For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.
As it is written: “He (God/The Lord) catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV
Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Men of low degree [in the social scale] are emptiness (futility, a breath) and men of high degree [in the same scale] are a lie and a delusion. In the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.
Trust not in and rely confidently not on extortion and oppression, and do not vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. Psalm 62:8-10
So what did this platform say about economic socialism?
A Fair Deal for Workers:
Good Incomes:
There can be no national prosperity unless our working men and women continue to prosper and enjoy rising living standards. The rising productivity of American workers is a key to our unparalleled industrial progress. Good incomes for our workers are the secret of our great and growing consumer markets.
Labor-Management Relations:
Good labor-management relations are essential to good incomes for wage earners and rising output from our factories. We believe that to the widest possible extent consistent with the public interest, management and labor should determine wage rates and conditions of employment through free collective bargaining.
Taft-Hartley Act:
We strongly advocate the repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act.
The Taft-Hartley Act has been proved to be inadequate, unworkable, and unfair. It interferes in an arbitrary manner with collective bargaining, tipping the scales in favor of management against labor.
The Taft-Hartley Act has revived the injunction as a weapon against labor in industrial relations. The Act has arbitrarily forbidden traditional hiring practices which are desired by both management and labor in many industries. The Act has forced workers to act as strikebreakers against their fellow unionists. The Act has served to interfere with one of the most fundamental rights of American workers—the right to organize in unions of their own choosing.
We deplore the fact that the Taft-Hartley Act provides an inadequate and unfair means of meeting with national emergency situations. We advocate legislation that will enable the President to deal fairly and effectively with cases where a breakdown in collective bargaining seriously threatens the national safety or welfare.
In keeping with the progress of the times, and based on past experiences, a new legislative approach toward the entire labor management problem should be explored.
Fair Labor Standards:
We pledge to continue our efforts so that government programs designed to establish improved fair labor standards shall prove a means of assuring minimum wages, hours and protection to workers, consistent with present-day progress.
Equal Pay for Equal Work:
We believe in equal pay for equal work, regardless of sex, and we urge legislation to make that principle effective.
The Physically-Handicapped:
We promise to further the program to afford employment opportunities both in government and in private industry for physically handicapped persons.
Migratory Workers:
We advocate prompt improvement of employment conditions of migratory workers and increased protection of their safety and health.
Strengthening Free Enterprise:
The free enterprise system has flourished and prospered in America during these last twenty years as never before. This has been made possible by the purchasing power of all our people and we are determined that the broad base of our prosperity shall be maintained.
Small and Independent Business:
Small and independent business is the backbone of American free enterprise. Upon its health depends the growth of the economic system whose competitive spirit has built this Nation's industrial strength and provided its workers and consumers with an incomparably high standard of living.
Independent business is the best offset to monopoly practice The Government's role is to insure that independent business receives equally fair treatment with its competitors.
Congress has established the permanent Small Business Committee of the Senate and the Special Small Business Committee of the House, which have continued to render great service to this important segment of our economy. We favor continuance of both these committees with all the powers to investigate and report conditions, correct discriminations, and propose needed legislation.
We pledge ourselves to increased efforts to assure that small business be given equal opportunity to participate in Government contracts, and that a suitable proportion of the dollar volume of defense contracts be channeled into independent small business. The Small Defense Plants Administration, which our Party caused to be established, should retain its independent status and be made a continuing agency, equipped with sufficient lending powers to assist qualified small business in securing defense contracts.
We urge the enactment of such laws as will provide favorable incentives to the establishment and survival of independent businesses, especially in the provision of tax incentives and access to equity or risk capital.
Enforcement of Anti-Trust Laws:
Free competitive enterprise must remain free and competitive if the productive forces of this Nation are to remain strong. We are alarmed over the increasing concentration of economic power in the hands of a few.
We reaffirm our belief in the necessity of vigorous enforcement of the laws against trusts, combinations, and restraints of trade, which laws are vital to the safeguarding of the public interest and of small competitive business men against predatory monopolies. We will seek adequate appropriations for the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission for vigorous investigation and for enforcement of the anti-trust laws. We support the right of all persons to work together in cooperatives and other democratic associations for the purpose of carrying out any proper business operations free from any arbitrary and discriminatory restrictions.
Protection of Investors and Consumers:
We must avoid unnecessary business controls. But we cannot close our eyes to the special problems which require Government surveillance. The Government must continue its efforts to stop unfair selling practices which deceive investors, and unfair trade practices which deceive consumers.
So what did this platform say about socialism?
Labor:
The Republican Party believes that regular and adequate income for the employee together with uninterrupted production of goods and services, through the medium of private enterprise, are essential to a sound national economy. This can only be obtained in an era of industrial peace.
With the above in mind, we favor the retention of the Taft-Hartley Act, which guarantees:
To the Working Man:
The right to quit his job at any time.
The right to take part in legal union activities.
The right to remain in his union so long as he pays his dues.
The right to protection against unfair practices by either employer or union officials.
The right to political activity of his own choice and freedom to contribute thereto.
The right to a job without first joining a union. Does that mean: you must pay for costs of gaining you a fair wage by a union; no free loading on the backs of others?
The right to a secret ballot in any election concerned with his livelihood.
The right to protection from personal financial responsibility in damage cases against his union.
To the Labor Unions:
The right to establish "union shop" contracts by agreement with management.
The right to strike.
The right to free collective bargaining.
The right to protection from rival unions during the life of union contracts.
The right to assurance from employers that they will bargain only with certified unions as a protection against unfair labor practices.
We urge the adoption of such amendments to the Taft-Hartley Act as time and experience show to be desirable, and which further protect the rights of labor, management and the public.
Our Questions and Concerns:
Why has none of this happened in 63 years? in many instances things have gotten much worse. If the minimum wage were adjusted for inflation it would be over $12.80 an hour in most states and much closer to $20 an hour in others.
Why is there not a living wage law? A living wage in most states would be $25 an hour for a family of 2 people.
Why do wage laws need to be voted on to be increased? Why do they not automatically adjust for inflation yearly?
Why has Taft-Hartley not been repealed?
Why have anti-trust laws not been enforced for over 33 years?
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