Last night, Bernie Sanders spilled the beans by saying: “We are living, in many ways, in a socialist society right now.”
Now, to libertarians, this has been known for eons.
But many citizens who are Republicans and Democrats have been fed a steady diet of propaganda from the parties that they belong to.
Many who call themselves Democrats believe that we live in a “Capitalist” and “Free Market” country.
If only that were true…
On the other hand, many who call themselves Republicans believe that America “will never be a Socialist country.”
If only that were true…
America is not a purely Socialist country in the sense that the government owns all of the means of production. The Soviet Union (and the few Socialist countries that remain) have proved that it is impossible for the government to own the means of production and “run” society.
Without private property, market prices, and profits & losses, the government is throwing darts into a pitch black room. It has no idea, what should be made, who should make it, where it should be made, and in what quantities.
Fortunately, the idea that government should own all of the means of production is a dead issue worldwide. Society falls apart very quickly when such an idea is implemented.
But while America is not a purely Socialist country, it is bursting at the seams with Socialist policies. While a person like Bernie Sanders believes that America needs even more Socialist policies, those of us who advocate for liberty and peace believe that it is time to go in the opposite direction.
The prime reason is that Socialist policies revolve around the use of force.
Government forcefully takes from (A), gives it to (B) and keeps a fat commission for itself for making the transfer.
The U.S. is engorged with these immoral policies.
The role of government should not be to act as a mugger on anyone’s behalf, whether you’re rich or poor. Theft is theft. Government is not a magical loophole.
But many in America believe that government is a magical loophole. As a result, everyone wants to be on the take. If you’re not taking from someone else, you’re a fool because they’re taking from you.
Socialist policies really do create an environment of all against all.
Sanders says: “we have socialism for the very rich, rugged individualism for the poor.”
In total, that statement is false.
Yes, there is Socialism for the rich. The U.S. military empire is the biggest example. It vacuums up trillions and trillions of taxpayer dollars. There are bailouts for corporations that are in bed with the government too.
But Socialism in America doesn’t stop with the rich.
Social Security and Medicare are Socialism for the middle class. Government has made promises that it has no possible way of honoring. The U.S. has the largest welfare state in the world. About 50% of the country receives some kind of federal money.
For Sanders to say that there’s “rugged individualism for the poor,” is total nonsense. Rugged individualism has been virtually stamped out in America. Dependency, of every variety, has been embraced with both arms.
The problem is that the piper will have to be paid….and soon. The federal government, state governments, corporations and individuals are all in debt beyond belief! To think that debts can be racked up forever is incredibly naive. It has never been done, and never will be done.
Contrary to the ideas of Sanders, America does not need more Socialist policies. It needs to get rid of them….drastically!
But, as each year, and each decade passes, it appears that this will not be done voluntarily.
No one seems to have the political will to tell the truth. The other side of the coin is that it appears the American people don’t want to hear the truth.
That’s a bad combination. When politicians want to only lie, and the citizens want to only hear lies, you know you’ve gone down a very dark path.
So if Socialist policies are not abolished voluntarily, they will have to be abolished as a result of default.
A Great Default looks more and more likely to be somewhere on the horizon.
In the meantime, America can really use some rugged individualism again.
New ideas will have to accompany such a renaissance. The ideas of Liberty are perfect. And what better place than in America should the ideas of Liberty be revived!
No one has the right to use aggressive force against anyone else. All interactions between individuals should be voluntary and contractual. Government is meant to protect individual liberty, not be a mugger on behalf of (A), at the expense of (B).
The Soviet Union proved to the world that “total Socialism” cannot work.
The United States has proved to the world that “Socialist policies” cannot work either.
