I'd like to direct my post today directly to a few of my family members who supported McCain. I am not going to gloat today, although obviously I am thrilled that Obama was elected. To my family members (mom, Elmer, Sarah), I love and respect you, and I know that your worst fear is that Obama is going to take the money that you work hard for and give it to the unemployed welfare mothers with 12 kids. That is not what electing Obama is or was about.
Look, even if McCain won, he'd have to raise taxes. That is the only way to get us out of this ridiculous, ugly mess that we're in: we've borrowed TRILLIONS of dollars from other countries to fight these wars, while things here at home have undeniably crumbled. There is simply NO OTHER WAY to dig us out of this hole.
There are cries of "Socialist!". To that I say: is Socialism really so bad? To have what you (and you and you) NEED, and then to help others so that they, too, may have what they need? Doesn't everyone in this great country of ours deserve food and clean water and shelter and medical care? If you say "But I earned this money! It's mine!" well then, I encourage you to take long hard look at a true Capitalist society: Mexico. There, the wealthy live in huge villas surrounded by walls while the "have nots" live on the streets like dogs, beg for food (because there are no social services to help them) and suffer horribly in a completely lawless society. There is no middle class in a true Capitalist society.
We are blessed to live in America where, if God forbid you lose your job, you can apply for unemployment insurance to help you get back on your feet. You can get Medicaid and Medicare. You can get food stamps. These social programs make it possible to feed and clothe and care for your family when you need it. It is easy, when we DON'T need those social services (EACH OF WHICH WAS CREATED BY DEMOCRATS, by the way) to think "Well, I work for MY money. They should too." But you don't realize how so many of us are just a paycheck or two away from NEEDING those services.
I remind you of the saying "there but for the grace of God go I."
I, for one, will never resent taking a portion of my MEAGER income and sharing it with people who have less than I do. If we all live by the golden rule, there WILL be enough to go around. We can, if we just remember to share, make this country the best country in the world.
Yes, we can.
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Lovely post and I can't agree more with your sentiments. I have been saying for weeks now, can't those people see just how selfish and terrible they sound saying they would never agree to Socialism and that's their money, they're not giving ti to anyone!? It seems everyone has forgotten the golden rule, thank you for the reminder.
YES WE CAN!
I've never believed that Obama wanted a truly Socialist America, and I don't think that's really what you're saying, either. But since you asked, "Is Socialism really so bad?", I'll go ahead and answer you.
It depends on how much Socialism you want. Just as you point out that a truly Capitalist society has significant flaws (and I agree), so too does a truly Socialist society. The most important, and probably the reason that the many Socialism experiments conducted in the past have never endured, is that it erodes personal freedoms. If you are expected to work only for the benefit of society, the product of your labor becomes the property of... who? Everyone. Well, who controls "everyone"? How does one enforce this utopia? It cannot happen without a State. If the products of your labor become the property of the State, it only follows that your property must also be the property of the State. After all, the tenet is that if not *everybody* can own property, then nobody should, yes? And if the State controls money, and controls property, and controls education, how long do you think it will take before they control what you say? What you read? What you eat? Perhaps I'm being dramatic, but I'd point out the example of Soviet Russia, which was set into motion by the ideas of Karl Marx. One could say, and I would agree, that what happened there (and in China, say, or North Vietnam) was a perversion of Marx's original ideas, but I'll go out on a limb and say that that's probably not how we should do things. Nobody has gotten it right. Marx never got it right.
No, what we need is a variation on what we already have. Our Republic (not Democracy... that makes me crazy) is based upon principles from both Capitalism and Socialism. I believe people need to be able to make their own lives - it's the very principle this country was founded on. If you're willing to grant people the freedom to make their own lives, it only logically follows that they should be allowed to be successful. Nobody should get to control how successful they get to be. That's the Capitalism part. Now, every person is born equal, and deserves equal rights and opportunities. Look - another fundamental principle our country was founded on (or, I should say, we eventually realized and fixed later). That's where some Socialism (in the form of the very programs you speak of) is vital to the success of our people, of our nation. Maybe a few outliers out there want to do away with those things, but I think as a whole, we're all happy they exist. We're all happy they help people, because it benefits all of us to have a successful, thriving society. We all want them to be used in a way that they help those who need it most. And one look at the current tax bracket layout tells me that most of us are paying our share. My share happens to be more than one third of our income, and I'm certainly not the only one. I'm fine with it being that way, but I don't like being told it's not enough.
Now, I can't speak for "we all" on this one, but you know what else I don't like? Being called "selfish and terrible" by people who throw out names at people who disagree with them just before accusing them of forgetting the Golden Rule. (That one's for Jenna, not Kate.)
Robyn, Good post and I appreciate your point of view being given without me feeling like you were preaching or name calling. Bravo!! I'm sure Kate doesn't really want a total socialist society. I think the understandable excitement spilled over to her post! She doesn't strike me as a name caller and I like to think she didn't realize that she had done that.SZ
Dude, somebody tell me to shut up, already.
I can't help it, Kate. You make me want to argue, which I think is great, and I love you for it. I suspect you like the argument, which is another reason I'm happy to bring it. But - sorry for writing books in your comments section.
Also, I have been way too busy writing political to go work on my eight dream house/location post. Something's gotta give!
SZ - thanks! To clarify, no, I've never seen Kate call names. I probably should have just left that little angry bit off the end of my response. It's only bad karma.
I also think Kate's right to be excited. We should all be excited. We are strong, and things are going to be just fine. It's a great time to be an American. (Just wanted to throw that out there in case my love for debate overshadows my sense of goodwill for all.)
Just one more little comment and then I will never mention it again...I have friends from Canada who come here for medical treatment because they're socialized medical system is not working. Maybe it's just them but they say they can not get the care they need at home. SZ
No worries Robyn, I think you expressed what a lot of us felt. I also think Kate loves a good debate! SZ
As a former "welfare mother", I can say without a doubt that I never would have gotten back on my feet if the state hadn't helped me out. When my unemployment ran out, and I still couldn't get a job, when I finally got a job and couldn't afford daycare. I don't know what I would have done!
Robyn, you know I love a good debate. I think as long as every one is respectful and informed, there are few things more fun! I looove to hear other people's opinions, whether they are wrong or not!
*snort!*
I crack myself up.
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