Quote of the Day – Socialism

 

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. – Winston Churchill.

We are seeing that illustrated with the transition from the Biden to Trump administrations. The Democrats are all-in on socialism, as we have seen the last four years.  It was a philosophy of failure. Degrowth and limitation were its hallmarks.  They preached envy, setting one group against another, depending on ignorance of history to sell their poisonous message. It seemed to them that inflation and disorder were features not bugs. They made everyone – except the privileged elite, to which their leaders belonged – miserable.

Yet in less than a month, it seemed everything had changed.  Optimism has swept the country. The majority of this county showed they want growth, not stagnation; excellence, not equity; achievement, not idleness; and victory, not defeat. We believe energy prices will come down because its production will not be hindered. We believe bureaucratic and regulatory obstacles to business activities will be reduced or eliminated. We now dare hope that the federal government may even shrink in size.

Things now seem possible that were previously unthinkable. Where we spent the last four years seeing the return to the Moon recede like the horizon, it now seems possible we may shoot beyond that over the next four years to reach Mars. This, due to Starship and American private enterprise.

The most remarkable part of all of this? Not that this will be accomplished by the Federal government and the Trump Administration. That it will be accomplished because the Federal government simply gets out of the way, stops being a roadblock, and lets the American people achieve the greatness they are capable of.

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  1. JoelB Member
    JoelB
    @JoelB

    Its amazing that even before Trump is in office, things seem to be turning around. Perhaps if the normals had just been willing to say “NO!” earlier, we could have been spared some of what we have endured. Like Theoden of Tolkein’s story, we have been listening to Wormtongue too long.

    • #1
  2. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    JoelB (View Comment):

    Its amazing that even before Trump is in office, things seem to be turning around. Perhaps if the normals had just been willing to say “NO!” earlier, we could have been spared some of what we have endured. Like Theoden of Tolkein’s story, we have been listening to Wormtongue too long.

    Agree, agree.  The few times I said “no” to ridiculous mandates during the Biden Administration, I spared myself a lot of grief to very little pain for saying no.

    • #2
  3. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    JoelB (View Comment):

    Its amazing that even before Trump is in office, things seem to be turning around. Perhaps if the normals had just been willing to say “NO!” earlier, we could have been spared some of what we have endured. Like Theoden of Tolkein’s story, we have been listening to Wormtongue too long.

    Something we need to recognize is that the enormous advancements and the effects on living conditions large numbers of individuals in modern societies have experienced has an effect on day-to-day perceptions within the society as a whole. Two generations, Millennials and Gen Z, have had almost no experience of difficult financial times where a direct link to the political leadership could be made until the last four years. Actually, there have been a couple of bad spots previously but the big government/big corporate complex was able to keep the effects hidden with increased government intervention. The Boomers and Gen X had the 1970s and earlier generations had the Great Depression and WWII as good tastes of economic reality. The really sad and inexcusable part of this is the fact that these later generations were not even publicly taught about these difficult financial periods so they have almost no knowledge of bad times, the causes and the remedies.

    2020 was an election when the voters got what they asked for good and hard.

    We need to work on how to make sure this does not recur.

     

    • #3
  4. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    The really sad and inexcusable part of this is the fact that these later generations were not even publicly taught about these difficult financial periods so they have almost no knowledge of bad times, the causes and the remedies.

    I should have also added “education, not indoctrination” to my list of what people wanted.

    • #4
  5. Drew didn't ban himself Member
    Drew didn't ban himself
    @OldDanRhody

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    there have been a couple of bad spots previously but the big government/big corporate complex was able to keep the effects hidden with increased government intervention.

    i.e., by borrowing from future generations.

    • #5
  6. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    Drew didn't ban himself (View Comment):

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    there have been a couple of bad spots previously but the big government/big corporate complex was able to keep the effects hidden with increased government intervention.

    i.e., by borrowing from future generations.

    Yes, it is not as if all the correction needed is from what happened recently. Those earlier shenanigans had the full cooperation of the GOPe.  Trump came in with at least a sense that all was not right but he was unprepared, along with many of his supporters, for what they threw at him. These past four years made us stronger.

     

    • #6
  7. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    Drew didn't ban himself (View Comment):

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    there have been a couple of bad spots previously but the big government/big corporate complex was able to keep the effects hidden with increased government intervention.

    i.e., by borrowing taking (stealing) from future generations.

     

    • #7
  8. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    Your post makes me also think of this situation from the perspective of those, now or in the recent past, living under communist regimes. These include China, North Korea, Russia, most of eastern Europe including part of Germany. 

    I wonder just how much real support exists in these societies for the governments that pretend they have the support of the people. Once the governments have the level of control seen in these societies it becomes very difficult to change it. We saw economic conditions bring down the Soviet Union but it took much effort.

    Is the resistance to internet interaction platforms for various forms of communications exchange due to the chance that too much truth will come from free interchange?

    • #8
  9. GPentelie Coolidge
    GPentelie
    @GPentelie

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):

    JoelB (View Comment):

    Its amazing that even before Trump is in office, things seem to be turning around. Perhaps if the normals had just been willing to say “NO!” earlier, we could have been spared some of what we have endured. Like Theoden of Tolkein’s story, we have been listening to Wormtongue too long.

    Something we need to recognize is that the enormous advancements and the effects on living conditions large numbers of individuals in modern societies have experienced has an effect on day-to-day perceptions within the society as a whole. Two generations, Millennials and Gen Z, have had almost no experience of difficult financial times where a direct link to the political leadership could be made until the last four years. Actually, there have been a couple of bad spots previously but the big government/big corporate complex was able to keep the effects hidden with increased government intervention. The Boomers and Gen X had the 1970s and earlier generations had the Great Depression and WWII as good tastes of economic reality. The really sad and inexcusable part of this is the fact that these later generations were not even publicly taught about these difficult financial periods so they have almost no knowledge of bad times, the causes and the remedies.

    2020 was an election when the voters got what they asked for good and hard.

    We need to work on how to make sure this does not recur.

     

    Hard Men produce Easy Times

    Easy Times produce Weak Men

    Weak Men produce Hard Times 

    Hard Times produce Hard Men <<< We are hereabouts, I think/hope

     

    • #9
  10. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    Is the resistance to internet interaction platforms for various forms of communications exchange due to the chance that too much truth will come from free interchange?

    Absolutely.  That is why the ChiCom government locked down the Internet early. And shame on US companies for cooperating.

    • #10
  11. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    GPentelie (View Comment):
    Hard Times produce Hard Men <<< We are hereabouts, I think/hope

    I think it is more accurate to say we are at the start of hard times.  It will be painful.

    • #11
  12. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    GPentelie (View Comment):

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):

    JoelB (View Comment):

    Its amazing that even before Trump is in office, things seem to be turning around. Perhaps if the normals had just been willing to say “NO!” earlier, we could have been spared some of what we have endured. Like Theoden of Tolkein’s story, we have been listening to Wormtongue too long.

    Something we need to recognize is that the enormous advancements and the effects on living conditions large numbers of individuals in modern societies have experienced has an effect on day-to-day perceptions within the society as a whole. Two generations, Millennials and Gen Z, have had almost no experience of difficult financial times where a direct link to the political leadership could be made until the last four years. Actually, there have been a couple of bad spots previously but the big government/big corporate complex was able to keep the effects hidden with increased government intervention. The Boomers and Gen X had the 1970s and earlier generations had the Great Depression and WWII as good tastes of economic reality. The really sad and inexcusable part of this is the fact that these later generations were not even publicly taught about these difficult financial periods so they have almost no knowledge of bad times, the causes and the remedies.

    2020 was an election when the voters got what they asked for good and hard.

    We need to work on how to make sure this does not recur.

     

    Hard Men produce Easy Times

    Easy Times produce Weak Men

    Weak Men produce Hard Times

    Hard Times produce Hard Men <<< We are hereabouts, I think/hope

     

    Something that has changed in modern times, since the emergent industrial and information ages, is how rapidly the cycle noted above can occur. It is almost as if some greater force created America to meet the need of a force able to respond to that. Where did this guy Elon Musk come from?

    • #12
  13. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    Where did this guy Elon Musk come from?

    Out of Africa.

    • #13
  14. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    GPentelie (View Comment):
    Hard Times produce Hard Men <<< We are hereabouts, I think/hope

    I think it is more accurate to say we are at the start of hard times. It will be painful.

    But, just as I said in the previous comment, things move really fast these days. I can’t keep up, I’m too old.

    • #14
  15. Drew didn't ban himself Member
    Drew didn't ban himself
    @OldDanRhody

    Jimmy Carter (View Comment):

    Drew didn’t ban himself (View Comment):

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    there have been a couple of bad spots previously but the big government/big corporate complex was able to keep the effects hidden with increased government intervention.

    i.e., by borrowing taking (stealing) from future generations.

    You are correct, sir.

    • #15
  16. GPentelie Coolidge
    GPentelie
    @GPentelie

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    Where did this guy Elon Musk come from?

    Out of Africa.

    Heh.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=punchline+cymbals&tbm=vid

     

    • #16
  17. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    GPentelie (View Comment):

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    Where did this guy Elon Musk come from?

    Out of Africa.

    Heh.

    Fixed it.

    • #17
  18. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):

    Your post makes me also think of this situation from the perspective of those, now or in the recent past, living under communist regimes. These include China, North Korea, Russia, most of eastern Europe including part of Germany.

    I wonder just how much real support exists in these societies for the governments that pretend they have the support of the people. Once the governments have the level of control seen in these societies it becomes very difficult to change it. We saw economic conditions bring down the Soviet Union but it took much effort.

    Is the resistance to internet interaction platforms for various forms of communications exchange due to the chance that too much truth will come from free interchange?

    When they started showing more American TV shows in the Soviet Union, the Soviets thought that exposure to the difference between lifestyles of the super wealthy and their poorer relations in shows such as “Dallas” would be a good object lesson to the populace. Instead, the citizens noticed how much better the have-nots in the West had it than they themselves did.

    “They have two cars!”

    • #18
  19. DaveSchmidt Coolidge
    DaveSchmidt
    @DaveSchmidt

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    Where did this guy Elon Musk come from?

    Out of Africa.

    Our best immigrants these days seem to come from Africa and South Asia. 

    • #19
  20. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    Mikhail Gorbachev blames TV show Dallas for the fall of communism and the USSR, says Dave Stewart

     

     

    Search “Dallas fall of communism” and You’ll get some great reads. 

    • #20
  21. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    But Dallas’ greatest impact ultimately wasn’t in these United States but in communist Romania, where it helped topple the brutal Ceausescu regime.

    Dallas was the last Western show allowed during the nightmarish 1980s because President Nicolae Ceausescu thought it showcased all that was wrong with capitalism. In fact, the show provided a luxuriant alternative to a communism that was forcing people to wait more than a decade to buy the most rattletrap communist-produced cars.

    • #21
  22. Columbo Member
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pdR7WW3XR9c&t=55s&pp=ygUUVGhhdGNoZXIgcG9vciBwb29yZXI%3D

     

     

    • #22
  23. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Columbo (View Comment):

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pdR7WW3XR9c&t=55s&pp=ygUUVGhhdGNoZXIgcG9vciBwb29yZXI%3D

    You can insert a YouTube video into a comment, by right-clicking on the video and selecting Copy video URL on the menu that appears.  Then past that url in.

    • #23
  24. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Putting a socialist like RFK Jr. in charge of 25% of the federal budget seems an odd way to fight socialism. Also, his pick for Labor Secretary is co-sponsor of a bill that would strengthen public sector unions. I would temper your expectations…

    • #24
  25. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Putting a socialist like RFK Jr. in charge of 25% of the federal budget seems an odd way to fight socialism. Also, his pick for Labor Secretary is co-sponsor of a bill that would strengthen public sector unions. I would temper your expectations…

    And you expect RFK Jr to expand Health and Human Services?  That’s not his brief. 

    What amazes me is that both Trump’s most ardent supporters and most ardent critics are both quick to insist that he must not make any mistakes, period, or it is proof that he is utterly worthless. He is going to make a few bad picks. I don’t think RFK, Jr is a bad pick, although I agree that the Labor Secretary is. Expecting perfection this side of heaven is silly, though.

    • #25
  26. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Putting a socialist like RFK Jr. in charge of 25% of the federal budget seems an odd way to fight socialism. Also, his pick for Labor Secretary is co-sponsor of a bill that would strengthen public sector unions. I would temper your expectations…

    And you expect RFK Jr to expand Health and Human Services? That’s not his brief.

    What amazes me is that both Trump’s most ardent supporters and most ardent critics are both quick to insist that he must not make any mistakes, period, or it is proof that he is utterly worthless. He is going to make a few bad picks. I don’t think RFK, Jr is a bad pick, although I agree that the Labor Secretary is. Expecting perfection this side of heaven is silly, though.

    Oh, I know. I like most of his picks. It’s just that the stinkers are such stinkers!

    • #26
  27. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Putting a socialist like RFK Jr. in charge of 25% of the federal budget seems an odd way to fight socialism. Also, his pick for Labor Secretary is co-sponsor of a bill that would strengthen public sector unions. I would temper your expectations…

    And you expect RFK Jr to expand Health and Human Services? That’s not his brief.

    What amazes me is that both Trump’s most ardent supporters and most ardent critics are both quick to insist that he must not make any mistakes, period, or it is proof that he is utterly worthless. He is going to make a few bad picks. I don’t think RFK, Jr is a bad pick, although I agree that the Labor Secretary is. Expecting perfection this side of heaven is silly, though.

    Oh, I know. I like most of his picks. It’s just that the stinkers are such stinkers!

    But maybe an asset in the election. I’m not one who favors anything to win but once in a while there is something of little harm that is worth giving for the win.

    • #27
  28. Mark Camp Member
    Mark Camp
    @MarkCamp

    I wish Churchill’s comments on fascism, quoted below,were as critical as those on socialism.

    It was after the vulgar brutalities of the march to power, after newspapers had been burned and editors beaten, political clubrooms sacked, after the sacred cudgel by God’s grace had done its holy violence on its enemies and others had been gorged with castor oil, after thousands had been thrown into concentration camps and countless other brave men had been driven from their country, after Matteoti had been assassinated and Mussolini had proclaimed that democracy was “a dirty rag to be crushed under foot,” that Winston Churchill, in January 1927, wrote to him, saying,

    ‘If I had been an Italian I am sure I would have been entirely with you from the beginning to the end of your victorious struggle against the bestial appetites and passions of Leninism.’

    He assured the Duce that were he an Italian he would

    “don the Fascist black shirt.”

    And a year later, in Collier’s Magazine, he wrote extolling Mussolini above Washington and Cromwell.

    —John T. Flynn, As We Go Marching

    • #28
  29. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):

    2020 was an election when the voters got what they asked for good and hard.

    We need to work on how to make sure this does not recur.

    Unfortunately, that may ultimately be impossible.  It’s pretty easy to dismiss what one has simply read or been told, The school of experience, and all that.

    • #29
  30. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    GPentelie (View Comment):

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Bob Thompson (View Comment):
    Where did this guy Elon Musk come from?

    Out of Africa.

    Heh.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=punchline+cymbals&tbm=vid

     

     

    Or, use this:

     

    • #30
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