The Cure Is The Disease. But, Is It Socialism?
Although our memory of 2008's election marathon will fade, destructive economic decisions the candidates made will not.
To cure our financial ills, President Bush and both major presidential candidates championed the multibillion dollar bail out blunder—a quasi socialistic agenda designed to increase government control and/or ownership of private institutions. Newspaper pundits and TV chatter boxes continue to defend the bailouts and public works share-the-wealth ideas of President Obama, claiming such ideas are not socialistic. And of course they are.
The cure is the disease. We are borrowing money to bailout a problem caused by too much borrowing—debt. It is not only a financial problem it is a moral problem. The socialistic restructure promoted is based on envy. It arouses the looting mentality in the best of people: "If we don’t get the funds someone else will."
The stampede to get bailout funds is bad enough. Lusting after government succor and security, however, can turn into far worse than a stagnant welfare state.
"Whatever moral qualms Germans may have felt toward Nazi policies were swept away by waves of government handouts, tax breaks, and preferential legislation."
_______ Gotz Aly, Hitler’s Beneficiaries
Government control and/or ownership of production and distribution in Nazi Germany was called National Socialism, in Marxist Russia it was called Communism. Socialism has many names, from the self-inflicted suffering socialistic African Nations to the despotic socialistic regimes of South and Central America. Regardless of name and manner, the same results: bigger government, economic failure, less individual freedom.
The bail outs and numerous "comfort without effort, reward without risk" programs President Obama and our congressional leaders’ advocate are based on benefitting national political party interests to the detriment of individual consumer and producer. A giant step away from the market-oriented system—competitive capitalism—that made America prosperous and powerful. In its place, evermore subsidies and regulation, resulting in evermore government cost and control.
Wealth does not flow from government. Government devours wealth. The bigger the government the bigger the appetite.
"The effect of Welfarism on freedom will be felt later on—after its beneficiaries have become its victims." _______ Senator Barry Goldwater, The Conscience of a Conservative
Yes, socialism is more than sharing the wealth. Communism, National Socialism, or the secular welfare state, regardless the name and degree all are socialistic. All aspire to more than sharing wealth. All seek total public (government) ownership of production and public (government) distribution of such production. All look to government as the only answer. All seek to build a secular socialistic man-made utopia in their own image. All result in bigger centralized government control and planning. All result in varying degrees of totalitarianism. All seek to replace any sense of God with moral relativism. All seek to replace church and family with the dehumanizing state. All are enemies of Judeo-Christian thought and values.
Is that the direction we are being taken? Is this what we voted for? We cannot judge the hearts of our elected leaders. We can judge what they say and do. We are to use a right judgment in all things. Too many Americans, however, are unable to recognize lack of substance. Too many show inability or unwillingness to discern between right and wrong.
The result, voters elect leaders who seek a secular state: Where—with the promise to take care of all—a paternal dehumanizing state replaces church and family. Where Judeo-Christian thought and values are replaced with a national moral carte blanche, "If it feels good do it." A state where those who speak out or preach from the pulpit against the day’s popular immoralities will be charged with discrimination and hate crimes. A state where neo fascist mobocracy takes to the streets to terrorize dissenting voices.
"Real fascists know how to deal with dissent. They are not overburdened by an insipid bourgeois conscience. If someone gets in the way, they step on him like an insect. The fact that our society is dominated by a self-indulgent protest class is proof that oppression from the Right died a long time ago. On the other hand, oppression from the Left is just coming into its own." ______ Rev. Canon J. Gary L'Hommedieu
There is good news. I know, for many of us, things may not look great at the moment. But, there is good news. As citizens we do need to speak up and speak out and be politically active. We do not need, however, to put our faith in voters, elections, political parties or their candidates. Therein lives the "Good News." We may agree or disagree with their personal life styles or political decisions, nonetheless, we are to pray for those who administer our public institutions, those who govern our cities, states, and nation. Hard choices will need to be made. Pray our leaders seek God’s guidance, wisdom, and learn to put their trust in Him.
Ours is a great country. Our prayers can keep it that way.
Be Informed Be Involved _________ Michael E. Odell
There are many areas of involvement available. First, become informed. Then, what can you do? Go to Blog Archive at upper right, click on May-11-08, "But What Can I Do?"
Although our memory of 2008's election marathon will fade, destructive economic decisions the candidates made will not.
To cure our financial ills, President Bush and both major presidential candidates championed the multibillion dollar bail out blunder—a quasi socialistic agenda designed to increase government control and/or ownership of private institutions. Newspaper pundits and TV chatter boxes continue to defend the bailouts and public works share-the-wealth ideas of President Obama, claiming such ideas are not socialistic. And of course they are.
The cure is the disease. We are borrowing money to bailout a problem caused by too much borrowing—debt. It is not only a financial problem it is a moral problem. The socialistic restructure promoted is based on envy. It arouses the looting mentality in the best of people: "If we don’t get the funds someone else will."
The stampede to get bailout funds is bad enough. Lusting after government succor and security, however, can turn into far worse than a stagnant welfare state.
"Whatever moral qualms Germans may have felt toward Nazi policies were swept away by waves of government handouts, tax breaks, and preferential legislation."
_______ Gotz Aly, Hitler’s Beneficiaries
Government control and/or ownership of production and distribution in Nazi Germany was called National Socialism, in Marxist Russia it was called Communism. Socialism has many names, from the self-inflicted suffering socialistic African Nations to the despotic socialistic regimes of South and Central America. Regardless of name and manner, the same results: bigger government, economic failure, less individual freedom.
The bail outs and numerous "comfort without effort, reward without risk" programs President Obama and our congressional leaders’ advocate are based on benefitting national political party interests to the detriment of individual consumer and producer. A giant step away from the market-oriented system—competitive capitalism—that made America prosperous and powerful. In its place, evermore subsidies and regulation, resulting in evermore government cost and control.
Wealth does not flow from government. Government devours wealth. The bigger the government the bigger the appetite.
"The effect of Welfarism on freedom will be felt later on—after its beneficiaries have become its victims." _______ Senator Barry Goldwater, The Conscience of a Conservative
Yes, socialism is more than sharing the wealth. Communism, National Socialism, or the secular welfare state, regardless the name and degree all are socialistic. All aspire to more than sharing wealth. All seek total public (government) ownership of production and public (government) distribution of such production. All look to government as the only answer. All seek to build a secular socialistic man-made utopia in their own image. All result in bigger centralized government control and planning. All result in varying degrees of totalitarianism. All seek to replace any sense of God with moral relativism. All seek to replace church and family with the dehumanizing state. All are enemies of Judeo-Christian thought and values.
Is that the direction we are being taken? Is this what we voted for? We cannot judge the hearts of our elected leaders. We can judge what they say and do. We are to use a right judgment in all things. Too many Americans, however, are unable to recognize lack of substance. Too many show inability or unwillingness to discern between right and wrong.
The result, voters elect leaders who seek a secular state: Where—with the promise to take care of all—a paternal dehumanizing state replaces church and family. Where Judeo-Christian thought and values are replaced with a national moral carte blanche, "If it feels good do it." A state where those who speak out or preach from the pulpit against the day’s popular immoralities will be charged with discrimination and hate crimes. A state where neo fascist mobocracy takes to the streets to terrorize dissenting voices.
"Real fascists know how to deal with dissent. They are not overburdened by an insipid bourgeois conscience. If someone gets in the way, they step on him like an insect. The fact that our society is dominated by a self-indulgent protest class is proof that oppression from the Right died a long time ago. On the other hand, oppression from the Left is just coming into its own." ______ Rev. Canon J. Gary L'Hommedieu
There is good news. I know, for many of us, things may not look great at the moment. But, there is good news. As citizens we do need to speak up and speak out and be politically active. We do not need, however, to put our faith in voters, elections, political parties or their candidates. Therein lives the "Good News." We may agree or disagree with their personal life styles or political decisions, nonetheless, we are to pray for those who administer our public institutions, those who govern our cities, states, and nation. Hard choices will need to be made. Pray our leaders seek God’s guidance, wisdom, and learn to put their trust in Him.
Ours is a great country. Our prayers can keep it that way.
Be Informed Be Involved _________ Michael E. Odell
There are many areas of involvement available. First, become informed. Then, what can you do? Go to Blog Archive at upper right, click on May-11-08, "But What Can I Do?"
Your thoughts and comments are welcome, well most of the time.
E-Mail: MichaelOdell@Lycos.com
