and lots of choices.

The goal for the US is to stop migration, reduce the number of welfare receiving immigrants and bring manufacturing jobs back to the US to bolster the middle class. That will help reverse the trend that resulted in 84 million working-age US citizens without jobs. 

We will be able to recognize progress when more college educated students are able to get professional jobs consistent with their own majors when they graduate. We will also watch the non-participation of high school grads who need to find jobs after they graduate.

Students will need to be more careful to make sure that their major courses of study will prepare them to be employed in their chosen field. Education must have a satisfactory occupational outcome to be worth the price of tuition. The cost of education needs to be cut in half, so tax subsidies will need to be reduced and choices need to expand.


Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

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