Organizing For Prosperity

SCHOLARS HAVE IDENTIFIED six principle forces, six pillars of prosperity responsible for the historical and current prosperity of the United States. They are, in no particular order: 1) Imimigration. The relatively esay access of immigrants to the United States, including foreign students who come to the U.S. to study in the world class American system of higher education. In a nation of immigrants, modern immigration keeps the fresh blood flowing, injecting American society, culture, and its economy with a constant infusion of energetice new human talent. 2) The steady and rich support by the federal government of education and basic research in many fields, including medicine, science, and technology. 3) Braod access to U.S. consumer markets for importers and their goods and services, which helps keep consumer prices lower, and gives American consumers much more choice. 4) An unwavering adherance in the United States to the rule of law, providing a stable environment for investment and economi growth.5) A firm network of geo-politica global alliances which help enhance political and thus economic stbility, both vital to prosperous economic activity. 6) A politically independent and fiscally prudent monetary policy and supply, bolsterd by the Federal Reserve banking system. Each of these vital ndconstructive features of American economic life contributes an almost immeasurable assitin ensuring the continuing economic success of the American experiemnt, such that it is. Perhaps the greatest asset of all in protection and nurturing broad based American prosperity merits mention; socialism. Social Security, perhaps the kingpin of American socialism, has liftedmillions of older people out of poverty, keeps them uout of poverty, and keeps them in the game economically, as spenders and consumers of American manufactured goods. When prosperity is widely shared, when even the poorest of the poor have some discretionary income. The wealthiest one percnt are only going to spend so much in the free market. No matter how wealthy, one only needs so much food,clothing, consumer goods and services, and shelter. Most of the concentrated wealth in the United States is being hoarded, not invested, and this does nothing to stimulate economic activity. The more widely distributed the nation's money supply is, the greater the consumer demand for goods and services, the more televisions and refirgerators ares bought and sold. When a vast amount of national wealth is concentrated in only a few extremely wealthy hands, as is currenly the case to a larger extent than at any time since the Gilded Age of the alte nineteenth century. The true economic power of America is being bottlenecked at the very top of the sociological pyramid stifling the kind of production and consumption which would unleash the greatest era of prosperity even enjoye by teh human species, at any time or place. Capitalism causes wealth to concentrate, invariably, inevitably, unless it is modified by a few fundamental socialistic measures, including a progressive taxaation system, and government action in favor of the poor, minimum wage and laborlaws, among other measures. A large impoverished underclass, such as that which exists in the U.S. consists of the working poor, and is a drag on economic growth and prosperity. Poor people don't spend, and do not help raise consumer demand for goods. Getting money into the hands of the bottom of the economic pyramid is vital, since teh bottom sis always the largest part of the whole structure. What must never be ignored is the reality that in any economic system, capitalism, socialism, or other, society can eitehr be uplifted or dragged down by the people on the bottom, on whose misery the wealthy elite often profit. We would do well to bear constantly in mind that all societies rest upon the foundation of its people, rich and poor, and that the stronger the foundation, the more likely the edifice to long endure.