The Return of the Marxist IQ by Norman Markowitz

by: Saturday 13 April 2013

 

After a hiatus of too many weeks, the Marxist IQ returns as we approach another May Day. 

 

1.       A fierce battle is being fought over social security pensions in the U.S. today.   Marxists have long  called such pensions along with medical care and other workers benefits

a.       Entitlements

b.      Compensation

c.       Social wages

d.      Welfare payments

2.       American media is filled with reports of the dangers to world peace represented by North Korea’s plan to launch a missile.  What is generally ignored though is

a.       The 1950-1953 war Korean war which claimed millions of lives

b.      The U.S. large military presence in South Korea from 1953 to the present

c.       The fact that the war ended in a now abrogated truce and a new Korean war involving the U.S. forces is once more a possibility

d.      All of the above

3.       In the present Washington debate on the national budget, what is being ignored is the non Marxist Keynesian principle that

a.       Decreased social spending will stimulate the economy

b.      Budget cuts should be across the board and effect all programs equally

c.       Payroll taxes should be increased rather than benefits reduced

d.      Decreased social spending will only decrease mass purchasing power and produce both greater economic hardship and bigger deficits.

4.        A time traveler from the U.S. at the time of the first International May Day demonstrations, 1890, to today would find one thing in the U.S had remainedthe same

a.        Women still did not have the right to vote

b.      The eight hour day, the reason for the original demonstrations, had never been established in law

c.       “White Supremacy” and segregation was the official policy of the Southern States

d.      The Republican party, more than the Democratic party, was closely associated with the interests of the corporations and the wealthy

5.       At the time of the first May Day Demonstrations, movements for socialism had  been established in Europe and North America.  Today,

a.       Those movements have “died” with the death of Communism

b.      Those movements continue to advance in the world as they did in the decades immediately after WWII.

c.       Those movements, with their victories and defeats, tactical shifts have influenced  and continue to the people of the whole world since the Russian Revolution of 1917.

d.      Globalization has made the aims of those movements impossible to achieve

 

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  • Agreeing with brother Sean Mulligan on question number 1., ( letter c.)and with brother Norman Markowitz that this is being battled fiercely now, let's elaborate.
    In the windows of the valuable People's World, we find a brilliant short article, titled and dated Protecting Social Security:Let's Tell The Deficit Commission Not to Slash Entitlements(here we may note that in Markowitz's Marxist I Q Entitlement(s)is put with a negative connotation and in the 08/20/10 article by congressperson and article author, Raul Grijalva, entitlement is put with a positive)points out two basic points about Social Security:

    1. No income level above the 106,800 level is subject to the Social Security tax(we should especially tax these levels, since they are more capable of paying)

    2. After 2037, Social Security will not contribute to the deficit, because it is prohibited by law from taking on debt in order to pay benefits. Instead, if the projected shortfall were to go unaddressed, Social Security would pay reduced benefits, equal to about 75% to 80% of the promised benefits, according to the Social Security actuaries and CBO, respectively. This is a situation that Congress must take action to avoid, but it is not the catastrophic collapse that some alarmists wan about. Eliminating this shortfall would require raising revenues equal to about 0.5% to 0.7% of gross domestic product, according to CBO and Social Security, respectively.

    In other words, the tea-party, Boehner, and the right are lying about Social Security, from all indications, to steal social wages from the working class in the United States.
    As brother congressperson Raul Grijalva urged about three years ago, we need to individually and collectively contact president Obama, Congress, our friends, neighbors and relatives, urging them to do the same, saying, NO SLASHING SOCIAL, SECURITY IN ANY WAY-it has nothing to do with the deficit-in fact was put in place to remedy deficit problems-expand Social Security by creating millions and millions of union jobs, jobs, jobs, to clean our ruined environment both social and physical.

    Posted by E.E.W. Clay, 04/17/2013 1:08pm (12 years ago)

  • 1. c

    2. d

    3. d

    4. d

    5. c

    Posted by Sean Mulligan, 04/15/2013 10:16pm (12 years ago)

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