Socialism = FAIL. Capitalism = null.
-Written By Chad
Socialism vs. Capitalism vs. Satan’s plan for America vs. God’s plan for America vs. What’s going on with America?
I’ve been hearing this argument over and over again lately:
Obama = Socialist
McCain = Capitalist
This argument, of course, leans on the notion that Socialism is of the devil and Capitalism is a gift from God therefore:
Obama = evil
McCain = good
This is SO misleading on so many levels. I was listening to Glen Beck today, and I love and loathe him on several points and he got my wheels turning today. He was making this comparison and I was conflicted. On one hand, equaling the playing field sounds good – helping those who struggle because they haven’t made it yet. But then, why is this the governments job? Why should the government “force” those who have succeeded to pay more because of their success? After all, as Glen pointed out, isn’t “force” Satan’s plan? More government regulation infringes on our freedoms. That’s “force”. I agree.
So, why are we taxing at all?!?!?
My argument is – WE’RE ALREADY IN A SEMI-SOCIALIST SYSTEM. The Republicans are no better than the Democrats in this regard, it’s just a matter of who gets taxed what. So the republicans believe in tax breaks for the rich but keep taxing the middle-class the same – how is this less “force” than shifting the tax burden to the rich? It’s all TAKING taxes, it’s just who you tax for the best result.
BUT WHY PUNISH THE RICH FOR THEIR SUCCESS?!?!
1. It makes to poor feel better. That’s not a good reason, it’s just an observation.
2. Tell me about their success. How did it come about? I know tons of middle class citizens, such as myself, where it’s not unusual to pull a 3AM work session. It’s not unusual for millions of middle-class Americans who work like dogs to try to make ends meet and achieve that same less-taxed success that other people are enjoying. Some of the wealthy get there because of inheritance, a lucky break, or even with the same hard work everyone else is going through. Many times the success of the wealthy relies heavily on the backs of the middle-class. It often relies on acquisitions, lawsuits, exploiting weak companies, exploiting loopholes, shady marketing techniques, and it becomes a cut-throat-survival-of-the-fittest society.
How does this somehow qualify for less “punishment” than the middle-class? I don’t think they are more skilled, talented, or hard-working than 95% of the population. Other than the theory of trickle-down economics, why should they qualify for more tax breaks than the middle-class?
So, let’s talk about trickle-down economics: It’s not working. It could work. For that matter, Socialism COULD work. So COULD Capitalism. The reason that neither work, or are working now, is simple:
GREED.
Socialism would work if greed and power was taken out of government, and Capitalism would work if you took the greed and power out of the corporations. The reality of America’s situation is that the government is bought and paid for by giant corporations. Corporations rarely play the do-gooder – instead, if it makes them more money, they’ll move their workforce to Mexico, or India, or China. Just today the New York Times is running an article about JPMorgan. Want to know what they are doing with their $25 Billion injection from the taxpayers? It’s not going to the loans, it’s going to a cushion for acquisition of other banks. So, if there’s a depression, they strip the competition and ride it out until they come out the other end on top. Do you really think that corporations have YOUR best interest in mind?
I think it’s silly how they have easily duped the public into thinking that somehow less taxes on the rich is less Socialism than less taxes on the not-so-rich. It’s even more silly for them to convince people that it’s working.
Last, a little note to my LDS friends about this:
Look at the Bible. Look at the Book of Mormon. Kings were established. I often think about King Benjamin in the book of Mosiah. He was a “KING” – but read about the things he wrote. He was a servant to the people, though he was appointed to lead them. He warned of greed. Note, that he was a king. So was Nephi, who was also a prophet. If our system is THE righteous system, then how come it wasn’t the system established in the Book of Mormon, or Bible? Like I said, ANY of it could work if we practiced temperance and charity and the other principles of the Gospel.
I firmly believe that the constitution of the United States was inspired by God. I believe it mainly paved the way to allow the restoration of Christ’s church. The premise of the Constitution is pure and good, and necessary, to allow us freedoms to choose – but those freedoms allow for more evil to creep in, and, as written in the Book of Mormon, this land is a choice and blessed land as long as we CHOOSE good over evil. This doesn’t mean choosing Republican over Democrat, or Capitalism over Socialism – it’s choosing to live by the principles we value. It has little to do with our monetary system which won’t exist in the next life, anyway, other than the principles that guide how we govern that money and use it to take care of those without it.
The one thing that should always be on the forefront of our minds is the reason for much of the destruction to the people in the Bible and especially as pointed out in the Book of Mormon. In compiling and writing the book, Mormon had one group of people in mind – US. Now. In this time. As he pointed out again and again, it was pride, envy, and greed that brought down the people of the Americas, stripping the “promise” out of the Promised Land. It served as a pattern and warning to us. I think we are seeing a similar breakdown now. Let’s keep that in mind as we search for, evaluate, and support the “good” system. I personally think there’s no recovery, only preparation. The only way to strip greed and pride out of the people is a big slice of humble pie. And make no mistake, unless the people at the top do it on their own, it’s coming.
So, I say, let’s try something different for a while as far as taxes go, if we even can survive to that point. I say, if they are TAKING it anyway, let’s see how it can be given to help support those who work just as much, and as hard, and as smart as the wealthy. Let’s, as a country, as a society, learn to support each other as a whole instead of just ourselves. It’s that unity that Satan tries desperately to destroy and he’s done a great job on a corporate and government level. Let’s try not to blindly support his efforts.
Yes, but take the current proposals for each party. I often hear Obama being called a Socialist because he wants to tax those making over $250k a year. McCain does not receive much criticism because he wants to stay with party lines and lower taxes. That’s fine. I’m all for lower taxes. In fact I like it better that way. The problem is we’re a trillion dollars over budget and it’s not getting better. So McCain has no solution to pay for this other than cutting earmarks (apprx. $1B if he’s able to pull it off) and putting a spending freeze on government. I don’t know what that means. I can’t find it on his website. He doesn’t want to talk about how to pay for everything he wants including ‘not losing’ in Iraq and increasing forces in Afganistan and other hot spots in the world.
I would love to come home and tell my wife that I’ll buy her everything she wants, and I’ll work less hours to do it, but it’s not going to pay the bills in the end.
Nate – I haven’t heard that McCain wants to reduce taxes on the middle class. I haven’t heard him say that. If he has, it’s not nearly as pronounced as Obama – and taxes are taxes are taxes are taxes. You can’t cry against socialism one day and sign a $800 Billion bail-out the next, which said bailout is socialism at it’s best. Which is another good point – you can’t cry against earmarks and then not say a single word when your party (Repubs in this case) add $100 Billion of “sweeteners” to the original $700 Billion bill in order for it to pass. My point is the hypocrisy of calling socialism “evil” when both parties have basically embraced socialist policies.