LOTD: BUT, OF COURSE
Haven’t done one of these in a while. The blithe “of course” at the end is a bit jarring. I disagree, of course. 🙂 Socialism, communism, capitalism are economic systems. Neither evil nor virtuous. And to just assume, without presenting a single bit of evidence, that any system but laissez-faire capitalism is “evil” is just facile. But this is what passes for discourse around here.
Where you get help defines socialism
“Maybe we should all take care of each other . does that make me a socialist?” The political cartoon in the July 7 Observer depicts an anti-socialist, anti-health plan person. When he hits hard times, he begins to change his mind about President Obama’s health plan and about socialism in general. I think the cartoonist agrees.
But all of us taking care of each other is not socialism. Having the government do it for us is socialism. And, of course, socialism is evil.
Kenneth N. Haynes
Vass
9 Responses to “LOTD: BUT, OF COURSE”
Comment by Ruben July 20th, 2009 at 3:56 pm |
Have the government do it for us??? The government can only do it by forcefully taxing the American tax payer to pay for it. If I voluntarily give my money to help a friend then I choose to help that person out. But the government forcing me to pay taxes under threat of incarceration to help someone out is a completely different story! |
Comment by JJ Ross July 20th, 2009 at 6:12 pm |
We ARE the government, Ruben. No forcing — it’s called freedom and self-governance in a representative democratic republic. But it also provides that you are free to go throw your lot in with some other “we” if you can find one you think is even freer and more like the Wild West. |
Comment by dcobranchi July 20th, 2009 at 7:05 pm |
I think Ruben has left the building. Perhaps calling a newbie commenter an “idiot” on their first day is not the greatest way to build traffic. But I have a strict one stupid comment/day rule. 🙂 |
Comment by Ruben July 22nd, 2009 at 4:36 pm |
Funny thing. WE stopped being the goverment a long time ago! I think the senators and congressmen need to have a two term limits imposed. How is it our president is limited to two terms but a senator can be in there for 40 years. Absolute power corrupts absolutely! All I’m trying to get at is that FDR set us on this great path were he told the people with his “Second Bill Of Rights”, don’t worry folks the government will take care of you. Ever since then the federal government has made more and more people dependent on the government instead of forcing people to depend on themselves. How you hold someone personally responsible if you’ve catered to them their entire life? I’m hispanic and was raised in government apartments my entire life by a single mother. Today I own my own consulting business and make a six figure income. I did all this without government help and with a lot of hard work. People can succeed in this country if they would get of their butts and put forth some effort. Government handouts at the expense of tax payers is not the answer. |
Comment by dcobranchi July 22nd, 2009 at 4:50 pm |
I’m hispanic and was raised in government apartments my entire life by a single mother. Today I own my own consulting business and make a six figure income. I did all this without government help and with a lot of hard work. Really? Do you think you’d have everything you do if you had been forced to sleep on the streets? And I assume that you went to school. Did you or your mother pay for your eduction from kindergarten through university? Or did the government? And did you go to a private university that accepted no federal student aid? Did you take out an SBA loan when you were getting started? |
Comment by Ruben July 22nd, 2009 at 5:06 pm |
Really? Do you think you’d have everything you do if you had been forced to sleep on the streets? No. but have you ever seen Pursuit of Happyness? Based on a true story. And I assume that you went to school. Did you or your mother pay for your eduction from kindergarten through university? Never went to College. Mother let me borrow money for trade school which I paid back in full. Or did the government? And did you go to a private university that accepted no federal student aid? Did you take out an SBA loan when you were getting started? No, no and no. I worked a full time job while building my business. I worked on average 80 hours per week when I was first getting started… |
Comment by dcobranchi July 22nd, 2009 at 5:21 pm |
How ’bout K-12? I’m betting public school. |
Comment by Ruben July 22nd, 2009 at 6:01 pm |
Private catholic school K – 6th, junior high and highschool were public… You got me! |
Comment by JJ Ross July 22nd, 2009 at 8:56 pm |
Ruben, the thing is that “WE” are just as much government as we are “small business” or “farmers” or “factory workers” or whatever. Not just the elected decision-makers either. Take public schoolteachers, for example (my field was education) and the roadbuilders, environmental experts, police-fighefighters, the military, the justice department, etc etc. In my state capital city with two universities, we really are government! Daryl and I were talking about the new Pew poll about Americans and science just this afternoon. Did you realize that “we” like science and recognize it’s important, and that scientists recognize government is its primary support? |