By Nancy Thorner and Bonnie O'Neil -
The definition of the word “conundrum” is "something that is puzzling or confusing."
The following are six conundrums attached to Socialism in America today:
- America is capitalist and greedy – yet half of the population is subsidized
- Half of the population is subsidized – yet they consider themselves victims.
- They think they are victims – yet their representatives run the government.
- Their representatives run the government – yet the poor keep getting poorer.
- The poor keep getting poorer – yet they have things that people in other countries only dream about.
- They have things that people in other countries only dream about – yet they want America to be more like those other countries.
As we witness thousands of Americans attending Bernie Sanders rallies, knowing Sanders identifies himself as a Socialist and promises to govern from that position, it is time for all of us to understand the significance of that and consider what is happening to our Country.
It was after Sander's Super Tuesday victories on March 1st in Colorado, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Vermont, that he declared the following: "The Revolution has begun.” Sanders enthusiastically shouted. "We are going to take our fight for economic justice, for social justice, for environmental sanity, for a world of peace to all 50 states. It’s going all the way to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and beyond."
Certainly, it is important to always look for ways to improve government, but a drastic reversal, such as that which Sanders promotes, is exceedingly dangerous. Why would anyone want to significantly change our form of government, which has proven to be highly successful, and instead embrace a system proven to have failed throughout history?
This often quoted statement answers part of that question:
“Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.”
Might it be that many Americans neither know about nor remember the history of once successful countries that turned to socialism and ultimately failed, largely due to a financial collapse caused by an ineffective, often corrupt government? Consider Greece, Argentina, Cuba, and Russia; just a few examples of countries that were once prosper but after changing to Socialism/Communism became places people might want to visit but definitely not stay.
Socialism is the “Big Lie" of the twentieth century. While it promised prosperity, equality, and security, it delivered poverty, misery, and tyranny. Those who have studied the issue believe Socialism fails because it kills our human spirit, as there is no passion to succeed. It is a system most often favored by those with little self-confidence who prefer a safety net over personal freedom. Equality in a Socialist/Communist country is appreciated only in the sense that everyone is equally miserable. In the same way that a Ponzi scheme or chain letter initially succeeds but eventually collapses, Socialism may show early signs of success. But any accomplishments quickly fade as the fundamental deficiencies of central planning emerge. It is the initial illusion of success that gives government intervention its pernicious, seductive appeal. In the long run, Socialism has always proven to be a formula for tyranny and ultimate misery.
Perhaps that is best proven by the wall that separated East and West Germany after WWII. The wall wasn’t just to separate Germany into two separate countries and two very different governments, it was built to keep those unlucky enough to end up in Communist East Germany from escaping to the West, where the government allowed freedoms and consequently the people prospered.
In assessing the situation, Bernie Sanders is not the problem, he is just the symptom, a warning, the product of a movement that has been festering for some time in our country. The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) was a Moscow-controlled Marxist-Leninist party in the United States. It nominated a candidate for president from 1924 through 1984, sometimes with funding from the communist Soviet Union. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Party lost any momentum they might have had and became a hollow shell. Thus, the supporters began to urge voters to support the Democrat Party. Bernie's grass-roots supporters are fired up because they see the nature of his campaign as an occasion for launching another progressive movement under a different. more acceptable political banner. Sanders is simply spewing some old socialist ideas from the past, which most Americans have wisely, repeatedly rejected.
George Soros, an avowed Communist, a billionaire, and a U.S. citizen continues to generously fund far-left organizations such as MoveOn.org and ACORN, as well as make huge donations to Democrat candidates. This video, in which Soros is interviewed, tells of the progressive organizations and politicians on the Left he calls friends. A noted surprise and exception is that George Soros gave $588,375 to John Kasich's presidential campaign.
Certainly, a nation as large as America will always have dissidents. However, rather than move to a country that aligns more with their specific beliefs, they seek to change America. They don’t want to simply improve our government; these people want to completely change the principles upon which this nation was founded and which have proven successful. Since Obama is now opening a friendship with Cuba, those who disagree with our Constitution, government, and way of life can emigrate there. However, they do not, because they know Cuba has not prospered as once promised. The Cuban government may provide food, education, health care, and jobs, but the quality of each is not equal to ours. It also keeps its people from owning guns, sets wages to prevent anyone from becoming wealthy, suppresses public religious expressions and forbids speech which does not align with Cuba’s dictator, Castro.
Of great concern is the large number of Americans who have aligned with the socialist rhetoric that is evident in the campaigns of both Sanders and Clinton. Clinton is just more covert in her discussions on the subject. Current polls indicate the majority of Americans still have a higher opinion of Capitalism than Socialism. However, the Reason.com/poll indicated that while 55% favored capitalism, a surprising 36% had a favorable opinion of socialism. Really? What has led to 1/3 of American citizens having a positive view of socialism? Do they understand what a socialist society would entail? Are they aware of history? Is there a growing number of Americans more willing to accept welfare than find work? Whatever caused 36% of American citizens to think Socialism is superior to the one our forefathers gave us and which propelled the United States into being the greatest nation in the World?
Part 2 will focus on the causes of this creeping cancer that the progressive Left is promoting. It will offer ways and means to stop what threatens to destroy America.
