No Skin in the Game

No Skin in the Game
The View from the Middle

I have to admit that in the beginning it puzzled me as to why a majority of Americans were in favor of continuing the lockdown of our economy. As of May 1st, for example, a Rasmussen poll reported that 58% of Americans were in favor of extending these shutdowns. This number has been coming down, but it still made me scratch my head. Then, like a bolt of lightning, the answer came to me. These people have “no skin in the game”. I am quite certain that virtually 100% of that 58% are still working and receiving their paychecks. So, with that realization, the solution to this problem came to me. We need more of those people to go without their paychecks so that they can feel the actual pain of these preposterous and probably unconstitutional lockdowns.

First, all politicians should not be paid. For sure I’m talking about the federal government. Not only are these people not essential, I would classify them as “detrimental”. All of our Representatives and Senators should not be paid as long as there is an economic shutdown or restriction of our economy anywhere in America. Actually, I can’t believe that our Congress people have the hutzpah to cash their checks during this crisis, but then again, they are so out of touch maybe it shouldn’t surprise me. But these people are all so rich they might not even miss a paycheck or two. That’s why we would have to include all of their staff people in Washington and in their home states. These, more common people, would miss their monthly paychecks and they will remind their Congress person of the pain that much of America is living through. And this pay loss should not be a fake wage loss subject to backpay reimbursements later, like the government shutdown pretend pay cuts. This should be real lost money.

But, you say, that’s not enough people to swing these opinion polls in the other direction, and you’re right. That’s why this PEP (pay elimination plan) should also apply to state a local government officials. Why should the bad witch of the north, governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, be cashing her checks while she inflicts draconian restrictions on her citizens. And, of course, it can’t just be the governors and the mayors and even the legislators in those states, but it should be their staffs. This will add critical mass to the number of Americans reeling from this crisis and will definitely move the needle in the direction of opening up our country’s economy.

But we can’t just stop with our politicians. This paycheck elimination program has to extend to the media which I also have a hard time calling “essential”. I would classify them as “destructive”. I suppose they could still do their shows, but it would be better if they just played old news programs from better times like ESPN does. Maybe they could show some Ronald Reagan highlight clips. By the way, have you noticed that none of them have ever worn any masks despite the fact that they are surrounded by cameramen and other studio staff. Even those who are shooting from their homes have camera and lighting and sound people there to allow them to pull it off. And yet they sit there and tell us that we should be wearing masks. Hypocrites!! Of course, the cameramen and lighting people, etc. would lose their jobs too.

Finally, why should Walmart be allowed to pack people into their stores like sardines while the local “mom and pop” clothing store or bookstore or nail salon, who would be lucky to have 10 people at a time in their stores, have to shut down? I’m not against Walmart (I live in Arkansas), I’m just against hypocrisy. I would classify Walmart’s provision of food as essential, but they should not be selling clothes, electronics, hardware, etc. if any state is banning any small business from doing the same. The stores would be open for the real essentials, but Walmart would have to lay off millions of people who stock and manage those “nonessential” categories. Add in Target, Sam’s, Costco, (you name the retailer) and that would put a lot of skin in the game.

Finally, we have to stop giving people a raise for not working. In the short-term I was OK with beefing up the unemployment pay for those people who were going to be forced out of work, but once we open up the economy we have to eliminate this perverse incentive not to work. That program, which is part of the CARES act, can actually pay people more on unemployment than they were making at work. It ends in June and it should not be extended. It will not be needed. There will be plenty of jobs openings.

What do you think would happen to the number of people who want to extend the lockdown once all of these people were added to the unemployment lines? Lightbulbs would be going on all over America and that number would plummet. It’s amazing how attitudes change once people actually have “skin in the game!”