Since we can't escape the Republican convention this week, here is an IQ dedicated to the difficult task of educating Republicans to what Woodrow Wilson a century ago called "the economic facts of life"

1. The Republican platform's call for more subsidies and less federal regulation of private oil drilling will lead inevitably to

   a. energy independence and lower costs to consumers

   b. greater use and exhaustion of fossil fuels and longterm higher costs to consumers

   c.  independence and UN admission for Texas, Alaska, and Oklahoma

   d. a balanced diversified national energy policy

2. The Republican platform and campaign call to revive deregulation and detaxation will lead inevitably to

a, greater prosperity and income quality

b. an efficient market economy no longer hampered by government regulations

c. greater monopoly control, income inequality, and environmental destruction

d. more small business owners employing more workers

3. The Republican national campaign is highlighting Romney's background and "success" as a businessman.  The last Republican presidential candidate who was both a "successful businessman" and ran on that for President was

a. Richard Nixon

b. Ronald Reagan

c, Herbert Hoover

d, George W. Bush

4. Contrary to Republican assertions, the fifteen fold increase in the federal deficit over the last thirty two years was the result of

a. both huge increases in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy and military spending

b. increases in federal spending for health care education, environment, and transportation

c, The effects of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal on business confidence

d, welfare cheats

5.Republicans accuse President Obama of being a socialist.   For their information, a socialist program and administration in the U..S. today would

a. seek to educate and organize the people around a program of planned economy, public ownership and economic and social rights for all people,

b. dismantle the military industrial complex and shift military spending to reconversion to peacetime green public economic projects to create both jobs and a better society

c. enact legislation to put banking, natural resources, health care, education, transportation, and energy under public ownership and control

d. All of the above

Even though I expect that any Republican who could pass this test  would be expelled from the convention, it is food for our readers thought

Right answers to last week's Marxist IQ

1.c

2.b

3.d

4.b

5.d