Today, "The Pursuit Of Happiness” Lies Beyond Most Americans' Reach.

#WakeUpAndSmellTheCoffee: Today’s cost for survival compared to what they were when I graduated from High School (1971) has grown to be about 10 times as expensive! The earnings of most workers, however, have only tripled or quadrupled during the last 50 years (depending on how valued one’s position is considered in the workforce).

Simple thinking accepts the belief that the steep increase in the cost of necessities is because everything costs more to produce today. Add to that: the fear that raising wages would only increase the costs of production and raise costs. And, you can understand how simple thinking has many frozen in their tracks and allowed wages to linger behind the rising costs of everything.

Let’s dive a little deeper into more critical thinking about what has happened over the last 50 years: The costs of production today are generally less expensive than they were before automation, digitalization, etc. And, the increases in salaries are less than a third of what the increases in the cost of living have grown!

So how does one account for the disparity between a 3-time increase in wages and a 10-time increase in the cost of living? A clue can be found in the cost of milk. It was regulated..& still is regulated (though it has increased in accordance with “actual production costs,”.

Well, if the cost of Milk, which was regulated to be in line with "actual production costs" rose 300%. Why have all the unregulated items risen nearly 1000%? It wasn't just the rise in the costs of production, people. In a word, it's: "Profits!"

We’ve been asleep at the switch, and we have allowed unbridled profiteering to insidiously displace the working class’ ability to survive, while simultaneously scaring people into believing that to raise salaries, would only increase the cost of things! Compare today's "inflation" to the "actual (increase in) production costs" as seen in the cost of regulated milk and you'll begin to understand how Wall Street's balance sheet, which is incentivized to continually show increases in profits to stakeholders, who have had little to do with the production of things has gotten out of control and is about to run off the rails and self-destruct our Economy.

Of course, correcting this inconsistency by increasing salaries would (after 50 years of stagnation) cause some increase in production costs. However, the profits of well-run businesses ought to far exceed those increases.

Since we're thinking critically here... let's not forget that our Government essentially subsidizes the cost of labor, by allowing businesses to write off expenses paid to employees. So, these production cost increases would not upset the apple cart. It would reduce profits, normally shared with stakeholders, but it would not deplete them. A portion of the money once earmarked as profits going to stakeholders would now go to employees... and the business enterprises would be able to write-off those expenses.

So, Investors might make a little less, but our middle class would be strengthened and that's more important to the economy. You heard me right. Let's apply a bit more critical thinking: Remember, our economic system is based on having a strong Middle Class that is able to consume products and services & willing to shoulder the heavy lifting of building and maintaining our infrastructure by paying taxes. If we don’t rescue and fortify the Middle Class, our system will fail! The 1 percent can’t be expected to stick around and do all the heavy lifting for everyone else!

“Reaganomics” was a ploy! A temporary means to enrich the 1 percent ownership class. It wasn’t supposed to be trusted and allowed to last unfettered for half a century! We were misled, There is little substantiation in support for "Trickle-Down Economics!

So, how should we correct this self-destructive behavior of Capitalism? Should we just throw the baby out with the bathwater? Hold on.. we’re still attempting to think critically here. ??Evolutionary steps are more certain to succeed and be less disruptive than scraping our existing economic system and attempting to build something anew.

Here’s a suggestion: Let’s separate Business from Governance. (An essential step away from Fascism.) Let Business be Capitalistic if it so chooses. But, let's also recognize that Governance should not be run like a business (with profiteering bosses and stakeholders). Governance needs to watch out for all of us! It can’t just focus on a few. It has to understand the bigger picture and provide for the greater good.

Here’s the first step to raise wages to a truly livable wage: (Not some bargained dollar amount that was negotiated years ago, that no longer is enough!) Modify the Business Tax Codes so Employers could only write-off, as business expenses, those wages which elevate a wage earner from qualifying for additional Government assistance!

Why should the Government subsidize all wages, if some are so low that they also have to provide welfare for someone working full time? Let’s incentivize businesses to pay livable wages and stop the continuation of incentives that reward underpaying employees. This small change in our tax code could heal the divide and strengthen our economy.

If we allow things to continue without this form of regulatory intervention, we would surely doom our economy to grind to a halt, as Capitalism can’t exist without a thriving Middle Class any more than a business would survive if no customers could afford its products or services.

This may be our "Last Chance" at saving our Economy... and our system of Governance.