Let's Socialize!

Do you agree that government should force large corporations to put people’s needs and interests before profit?

Do you agree that the inequality between rich and poor can be and should be changed to provide a decent life for all?

Do you agree that “right-wing” means supporting the rich against the poor?

Do you agree that unemployed workers should be hired by corporations rather than paying existing employees overtime?

Do you agree that everyone has the right to a decent home and other conveniences of modern life?

Congratulations. If you answered “yes” to any or all of those questions, you are almost a full-fledged Socialist. “I’m not a Socialist,” you say. “I am a liberal and/or Democrat.” Be that as it may, you should listen closely to what your party members say and see how many of these Socialist ideas are suggested. Minimum wage, tax the rich, and government assistance are all basic Socialist concepts. As further proof, the slogan for the Socialism 2006 conference was, “Build the Left, Fight the Right.”

Now I could start comparing you to such evil people as Marx and Stalin. However, the fact is that most liberals I know are very compassionate and very well-intentioned. Their heart is in the right place – it is their mind which is not willing to accept reality; the reality that Socialism does not work.

I will not ask you to take my word for it, though. www.socialistparty.org says it themselves: “Socialism has to be international. It's impossible to create socialism in one country.” Somehow, I do not see Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran eagerly bowing down and willingly giving his power over to socialism. Not even Kim Jong Il and Fidel Castro have done that, and they lead the most Socialist countries in the world.

All you have to do is look at Hurricane Katrina to know that the government does not do things well. The government is inefficient, wasteful, and breeds corruption. Why would you want to give them more money and more power to dictate how people are going to live their lives?

If you are going to live this life, you have to understand you cannot legislate happiness. Our Declaration of Independence states we have the right of the “pursuit of happiness,” not to attain it. By giving people the right to reach their goals, we are also giving them the right to fail. You can make it a level playing field, but you cannot guarantee who is going to win. As a Socialist, you are saying that you cannot win.

However, I did say you were almost a true Socialist. Just wishing for a utopia is not enough; you must also support a Central government that would create it. If you really want to adopt Socialism, here are a few more things you must agree to. Again, this according to www.socialistparty.org:

You must agree that causing “increased misery to the rich” is not enough – to abolish poverty, the Central government must dictate every facet of your life.

You must agree that we should not pay taxes on defense, but rather give that money to other countries.

You must agree to adopt the occupation the Central government assigns you, as we cannot have two people competing for the same job.

You must agree not to purchase or own your own home, but rather be assigned a home owned by the Central government. You will also be rationed clothes, food and other necessities.

Finally, you must agree that the “Socialist Party supports Cuba…and we recognize the important advances the revolution brought to the poor and oppressed.” (Those “important advances” caused 8,000 Cubans to immigrate to the United States in 2005. Also, there are currently over 500 Cubans with legitimate American visas who are not allowed by the Central government to leave Cuba.)

Next time your favorite politician starts talking about how the government can help people, think carefully about what road you are going down.