Socialism in America

Tampa, FL -

                                   American Journey to Socialism

A recent Rasmussen poll found only 53% of Americans prefer capitalism to socialism. That’s disturbing but not surprising, since most Americans haven’t been educated as to the meaning of socialism. They also don’t understand the misery socialism has produced for millions of human beings.

Also not surprising (to some, not I) is that Americans under the age of 30 are much more open to the idea of socialism than are older Americans. The poll did not define the terms socialism and capitalism. Interestingly, it is noted that an earlier poll found that 70% of Americans prefer a free-market economy. So it would seem that generally Americans don’t understand the differences between socialism and capitalism. For those who are confused here are definitions of the two terms:

Capitalism: An economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth. The system we inherited also requires a minimum size government and low taxes.

Socialism: 1. Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned or controlled collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy. 2. The stage in Marxist-Leninist theory intermediate between capitalism and communism, in which collective ownership of the economy under the dictatorship of the proletariat has not yet been successfully achieved. It’s a slow process.

Socialism is a socioeconomic philosophy which has failed everywhere it has been tried, yet for decades has been slowly and steadily creeping into American society. Many contemporary Americans, including some prominent and high-level politicians, hold socialist views and continually press for the implementation of socialist principals and programs in the United States. Socialism is bad for America because it results in large, intrusive and controlling government that diminishes the role and value of individual citizens; it is largely based on "false compassion" that promotes victimhood and big government solutions; and it offers a false hope of utopian brotherhood and equality, resulting in the loss of freedom and the rise of governmental tyranny.

I suppose we will find out soon enough whether or not Americans really prefer socialism. All you have to do is read the definition and then watch the biased news to understand that socialism is exactly what we’re getting from the administration and congress. It would be nice if the traditional congressional leadership were a bit more adept at communicating something that should be as plain as day. Well, it’s not plain because members of the Congressional Caucus use the word "progressive" instead of "socialist."

Believe me, I have seen it. The problem with socialism is that, once you’re in it, it’s very difficult to reverse course. Too many people become dependent on the government and politicians with the audacity to be honest with the people, will be vilified by others who want to take away your benefits. We’ve been seeing that happen since the days of FDR and the New Deal and it’s only going to get worse.

I’m afraid that, unless we wake-up and become better informed, by the time Americans come to understand what it is they thought they preferred, it’s going to too late to do anything about it. We were told repeatedly in the campaign speeches of President Obama, that his aim is to transform this Country. I don’t think the average person had an inkling of just what that meant, before he was elected, nor now as it unfolds before our very eyes, I believe there is indeed a transformation to socialism.

In my view, the general population here in this great nation, seems so disinterested in understanding the kind of government upon which this country was founded; other Socialistic governments, the difference in the two, and how the seepage of the two major brands of Socialism, Communism and Fascism have so invaded this country, and so diluted Personal Freedom, and that the transformation has been taking place for quite sometime.

Originally, this country was founded upon the Principles of Private ownership of businesses, free-enterprise, Capitalistic system of voluntary exchange of goods and services. Currently with the degree and amount of doles and controls of private industry by the growing centralized power of political government, all the taxes, rules, regulations, edicts and fines, there has already been an impressive transformation of America.

In God We Trust

Glenn A. Clepper

Writer, Columnist, Book Author, Patriot and Historian