I'll try to make this quick and succinct as possible, but it is a thought or an epiphany I just had, so bear with me if it isn't too clear.
I listen to talk radio obviously and as of recent the tone of various talk show hosts, be they Rush Limbaugh, Jason Lewis, Mark Levine, and Michael Savage, etc., is one of frustration, almost defeatism or hopelessness. They see the likes of Nancy Pelosi do nothing short of lie to the face of the American people and blame high gas prices on the Republicans and Bush, while at the same time blocking any legislation that would lift the ban on drilling in ANWR or offshore, and worse still the American people believe her. They see the likes of Californian coo-koos passing legislation to ban fast food restaurants with goes against every bit of freedom and choice that is a founding principle of America. They see Bush sign the subprime slime deadbeat bank bailout which abandons any sense of responsibility. And probably the most depressing thing of all is Barack Obama, who literally stands for nothing, is most likely going to be our next (and first socialist) president.
And what I'd like to try to point out to them, and for those of you who are also frustrated with this, is that we seem to forget that this is ultimately a democracy. While we listen to talk radio, and we have empirical proof capitalism works, and we have history on our side and know, NOT "feel", but KNOW we are right, we have to understand that too high a percentage of Americans do not think this way. A critical mass (arguably the majority) of Americans no longer believe in freedom, self-reliance, capitalism, profit, manliness, competition, "nuclear" families, and everything else that is quintessentially American.
A perfect example happened right here in Minnesota. At one of our theme parks a group of teenage punks copped a feel of a 12 year old girl, which then sent her father into a rage, which then begat an unfair fight where these 8 punks then proceeded to beat him so severely he was sent to the hospital.
Now if it was 1945, people would have intervened and kicked the crap out of the 8 punks and given no thought to law suits or liability. But instead, people just sat there and watched and did nothing. Not because they didn't want to. Not because they didn't want to do the right thing. Not because they didn't want to do the American thing. But because a bunch of socialist lawyers have made it too risky to intervene and thus society, and Americanism, suffers.
Regardless, my whole point is that instead of banging our heads against the wall, and yelling pointlessly into the wind, we may have to admit that this is still a democracy for better or worse, and if the people want socialism, then the people will get socialism.
I like it no more than you. And I'm not saying that you still don't fight the good fight. But we have to realize that we can apply all the logic and empirical evidence we want to help support our case, but it will fall on deaf ears as socialism is not founded in reality. That's the only way socialism can work. That you convince enough sheeple they don't have to work to eat. They're poor not because they produce nothing, but because they are from disadvantaged group "x." Or some preppy Amercrombie and Fitch Harvard elitist fools people that he will bring them "hope and change" and everything will be chocolates and kittens thereafter.
People don't choose socialism because they think it will work, they choose it because they want it to work. And that, unfortunately my friends, is what the majority of what I will call "Pseudo-Americans" want today.
11 comments:
"But because a bunch of socialist lawyers have made it too risky to intervene and thus society, and Americanism, suffers."
That plus the fact that they have been told for years to not get involved but let the professionals work it out (i.e. call the government). Don't get me wrong; I'm all in favour of the police. In fact I'd be OK seeing my city taxes go UP if it meant more police. But having a police force doesn't mean individual citizens have no responsibilities.
Too many mouths at the table and not enough putting something on it. This is what happens when you don't let the natural order run it's course by letting the worthless parish. Our founding fathers are spinning in their graves over this socialist crap!!.
You're exactly correct. The principles of liberty no longer hold any sway among the masses. Even many of those who supposedly support liberty are always willing to sacrifice those principles for some collectivist ideal (e.g., party or religion).
The idea that certain things are off limits to the will of the group is so 18th century. We have a more modern ethic, now. Don't bore us with your "facts" or "logic" or "cause and effect". We know what we want and we'll vote for it in the fall. See how easy it is.
Not all of us socialists are anti-freedom. You are making a generalization. And the reason that individuals are afraid to act in situations like that father's is because imbiciles in positions of power are control freaks. I might also point out that the people you are referring to as socialists are not.
In conclusion, I have this final point. I think you have confused communism with socialism. You've mixed up Soviet Russia with Norway.
Right on capt! I have been struggling with what is wrong and you kind of "opened my mind". The real question is "how do we get our country back from the socialist (democrats & republicans)?
I have started a search for a new country. So far, have not found "Utopia". Any ideas?
Let's just HOPE that we have some CHANGE left in our pockets if Obama wins...
I am totally paranoid that the Government might listen into my phone calls... (Bush's wiretapping for Bush's War..)
HOWEVER - I beleive the Government should educate the children and provide everyone with Government Health Care.
Seems to me the later twp are far more dangerous to a free society..
I think there are pockets of this desire and I think they are in the cities. I live in a more rural area and it's still all about self-reliance, helping neighbors and family yourself, etc. I don't know ANYONE who desires socialism.
That being said, I don't think the American people have been told the truth since the media has gone communist. When they hear the truth, they inevitably reject Socialism.
My BIGGEST beef to rolling over and letting it happen is having to pay for a lot of stuff I will NEVER use or be eligible for.
My heart aches for these nitwits. My oldest son is 23 years old and working in Boston. He has a good brain in his head, but he swallows a lot of the crap that goes for wisdom today without questioning it.
I shouldn't be too hard on him, as I was pretty much a Libertarian/Anarchist when I was his age in the early 80's, before I was married and had a family.
I truly think that we have all gotten soft and fat as we enjoy laying in the sun, merely having to scratch on the back door for a bite to eat, a drink of water and a good belly rub.
I think that Mr. Reagan, certainly corrected some of the economic mess that he inherited, But Reagan was not the god that the current nitwits see as their next savior. I remember being disgusted with his supply side economics in 1980 and thought that G. H. W. Bush was the man. Boy was I wrong, Reagan had more sense in his little finger than all the Bushes, except maybe Barbara.
It is time for some hard lessons to be learned. I will be 50 this Pearl Harbor Day and if I have learned anything since I was a young naive twit, it is that "Experience is a hard teacher... she gives the test first, and the lesson second."
Anonymous @ 7:07AM
From personal experience, I believe you are correct. It seems that socialism is more at home in the large urban areas. If you look at a red *county* vs blue *county* map, the distinction seems pretty obvious. (Note, I'm implying that urban blue areas lean more socialist.)
Wikipedia even notes the differences in voting between suburban + rual reas vs. high density urban areas. The big question is why is there such a difference between them? What is it about living in a large city vs. small town that influences political leanings?
If anyone has any insight into this, I'd be very interested in seeing it.
Cappy, I would disagree on Barack Obama being the first socialist President, as FDR tried to give himself the same power over the U.S. economy as Hitler and Mussolini had over the German and Italian economies, with his National Industrial Recovery Act; it made it through both houses of Congress, but was shot down by the Supreme Court. Woodrow Wilson was also a socialist, IMO (or fascist, but socialism and fascism are just variants of each other essentially).
I'm not quite so down as the Captain.
We're working through a generation of young people who will have to learn about the negatives about socialism the hard way - because they weren't taught about it in school or at home. It is amazing how your perspective changes when you start having to pay taxes to support that socialist model.
It is most unfortunate that most, if not all young adults have no economic training in high school and college.
The best thing we can do as parents is to model fiscal responsibility, to live as capitalists and to explain the evils and ineffectiveness of socialism.
After that, we really need to work within our communities to ensure that our schools include objective economic education and personal finance education. I'd shoot for late junior high - high school is too late.
I don't know if you've heard the "Feed the Pig" radio spots which encourage saving. I applaud them.
What is really scary is that we're very close where a majority of residents of the United States pays zero taxes and a minority of residents is paying all of the taxes. Which mean the majority can legally steal the minority's assets.
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