As we watch the Democratic candidates — particularly the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-endorsed Bernie Sanders — move further and further left and nudging each other along the way, it’s good to know there are still some defenders of capitalism out there. Last summer, a Gallup poll revealed that nearly 60 percent of Democrat voters surveyed said they felt good about socialism, and a survey taken in December showed that 70 percent of millennials would be likely to vote for a socialist candidate.
So our thanks to Carol Roth for putting it so eloquently:
Capitalism isn't a liberal vs. conservative thing or a right vs. left thing– it's a freedom and choice v force and control thing.
— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) January 23, 2020
And if that isn’t clear from the rhetoric of people like Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren, it certainly should be.
It should be the ONE thing we all agree on. Capitalism is superior to socialism is every way, shape and form. The fact a growing number of Americans question that is very troubling!
— Mike Stapley (@MikeStapley4) January 23, 2020
But what about the billionaires who are going to pay for everything with a two-cent wealth tax?
So It's OK for one guy (Bezos) to have personal wealth that would take the average US worker 40 thousand LIFETIMES (or 1.8 million years of work) to earn the same amount? Yet this guy had to be shamed into paying an average wage to his staff.
This is capitalism. #capitalism
— MyWorldView (@MyWorldView8) January 23, 2020
Is it OK? Yeah, it’s OK.
The answer to your question is "yes".
— Ed D. (@EdDinIL) January 23, 2020
Yes. Thanks for asking.
— Charlie Wagner (@FuriousShepherd) January 23, 2020
Um…yes.
Bezos took a risk. People of their own free will gave him money for investment, goods & services bc they believed they benefited from that.
His wealth-mostly co ownership- is not at anyone else's expense nor does it prevent anyone else from gaining wealth #capitalism https://t.co/ePjyS1fZXA— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) January 23, 2020
…not to mention the fact Amazon jobs and salaries cover a wide range of skill sets and upward mobility for thousands in communities where those jobs didn't exist previously. Lastly, who at any time in history had their quality of life and wages improved by socialism??
— Mike Stapley (@MikeStapley4) January 23, 2020
You're so focused on jealousy that you're ignoring the thousands he employs and the benefits of lower costs he's made possible to millions. You also ignore the competitive pressures Amazon places on other companies, further reducing costs to consumers…
— Mike Stapley (@MikeStapley4) January 23, 2020
Also, we have these things called "public markets" where, if you are so certain that it's easy for Bezos to acquire wealth, you too could have invested in the stock at IPO & participated in the wealth creation…
But it's not easy-it's risky and risk has a premium attached to it— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) January 23, 2020
I love the part where, people think that people like him just showed up like that out of nowhere, and that there were never pictures of him with these old crappy computers sitting on folding tables in his garage over 25 years ago…
— VinnyThe? (@Vinny_TheBull) January 23, 2020
what number is okay for you?
would you be okay with him having the personal wealth of 1,000 workers?
He employs what??? a million people?? so I'm okay with him having as much as 40k people
If he goes bankrupt in 1998 do you pay his mortgage?
he takes all the risk pic.twitter.com/PfbYpTb2No
— SoCal MFG (@cynicpolitic) January 24, 2020
But let's be honest. Bezos employs over 100K. Also, each company that goes through Amazon employs people.
So, the epitome of Capitalism has probably created over 200K jobs. What a horrible person (dripping with sarcasm).— TheOpinant (@OpinantThe) January 24, 2020
ANYONE is a great idea + sweat equity away from $1B status. when i see a great product i actively hope the owner becomes a billionaire as a reward for making my life better or easier.
if you can't-or more likely won't-improve your lot in life, be grateful. someone has it worse.
— CancelOfTrent (@JesseSDickson) January 24, 2020
My guess is… if you had the personal wealth of Jeff Bezos, you might not be so keen to force it all away. You’d probably feel proud that you made it that far and happy with the lifestyle you live. You might be a bit more employee-friendly, but you’d still enjoy it. Or maybe not
— Michael ??? (@michaelr0bert) January 24, 2020
CAPITALISM!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/tlgKRSKEyR
— Acquiescent Soul (@AcquiescentSoul) January 23, 2020
— Devil Jax (@lord_snek) January 23, 2020
The other side of this argument that falls flat is the idea that an employer must be guilted into paying wages. Here's the beauty of Capitalism. If your employer doesn't pay you enough you can quit and go work for an employer who will. Employees can quit whenever they want to.
— John Hulet (@fanlitfan) January 24, 2020
Or start your own business.
— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) January 24, 2020
But why start your own business if the next president is going to punish you for being successful? Better to just get to the front of the bread line now.
Related:
Class is in SESSION: Carol Roth schools Bernie Sanders on what EXACTLY cancelling all student loan debt would mean https://t.co/lA77q2zAco
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 16, 2019
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