Socialists Say the Darnedest Things

A June 17th story in the Wall Street Journal reveals, through an interview with Obama, some of his economic policies should he be elected president.  Read the following excerpts, pause and think about what he is saying, and then finish reading this post.

Sen. Barack Obama shed new light on his economic plans for the country, saying he would rely on a heavy dose of government spending to spur growth, use the tax code to narrow the widening gap between winners and losers in the U.S. economy, and possibly back a reduction in corporate tax rates.

...the U.S. becoming what he called a "winner-take-all" economy, where the gains from economic growth skew heavily toward the wealthy.

Sen. Obama cited new economic forces to explain what appears like a return to an older-style big-government Democratic platform skeptical of market forces. "Globalization and technology and automation all weaken the position of workers," he said, and a strong government hand is needed to assure that wealth is distributed more equitably. He spoke aboard his campaign bus, where a big-screen TV was tuned to the final holes of the U.S. Open golf tournament.  (Source:  The Wall Street Journal)

What Obama is saying here is that the free market system cannot be trusted to be fair to everyone, therefore the government must intervene to make sure that companies do not perform too strongly or too poorly.  This will be done through the redistribution of wealth from taxing companies which are performing "too well" and giving tax breaks, subsidies, and/or bailouts to companies that aren't performing "well enough."  This, my friends, is another technique right out of the Marxist Socialist play book.

For a fuller definition of socialism, here is the wikipedia entry.  Let me give it to you in layman's terms.

Three men live in a neighborhood.  Bob is a college graduate working for a successful marketing firm.  He has a nice home, two cars that he and his wife use to commute to work.  They also own a sports car that they take out joyriding on the weekends.

James lives a few streets over.  He dropped out of high school and, for most of his twenties and thirties, has bounced around from one job to another, never staying more than a year or two at each job.  He has finally decided to be "self-employed," and spends his time making popsicle-stick birdhouses to sell at the local flea market.  He recently had his only vehicle repossessed, which means he is now unable to transport his inventory to the flea market.

Karl also lives in the neighborhood.  He does pretty well for himself, though his standard of living isn't quite has high as Bob's.  He recently saw James walking down the street, picked him up, and gave him a ride home.  During the ride, James shared the story of his plight with Karl.  After dropping James off, he headed toward his own home and saw Bob and his family out in the front yard washing their three vehicles.  A surge of benevolence mixed with indignation rose up within him as he thought to himself, "Look at that.  The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.  Why should Bob have three cars while James doesn't even have one vehicle to use for selling his birdhouses?"  Karl comes up with a plan.

Night fell, and at around 11:00 Karl called his friend Earl, who owns a towing service.  They met at Bob's house.  Quietly, while Bob and his family slept, Karl and Earl broke into the garage, found one of the vehicles to have the keys in the ignition, hitched it to the truck, and towed it to James' house.

Karl returned home, pulled into his own garage next to his second car, and slept soundly and peacefully, feeling good in his heart for taking care of those in need. 

You may not realize it, but this is happening to you just as it happened to Bob, every time you get a paycheck from which up to 40% has been taken.  Yes, some of your tax money is rightfully used for defense and infrastructure, but some of what is taken from you is being given to people who will not work, to starving artists, and for special projects in cities far removed from you and your life.  Obama now wants to expand this philosophy of wealth distribution to the industrial and commercial sector to "level the playing field."

How very interesting that while formerly socialist countries around the world are running from it toward capitalism, we are abandoning the market system that made us the most powerful and wealthiest nation on earth for that which the rest of the world understands to be a failed system ending in poverty and oppression.

Comments

[Ann]

Nice paraphrase of socialism. It (socialism) sounds good in theory until you realize that it doesn't account for the consequences of personal choice and freedom. In order to make it (socialism) work effectively, people would not be allowed to have personal choice and freedom from which to suffer or benefit.

[Sandra Fischetti]

Thank you for a very informative article. I am glad that I now have gained a different perspective on Obama's Plans.

[the fearless blog]

This is an excellent post. Clear and accurate. So, why is it so many Americans just don't see it? Why are so many blinded in ignorance? I know why. We can thank the media, the liberal media. And still so many of my fellow bloggers argue and tell me that it's the right that controls the airways, that it's the right, the conservatives who pollute the minds of the people. I just don't understand how a country founded by immigrants from all over the world, who fled persecution, communism, socialism, poverty and abuse can still condemn capitalism and democracy.

As a college professor, I see it all around me, students who have no idea what they are voting for or why. We have created a population that lacks knowledge of history, politics, economics and may times just common sense. My goal has never been to indoctrinate, but I do struggle to build strong individuals with critical thinking skills. I want my students to question, investigate and research. I want them to choose whatever they want but have a clear understanding of the why.

I enjoy your blog very much and hope to return.