Between the time FDR said we have nothing to fear but fear itself and today, much has happened to erode confidence in the American culture begun in 1776. During the bleakest days of World War II, soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today were driven by the idea that one could never live down a failure in their country’s service.
In this time of social media creating divisions in our people, that idea has been lost to many caught up in its frenzy. Patriotism is often derided by the enlightened progressive unless they are defining it. To the Greatest Generation there was no confusion about what it meant to be patriotic. They weren’t afraid to say they loved their country and defend its citizens. It wasn’t perfect but it was the best in the world.
So what happened since JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you?” The answer is LBJ’s Great Society created generations of dependent and needy people easily swayed by a benevolent leader promising endless free stuff. We have TV commercials today telling us “I didn’t realize I was missing so much I’m entitled to.”
How would the Greatest Generation that won a world war, took us to the moon and built an economy second to none respond to the free stuff crowd? Don’t ask a progressive or you will get a dissertation on the exploitation of the working class and minorities or Karl Marx 101. You would be mocked for your patriotism and told, okay Boomer.
Well, back at you, free stuff! A smug socialist and their false promises never created anything but chaos-gas lines, shortages, high taxes, blackouts and brownouts, work stoppages and a weak foreign policy leading to conflict abroad.
Wait, isn’t that what we’ve got now? So what happened?
Ralph Miller
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Right-leaning politicians continue using disturbing rhetoric to routinely proclaim socialism as dressed up communism – language cunningly designed to frighten and sway the public. In more general terms, today, democratic socialism or liberalism refers to fairness combined with government provision of benefits and services. Although not owning the label, many U.S. citizens are easily “closet socialists.”
The socialism which many fear is responsible for this:
Military defense
Highway and roads
Public libraries
Police
Fire departments
Postal Service
Student college loans
Bridges
Garbage collection
Public landfills
CIA
FBI
Congressional health care
Social security
Public schools
Jails and prisons
Corporate subsidies
Veterans care
Public parks
Food stamps
Medical
Court system
G.I. bill
IRS
Free lunch program
Medicaid
The Pentagon
FDA
SSDI – Disability insurance
Corporate bailouts
Unemployment insurance
CDC
OSHA
Department of Energy
Social Security
DOJ
Government subsidies for farming and others
Although not limited to the above list these are all government-run taxpayer-funded democratic socialist programs. The word socialism tends to provoke much passion while arousing skepticism amongst the populace. Here in the U.S. there appears to be no good dispassionate position. It would be nice if we could universally agree on one.
Unfortunately, socialism arouses skepticism, but democratic socialism and capitalism can and do exist together; they always have. Without appreciating this reality, if one uses and depends on any of the above services, they and countless others are very much “closet socialist.” Democratic socialism is a practical approach to running an economy that meets public needs – not to make a profit for a few.
Perhaps it is time to acknowledge the obvious by coming out of the “socialist closet.” Maybe the time has come for us to acknowledge the incontrovertible; in the U.S. we have been participating in democratic socialism for many years.
Johnny Jones