The siren song of socialism
Jim Thompson
HCP columnist
Once again, just this week, we learned that most people do not understand the laws of economics. The voters of New York (I hesitate to call them citizens any longer, we don’t know who is voting) moved forward one Zohran Mamdani for the mayoral election in November.
Mamdani is an unabashed socialist.
One article said, Mamdani rose to the top thanks to young college graduates. I say we are no longer teaching economics if that is the case.
Mamdani wants to strengthen rent controls and open government-run grocery stores for starters. He wants to make the transit bus system free. Mamdani wants to address the “affordability crisis” for everyday New Yorkers.
He claims to be the Democrat of the future. He is also an anti-Semite. How an anti-Semite would have a chance of being elected in the most Jewish city in America is beyond me.
As for the other matters, these are principles that go against the inviolable laws of economics.
In cases like this, I often tell people to “turn themselves around” to see if the other side of the argument makes sense. For instance, if you owned an apartment building subject to rent control, is there any reason why you would do anything other than the bare minimum maintenance? Would you be willing to sell your building at a loss to get away from the constraints of likely never making a profit again?
If you owned a grocery store and a government grocery store popped up next to you, what would you do? Personally, I would sell out and get out of town. If you were a purveyor of goods to a grocery store and the grocery store dictated prices to you lower than your costs, what would you do? I would take my business elsewhere.
We’ve seen pictures of drab old Russia and other places that lived under communism. Drab stores with empty shelves. There is no space between communism and socialism.
The last time I was in Finland, the income tax rate was near 75%. I ask the locals about the chance of UBER opening up in Helsinki. They told me no way, because UBER does not pay the tax burden. They would not use it for that very reason. Now this was 2019; maybe things have changed, but I doubt it.
Mamdani is not the answer to the Democrats’ problems or the voters’ problems.
More competition will lower prices. This has been proven time and time again.
Jim Thompson, formerly of Marshall, is a graduate of Hillsboro High School and the University of Cincinnati. He resides in Duluth, Ga. and is a columnist for The Highland County Press.
Comment
No difference between socialism and communism?
If you really believe there is no distance between socialism and communism then you must believe that Finland (the perennial happiest country on earth) and North Korea.
Pay attention Brad
Jim is smarter, more experienced, and nicer than you. Watch and learn on how to be a decent American and what it means to be a loyal friend and Christian. The p diddy media frenzy is what your side cherishes and endorses. Omar, AOC, Jazzzy Crockett, Bernie, and Pocahontas... Them's your people.
••••Publisher's note: Matt, I know you, Jim and Brad. I consider all of you to be friends and gentlemen, including Brad! Jim brought us all together.
Finland and North Korea
What I liked about Finland was all the services and I never paid their taxes. I had a minor fender bender there and the fine was 10 days' salary. The way their auto fine works is that all fines are some number times your days' salary. So, the CEO of a major company gets a DUI, it is 50 days salary. An indigent person steals a car and gets a DUI and the fine is zero because they do not work 50 x 0 is still zero.
As far as constraints on the individual, I see little difference between Finland and North Korea. The good thing about Finland was that I could leave when I wanted.
Finland's universal health care stinks, but we went over that about 2014, Brad.
Traffic laws
Jim, what you claimed about Finnish traffic laws is inaccurate. For the income dependent fines there's a minimum that has to be paid - so even if your taxable income is zero, you'll still have to pay the highest fixed traffic penalty fee. - 200 euros. The traffic penalty fees are for minor things like a little over the speed limit. But 20 over and the fines kick in. The highest KQone I could find was 130,000 euros, about $150,000.. Even if you are a millionaire that's got to discourage you from speeding. Which is the whole point of traffic fines.
I'm curious about how they knew your taxable income?
Let Zohran run.
I hope this 'socialist' wins. A feckless canary in the world's biggest coal mine. NYC will recover. Better yet, the fiasco might bring levity and rationality to the rest of the Country, in one fell swoop. AOC as a NY senator would be gold, though. Omar from MN and Jasimine in TX. The Democrat party is in good hands, Timmy Walz will be proud. Speaking of, his daughter and Kamala's step-daughter have posted some interesting videos recently. They're a mess.... Then I've been genuinely pleased with the outstanding U.S. military recruitment numbers the past 6 months. It's amazing how a faithful and competent Commander-in-Chief can inspire thousands of young men and women to enlist and commit. Don't be relying on the "Squad', or most Democrat leaders, to be supporting you anytime soon. Hope Walz and what's-her-name Emhoff (kamala's step-daughter) are safe, away from you, and in their daddy's basement. Disregard their stupid videos. Then reality has set in. I hope the FDNY and the NYPD will endure a possible Zohran regime.