When Capitalists Turn Into Socialists

What? NEVER!

Um, yes. And it's not even so subtle. It being playing on both sides of the economic fence by some regular folks just like you and me. And it came to light in a recent conversation that started out political and then turned to sports.

It started out with a friend complaining about how the current presidential administration, as he put it, is trying to impose socialism on the country. He pointed out something the president said a couple of years ago (paraphrasing) that raising taxes on the rich would redistribute wealth. My friend scoffed at that nation, basically saying that it's "un-American". My friend then said he was distraught not only about what he felt was road to socialism the administration was taking the country on, but also that he likely wouldn't be able to watch NFL football this coming season because of the NFL ownership lockout.

And it was there that my staunchly capitalist friend turned into a socialist.

My friend is a staunch supporter of salary caps. Says he is because a salary cap makes the playing field more fair for the smaller market teams that can't compete with the big money, big market teams that can pay more for the elite talent. And that the players were nothing but greedy millionaires that were paid entirely too much for basically playing a game.

And it was there that I pressed him--like a good journalist does.

I asked him what was the difference between taxing the rich to give to the poor-er and a salary cap? I also asked him which was worse--a greedy millionaire (a player) or a greedy billionaire (an owner)? My friend really had no answers. A lot of deflections and diversions away from the questions, but no real answers. But then he pressed me for some answers, and I gave him some--and I'll give them to you to digest:

1) Yes, salary caps, in any form--whether it be from the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.. or the president--are socialist. They're designed to put an artificial drag on costs to attain **cost certainty**. That' simple Economics 101, my friends--creative accounting by the politically savvy notwithstanding. A salary cap--it be a professional athlete (NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.. ) or a Fortune 500 C.E.O. (as what was suggested by the president back in 2009), is by nature a means of redistributing wealth. Professional sports owners use salary caps also to not only contain costs, but also as a ribbon to do what they call "revenue sharing"-- big money owners share their wealth with the small-money/market owners to help create an economic balance. Uh, sounds like redistribution of wealth to me-- pretty much what the president suggested early in his term. The arch-conservatives cried out with "It's not the American way!", but when it comes to sports, many of those same arch conservatives--like my friend--become more than OK with glossing over the way of the stars and stripes. Why? Vested interest, pure and simple.

2) Yes, professional athletes are generally rich. But professional sports owners are **wealthy**. Players = millionairs, owners = multi-millionaire/billionaire. Neither needs all their money, but the owners need it less, yet they want more and more--and they put it on the backs of those that have less of it. Why do you think they get the public to finance the majority of their stadiums--and if they don't, ownership plays hardball and threatens to leave town? Why is it that owners won't (notice I didn't say **can't**) share revenue among themselves without the players' help? Put two and two together: ownership is basically saying, "Players--save us from ourselves!". Well, the players are saying, "That's your job. You made your kajillions away from sports on the open market without a salary cap--and we want the same conditions you had/have." Sounds fair to me.

3) "But I just want my football. The fans are the ones who lose." I agreed with him on that one, but in a way he wasn't ready for. I agree, the fans ARE losers--if they go back to supporting the NFL, buying team merchandise--and the like, as if the lockout never happened. Yes, NFL fan, you ARE a loser if you go back. Here's why: the owners know you'll come back because regardless of how much they take you and your loyalty for granted--because as my friend put it, "I just want my football". So they'll provide it. At a premium, and with no regard for you because you're going to come back no matter what. And there are millions in line who will do the same. Many who like to think of themselves as anti-socialist--until it comes to something they love and feel they can't do without. That's why owners (and players) get richer, and the fans perpetuate it. Vicious cycle, I know. But if the fans **really** want things to change, we have to take our share of the responsibility for that cycle.

Yes, my friend didn't like my answers. But he said he better understood how a capitalist could cross the line to socialism. And that's all that really mattered.