New York Suicide by Ballot
There was once in Texas a professional salesman: base salary plus commissions. His biggest competitor was a larger firm whose salesmen were also salaried plus commissions. When he was approached by the larger firm with the promise of a larger base salary, etc., he respectfully declined. The reason: all of the salesmen there pooled all their commissions into a common fund which was distributed to each and all of them regardless of their sales volume. He was blessed with a strong territory, a strong work ethic, and years of experience, the result: a rewarding income. He worked for his success; the salesmen at the offering firm who did not work hard were eventually let go, but they benefitted equally with their fellows who did work hard. This failure in management to recognize human nature’s inherent axiom of self-interest caused the company to fold up for lack of sales. The same underlying principle applies to politics as well. If it doesn’t work, it’s bad. If it does work and is productive, it’s good. . . Duh!
Those interested in the national political scene have read that New York City will shortly seat a new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, having run on a pure socialist platform of cityowned grocery stores, free bus/subway rides, free college tuition, $30/hr minimum wage, etc., and of course seriously higher taxes. Anyone who believes that the loaner car from the auto dealership is free probably believes the “buy one, get one free” trick. The dealership owner had to pay for that “loaner” car, and he must be compensated for it in order to remain in business. There is not and never has been a “free” lunch. Capitalism, not socialism, works to make America great. I have visited socialist countries where health care is “free” for citizens . . . except that a simple knee replacement means a 2-3 year wait; state run grocery stores work . . . except that the shelves are mostly empty (suppliers ship to places where they can earn money). It’s capitalism.
