Fixing Income Inequality
The government says it wants to “fix” the problem of unequal pay and income. They say too few are paid too much (the evil rich) while too many are not paid enough (victims of the rich). The goal of the government is to equalize pay for all citizens.
Based on the governments track record of “fixing” things like the War on Poverty, our Public Education System, the Postal Service, Amtrak, and the growing National Debt, I am not sure we want them to try to “fix” income equality. Or anything else.
I have a vision of what a likely government “fix” will look like.
First they will establish what is a reasonable amount for everyone to be paid. For sake of this discussion lets say they decide on $60,000 a year. That would be $5,000 a month.
Here is a plan that I am sure would appeal to every bureaucrats heart. All residents of the United States of working age (18?) would receive a “salary” of $5,000 per month from the government who would function as the payroll department for all employers. A “single payer” system under complete control of the government and IRS. We could all become cogs in the wheel of the Proletariat masses.
Don’t worry, if you like your current job, you can keep it. That’s a promise.
Your education does not matter. Your age does not matter. Race, religion, political party, type of work, skill level, work ethic, level of responsibility, or experience. None of these matter. Unions could be eliminated, you wouldn’t need them. No merit or performance pay, everybody gets paid the same. Movie stars, Presidents, Barbers, Plumbers, Soldiers, Dog Catchers, Burger Flippers, Brain Surgeons, etc.
Visualize a Baseball Team under this system. The owners, the managers, star players, beginning players, bat boys, groundskeepers, peanut vendors, everybody gets exactly the same pay.
As desirable as this sounds in providing equal pay for all of us it would have the added benefit that the IRS could withhold their “fair share” before we see our paycheck with no need for us to ever file an annual return. Who could possibly object to such a fair and equitable solution? Consider this, we would all get paid the same no matter how lousy a job we do. Just like members of Congress.
If every citizen received the same amount of pay every month, do you think we would all have the same bank account at the end of the year? Or would some have a fat bank account, another a new car and still another a giant hangover?
Perhaps governments next task is to require equal outcomes for all of us? It should be easy. A plan to devolve all of us to the lowest common denominator. Call it government approved cookie cutter equality.
An American melting pot filled with glassy eyed, average room temperature IQ automatons.
Bob Bandy
