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Dear readers: The following are short answers to some frequently asked questions.

Socialism vs. capitalism in the U.S.

Many politicians are taking 鈥淪anta Claus鈥� classes at night school, resulting in a growing molehill of congresspeople who are slowly morphing into socialists with proposals for free education, free health care and a universal basic monthly income. And a buzzing hive of congresspeople are proposing to eliminate student debt for families earning less than $100,000. Good arguments can be made for and against these giveaways, but I鈥檒l not be drawn into them.

And many politicians, persuasive enough to get the devil to sing in a Baptist choir, can, in 10 minutes, convince you socialism 鈥� government control of income, production, banking and distribution 鈥� can effortlessly solve most of the problems created by capitalism. Nor will I be drawn into this debate.

However, be mindful that while we can vote our way into socialism, we鈥檇 probably have to shoot our way out. If that鈥檚 what the majority of Americans want, then I must accept it or move to Iceland, which has been a real constitutional republic since 1944. Frankly, there are millions of Americans who would be happy as hogs on ice living and working under socialism.

鈥淧oetry, Ponderings, Musings鈥�

Thanks, dear readers, for your enthusiastic response to my book. But please understand I make only $2.06 for each book purchased on Amazon. During the past three weeks I鈥檝e personally autographed and returned 87 of those books, and it cost me $348 in postage plus $0.75 per envelope. So, beginning May 21 (one month before the summer solstice), I won鈥檛 return a book unless it includes a stamped, self-addressed envelope. And that also includes the weekly letters I receive without return postage or an email address.

Speaking engagements

Almost twice a month for 30 years I鈥檝e flown from coast to coast speaking to audiences in cities where this column is published. I even bought a small Cessna for 300-plus-mile hops. My subjects were identical to those in this column: the stock market, how to select stocks and stockbrokers, the evils of Wall Street, the banking industry and annuity pushers 鈥� 50 years of my stock market philosophy and humor. I鈥檓 cutting my speaking appearances from 18 a year to once a quarter because my wife threatened to join me on all public appearances exceeding four.

The right prescription for Rite Aid

Rite Aid (RAD-$9.62), with shares recently trading below a buck, received a notice of noncompliance from the New York Stock Exchange and effected a one-share-for-20 reverse split in March. So 32,000 shares bought at $0.77 last year for $24,600 are now 3,200 shares at $9.62, worth $30,800 and a $6,200 profit. But the gain may disappear, because new management told investors Rite Aid may earn between a penny and 4 cents a share this year. Fortunately, the CEO, the financial chief and the operating chief are leaving the company as part of a restructuring plan that also eliminates 400 full-time management positions.

Even after Walgreens purchased about 2,000 of Rite Aid鈥檚 stores in March 2018, Rite Aid remains the nation鈥檚 third largest drugstore with 2,500 units. If it鈥檚 not possible for the DNA of one company to be genetically inferior to the DNA of another, then I don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 wrong with Rite Aid, whose profitless years since 2005 greatly exceed its profitable years. An alternative reason for such pathetic results is that previous management was hired by the shorts to run Rite Aid into bankruptcy. However, this $22 billion revenue company has a $15.20 book value, and if Rite Aid declared bankruptcy, you鈥檇 have about a $6.20 gain per share 鈥� or over $24,000.

Some folks believe the best alternative for Rite Aid is a white knight, but that white knight might end up black and blue. Competitive headwinds are getting stiffer, recovery prospects are bleak, and Rite Aid is well behind its rivals in nearly every metric. But don鈥檛 sell yet; I need to talk to several more Rite Aid people.

Address your financial questions to Malcolm Berko, c/o The Daily Journal of Commerce, P.O. Box 8303, Largo, FL 33775, or email him at [email protected]. 漏 2019 Andrews McMeel Syndication