- Capitalism and Alternatives -

John Sweeney's Proposal

Have any of you heard of John Sweeney's income-cap proposal? John sweeney, for the non-Americans out there, is the head of the AFL-CIO. Hardly a radical organization (they purged Communists in the '50s) the AFL-CIO is today teh largest union in America, which isn't saying a whole hell of a lot- we have a de-unionized workforce.

Sweeney is a Democratic party loyalist which may alienate some of you, but he has one proposal at least that I relaly like. He wants to make it so that ion any company, the top-paid member (including the boss) cannot make more than 50 times the income of teh lowest paid worker. So if you hire minimum wage workers, then you cannot make more than about 550,000 dollars a year. 50 times is of course a far cry from equality. But the way i figure it, maybe in a few years after saying 5p0 times is too much, they'll start saying 30 times is too mych, then 10 times- eventually we can become gradually more nad more equal.

I was bringing this pint up when I was arguing with a Trotskyist (from Boston College!) on my lunch break yesterday. He said I was a typical Allende style reformist, and that Allende's overthrow proved that Allende-ism could not work. Completely ignoring the fact that had the US not intervened, or intervened on teh right side, Chile would still probably be socialist today.

What do you all think?

Follow Ups:

• What do I think? Dr. Cruel July 19 1999 (0)
• Venality... Red Deathy Socialist Party UK July 19 1999 (0)
• socialism will take time Lark July 16 1999 (23)
  • Aye, that's the rub for The Controllers borg July 19 1999 (3)
    • A reply to someone who is either heartless or ignorant of the facts. Lark July 21 1999 (2)
      • Ignorance and how white is now black. borg Org, Inc. July 22 1999 (1)
        • I see no contradiction Lark August 18 1999 (0)
  • People are not the state DonS USA July 19 1999 (18)
    • a model of social organisation with individuals marginally participating Lark July 21 1999 (17)
      • The state is, and always will be, an organization for controlling the people. DonS USA July 22 1999 (16)
        • PLEASE READ THIS RESPONSE Lark next fear September 27 1999 (0)
        • Steady, statists... Gideon Hallett UK July 22 1999 (14)
          • I do not think it is the job of the state to regulate buisness DonS USA July 23 1999 (1)
            • That's fine in theory not reality though Lark September 27 1999 (0)
          • switch it around Gideon Gee si July 22 1999 (11)
            • Try this for size. Gideon Hallett UK July 22 1999 (10)
              • Do you have it in another color? Gee si July 22 1999 (9)
                • The colour of money. Gideon Hallett UK July 22 1999 (8)
                  • End corporate plutocracy! Samuel Day Fassbinder Citizens for Mustard Greens USA July 23 1999 (1)
                    • Desires as results. borg July 23 1999 (0)
                  • purple Gee si July 22 1999 (5)
                    • Blah blah blah Samuel Day Fassbinder Citizens for Mustard Greens USA July 23 1999 (4)
                      • Diminishing returns on violence borg July 23 1999 (3)
                        • Diminishing returns of posting to McSpotlight C&A Samuel Day Fassbinder Citizens for Mustard Greens USA July 23 1999 (2)
                          • The boring individual Samuel Day Fassbinder Citizens for Mustard Greens USA July 26 1999 (0)
                          • it could be you. The edge July 26 1999 (0)
• reforming Gee si July 16 1999 (2)
  • Re-Forming Nikhil Jaikumar PCC MA, USA July 19 1999 (1)
    • they'll go Gee si July 20 1999 (0)