Leveling the Field, by Choice

JUST HOW EXTREME can the economic inequaltiy in the United States become? Will Bill Gates and Warren Buffett end up facing each other on the dusty streets of Dodge, staring unblinkingly, trigger fingers atwitchin', in a ghost town with nobody watching? Probably, not; both of those guys are trying like all holler to avoid that sad fate; they keep giving their wealth away. Not fast enough though. No matter how fast Gates and Buffet disperse money, their entrepeneurial concerns make it right back even faster. Those two just can't seem to keep their business acumen in check. The rest of the country keeps dividing, between rich and poor, with not much in between anymore. Most folks, if they live in a one room apartment, have a job, and can pay the rent, are happy, and have no resentment towards the billionaire next door. but when it gets difficult, then impossible to pay the rent and keep the lights on, even with the full time job, problems begin. The poor become restless, and rebellious. Ironically, the best role model the United States has for economic sanity and balanced competition is its professional sports industry. No longer do the Yankees, the Celtics, or the Alabama Crimson Tide have all the money and all the glory. (we include the Crimson Tide because collegiate athletics in America are professional, and the athletes are slaves). In professional and collegiate sports in the Unitd States, everybody has a chance, because of salary caps, revenue sharing, limits to scholarships - in a nutshell, because of all manner of socialistic, cooperative field leveling rules and regulations. Aka, big government. Nonetheless, free enterprise in American sports is alive and well. American universities make a fortune from exploiting their student-athletes, and meanwhile professional baseball, football, basketball, and hockey are even steven, on the field, off the field, and they are all prosperous. Amazing what a little self imposed discipline can do for a group of people who have something in common.