Republicans have been framing the concept of capitalism since, forever.
Republicans have managed to marry the concept of capitalism with trickle down economics. Most of us, when we think of capitalism see it as a negative because we see a system that benefits the bosses, and no one else. But, this only hampers us. The answers we're looking for require that we embrace the whole concept and take back what was co-opted by the Republicans.
Capitalism is more than supply and demand. It's a complicated relationship between business owners, providers of materials, customers and laborers. We like to call it free market, but we have allowed ourselves to forget that wages to laborers are part of that free market model. Republicans have successfully framed the process in such a way, that any tug or move to increase wages for laborers is called socialism. And this is the trap that we need to pull ourselves out of, because wages are just another part of free market.
It's strange that we've been lulled into this perception, especially when Republicans can clearly see how wages are a wonderful incentive, when they're the ones benefiting from the higher wages and opportunities. I am specifically thinking of GWBII's Iraq debacle. There was so much support for that war among Republicans, even though the facts suggested it was foolhardy. But it appealed to many Republicans because it also was the beginning of a privatized war. There was money to be made. There were mercenaries brought in, private companies that supplied contaminated water to our soldiers. But there was one particular Libertarian who I will forever remember, who learned a valuable lesson about capitalism. He thought he was making the big bucks at $100,000 for a one year contract. I don't know what he thought he was going to do when he got there, but he later said that he didn't read the fine print, which said that he had to do whatever the job required. And the job required that he clean out the soldier's septic tanks. He described how it would leave him covered in shit, and there was no way to break the contract to get back home.
As comical as it is, it shows what I'm trying to point out: Wages are an incentive to attract workers, and it is a part of the big wheel we call capitalism. It is not socialist at all.
It's Covid that provided us with the best example. During the pandemic, we saw something we rarely see. Workers had to make a decision between working and risking their lives, and their family's lives. Many decided that whatever they were making in their jobs, was not worth the risk. Which is why we have a shortage of workers in the restaurant business, which is notorious for low pay. However, capitalism has an answer. Raise their pay to bring them back.
It's not socialism. It's capitalism.
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