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Capitalists, Conservatives, Solve Everything
- Film At 11.
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I got a resume this week from a kid who wanted a job. Typical resume - kid
just out of school, no experience, wants to start at 50K per year, casual
dress, 4+ weeks of vacation a year plus sick and personal days, Fridays off
and free beer.
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I looked at the whole thing and paid attention to the
important parts: Experience, References and Education (in that order) and
glanced at the rest: personal goals, volunteer work, and "objective" (to get
a job!). I never once wondered what race he belonged to. Fortunately,
unlike construction and manufacturing, I am in an industry that is not as
prone to racial quotas and I have the justified liberty of not having to
worry about such things. But it got me a thinkin'. An owner of a company
should be able to hire whomever he wants and never think about race.
Period. If the owner is some Nazi freak that wants only blonde haired, blue
eyed, goose stepping employees with room temperature I.Q.'s and has a
penchant for strudel and knickers - then so be it. The Nazi that refuses to
hire the brilliant orange and blue skinned kid from Frumunda with the 5.0
GPA because of the color of his skin will lose out to the smart guy who does
hire him. In the long run I have unshakeable faith that the free market
will keep such unsound decision makers in check because customers will
always dictate that they get the most value for their dollar, ensuring the
hiring of the most qualified people, thus patronizing the best run
businesses. Consumers always want the best.
News flash: The argument that two people are equally qualified for a job is
specious. No two people are equal. Ever. Some people are better than
other people and there is always someone better than you. No two people
have the same job experience. A bachelors degree from one school is not the
same as one from another school. People with the same job titles do not do
the same work or spend their time the same way. No one is "just as
qualified" as the guy who actually got that job offer or promotion. You are
either more qualified or less. Period. This is not fair? Horse hockey.
This is what is fair, and while there are always trivial exceptions to point
to, capitalism rewards excellence more often than not.
The Hatfield's and McCoy's have been a feuding away for decades now and I'm
pretty sure it started because a Hatfield put a McCoy in a disposable diaper
and forever threatened Gaia ("mother earth"). For years people cried that
the land fills were filling up with disposable diapers. It was the end of
the world. There was no hope. Inconsiderate, selfish people used these
diapers and ruined everything. Why can't people want the best for the world
- just like me! (One tin soldier rides away!) Don't even get me started -
these same people said nothing of "absorbent" panty lines and other feminine
"winged items" that use the same materials. Kids are in diapers, what, like
less than three years? But women use panty liners well - like forever or
something! Where's the outrage! Oh yeah, anyway, then suddenly the company
that had been making innovations like the Velcro & tape fasteners, leak
proof forms and such invented a new feature to sell their product - they
made one that was biodegradable and everyone said "Oh" and then shut
up.
A free market will fill needs, and do so responsibly, every time it is
allowed to act unimpeded. If people want something or care about something
then someone will be there to fill those wants and needs. That is the
American way. People say "Oh Damien - so naïve. Do you really think that
big business cares about anything but making money? We need to force these
companies to act responsibly with added taxes and ..Baaaaa... regulations".
Not true. Corporations do not ever really pay taxes - consumers do.
Corporations exist to make money. This is not wrong or evil, it is American
and if you disagree then go to Cuba and shut up. Please take Ralph Nader
with you. For those Maxine Waters disciples in the crowd I offer the
following: Business 101 - Generally speaking, corporations make a product
or offer a service and sell it for more than it costs. If costs go up due
to labor, materials, taxes, regulation, etc. then the price goes up. The
board of directors and stock holders ensure that it does! The customers pay
for the added expenses every time. Now I am speaking generally of course
and about adaptations to industry wide changes, unlike "The Whole World vs.
Microsoft" case where the US government has chosen to beat up on a single
company (right or wrong) - increasing their costs alone.
Everyone believes that "Big Oil" is getting rich from the gas price
increases. But who is "big oil" anyway? Mostly a bunch of publicly traded
companies that sell stock to you and me if we choose to buy it - that's who.
Even if it were true that "they" were getting rich and bilking everyone
(it's not), the "they" is you and me! - If we were smart enough to own their
stock.
This is a part of Trickle Down Economics at its best. (No, no this is not
the new Ron Jeremy/Marilyn Chambers movie). Despite being crippled with an
easily targeted and suggestive name, Trickle Down Economics is the natural
order of things. It's a circle of life kind of thing. Antelope eats the
grass, lion eats the antelope, I mount lion on wall to impress woman and
make many more little capitalists with her. Come to think of it - isn't it
really like a circle of death kind of thing? But I digress... Everything
affects everything else. The rich get richer - so what? Do they just keep
that money under their mattress? No, they buy stuff that I want to someday
be able to buy and give their money to other companies to use to make better
products (Ta da! Investments!). Rich guys make mo' money = Rich guys buy
big boats = Big Boats Inc. makes more big boats = hiring of more people =
creates more jobs. Create more opportunity. Make heap big wampum for all!
More wealth.
Capitalism is the evolved, civilized form of survival of the fittest and
it's the oldest and only game in town. The weak decision makers will be
weeded out, people will be hired on their merits, products will improve,
problems will be solved, all based on consumer want and need. You as a
consumer only want the best - right? Nothing to worry about. Capitalism
will continue to make our lives better if we will only let it. Anything
else just gets in the way.
Next week: Our topic - "Hell is hot" - Liberal contrarians argue "Yeah, but
it's a dry heat".
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