According to the Wall Street Journal (May 4, 2009) a recent Rasmussen Reports poll shows only 53% of Americans prefer capitalism to socialism; 27% were unsure and 20% preferred socialism. That may explain the results of the last election.
Assuming, of course, Americans ever felt differently, what happened? Well, when things get tough and the poor personal decisions people have made come to roost socialism can be appealing. It minimizes personal responsibility and it is a lot easier to rely on the other person.
Socialism is easier it is that simple. Look at it this way, once you get used to paying more than half of your income in taxes to the government, your worries are over. You don’t know or care that the money is being spent inefficiently or that you have turned over control of a large part of your life to the state, all you know is that you do not have to worry any more about health care, retirement income, education, childcare, disability or unemployment. It is all quite appealing is it not? In Sweden, the average worker takes 40 days a year off enjoying the generous disability benefits and that is in addition holidays (vacation).
Nobody has to be an ant, we can all be grasshoppers. Why work hard, just work hard enough to pay your taxes and save a little energy to march from time to time in a protest to preserve your benefits at all cost. That cost of course is mediocrity, disincentives to achieve, to create, to innovate.
What happened to America that we all seem to have our hand out from mega companies to members of the AARP? Is that what America is all about? Is being average the new goal?
Your 401(k) plan is in the tank, who cares, you have a good government pension. Your employer is screwing you and taking away your health care that you thought would be part of your future retirement, so what? You bust your butt to work hard and save more, no need, half of what you make is gone before you have it so why bother? There is always someone else to worry about where the money is coming from and of course, that 50% tax rate can always go up.
There are added benefits too, we are all equal. The mediocre among us no longer stand out, the slackers are no longer at risk and the real achievers; well they may get to pay 70% of their income in taxes.
Socialism is so easy I think more and more Americans will conclude, hey why not? There is one big test coming and that is health care. Keep your ears open and listen to how many people you hear say they want “free” health care from the government. That is what they have in England after all. I have people there tell me their health care is free. They go to the doctors and pay nothing, and they like it that way.
Socialism is not only easy it can also be free.
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