A Conservative Viewpoint - Steady March Toward Socialism

Article by Bob Steinburg
- Edenton, North Carolina: Cradle of the Colony

There’s evidence that America’s love affair with capitalism, an economic philosophy that has fostered more individual wealth, freedom and opportunity than any other in the history of the world is beginning to dwindle. America has been creeping toward socialism at least since 1933 when President Franklin Roosevelt ushered in his New Deal in hopes of helping America escape the Great Depression.

Supporters of Roosevelt’s program credit it with restoring the American economy. While it brought some immediate relief to millions of suffering souls, it did not restore economic prosperity to the masses; our entry into World War II did.

When FDR became president, unemployment was 24 percent. By 1938, five years into his “recovery program” unemployment was still 19 percent and 15 percent by 1940. In 1943, in the midst of the war, unemployment fell to less than two percent.

Critics argue that the reason the New Deal didn’t significantly reduce unemployment was because Roosevelt tripled personal and corporate income taxes. This resulted in less capital for individual spending and corporate expansion- both job creators.

In spite of lessons learned, progressive Democrats and liberals continue to deride capitalism. Many reject it in spite of its rewarding hard work, honesty, self-sufficiency and personal responsibility. Its emphasis for producing wealth is on private ownership. Capitalism provides the greatest opportunity for individuals to break out of poverty and government dependence, to find prosperity and independence.

Conversely, socialism is defined as a Marxist theory that transitions somewhere between capitalism and communism. Examples of current socialist states are Venezuela, China, Cuba, Vietnam and Sweden. Socialism emphasizes government ownership; government controls the means of production and the distribution of goods. It advocates a redistribution of wealth. Socialism de-emphasizes individualism, personal freedoms and, at its apex, property ownership.

Results from an April Rasmussen poll show support for socialism in the U. S. at 20 percent while 53 percent prefer capitalism. Perhaps of more concern to conservatives should be the 66 percent of those under 30 who are questioning the merits of a free-market system.

Democrats continue to craft a financially dependent welfare state. There’s little incentive to ever become self-supporting. Most social programs have little market accountability and oversight, and thus continue down the road toward insolvency.

Another contributing factor to individuals seeming willingness to accept mediocrity and failure comes at the hands of the very system that should be helping them to succeed-education. Minorities trapped in failing inner city schools overwhelmingly support school choice. Yet Democrats, beholden to the ultra-liberal National Education Association, support giving these parents only one school option-the very failing schools they’re trying to escape. Why? One reason may be that many of our public schools and universities are controlled by left- leaning authorities who also organize the curriculum and often foster anti-parent, anti-religion and anti-American values.

Democrats also endorse granting unconditional amnesty to more than 12 million illegal aliens. Those individuals will then become eligible for federal and state benefits, including welfare, food stamps, social security and housing assistance. The Heritage Foundation estimates that amnesty will cost U. S. taxpayers another $2.6 trillion.

Christopher Horner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute recently wrote in the Weekly Standard that the government’s proposed cap-and-trade or carbon tax legislation, would punish industry’s use of gas and oil products (which Al Gore states will warm the planet by one degree over the next 100 years) by allowing the federal government to “control every aspect of our economy.”

Dr. David Noebel, recently penned a column that appeared in the Christian Worldview, “Shared Misery: The Socialization of America.” Noebel writes that, “most Americans are totally unaware that the U. S. House of Representatives crawls with a large, well-organized assembly of socialist organizations that are dedicated to (a) bringing about the destruction of the capitalist economic system (portrayed as greedy, conservative, religious, and/or filthy rich) and (b) slowly but surely bringing production, education, food and health care under the complete control of the federal government.” According to Noebel, these groups include the Progressive Democrats of America, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus.

In spite of government’s inability to ever run anything efficiently, they’ve decided to inject their “expertise” into the automobile and banking industries. Now the Democrats want to take a whack at “reforming” health care. They also support eliminating the secret ballot in labor union voting. And Democratic Senators Harkin, Kerry, Durbin, Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would like to stifle the voice of conservative talk radio, by reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. When the folks get to hear only one side of any argument, they will blindly become sheep to their masters.

Last week, National Public Radio’s “Talk-Track,” featured a segment, “Is America becoming a socialist nation?” Radio personality Dianne Rehm asked former President Bill Clinton’s Secretary of the Treasury Robert Reich if he felt that socialist premise was true. Reich did not deny it, while incredulously adding that the socialistic steps government has taken so far is only “temporary” to keep the banking and automobile industries from collapsing. Anybody that knows one iota about Washington understands that once government has oversight or creates a new program, it’s likely to be anything but temporary.

Since moving south 32 years ago, many I’ve met tell me they’re Democrats because their Mama and Daddy were Democrats. But the Democratic Party today is not the party it was then; not by a long shot. Their ancestors must be rolling in their graves knowing that the party they loved and supported is well on its way to becoming the new National Socialist Party of America.

The FDR myth seems immutable. The reality that no previous recession ever lasted more than three years means nothing to the deluded dreamers who insist FDR did not prolong the recession, dragging it out for more than a decade, and that he did not create a more severe depression by crushing America with huge debt. How could he be blamed? That was not what he wanted so he CANNOT be held accountable for the unintended consequences of his actions.

Even Russia is decrying the incredible speed with which we are abandoning free enterprise and adopting the most evil form of socialism (which contrary to Bob's opinion merely requires government control of a business, not ownership). With Pravda saying 'American decent into Marxism is happening with breathtaking speed'... you know that the American people should be frightened. Read the whole article here. Bob is not alone in his concerns for our country. The whole world seeks freedom and has depended on America to lead the way. Instead Obama seems intent on throwing away our freedom because his voters are too stupid to appreciate the consequences.