Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Saw a bumper sticker this morning and it is one have seen many times but I am not sure if the person sporting it on their vehicle actually knows what their STICKER means.

The sticker (I HATE SOLICIALISM)

Here is a simple definition:

Socialism is a populist economic and political system based on collective, common, or public ownership of the means of production. Those means of production include the machinery, tools, and factories used to produce goods that aim to directly satisfy human needs.

Many see socialism and think communism and I can verify that because that is what a cashier at the grocery store said to me earlier today.

The main difference is that under communism, most property and economic resources are owned and controlled by the state (rather than individual citizens); under socialism, all citizens share equally in economic resources as allocated by a democratically-elected government.

We do not have either of these systems in the United States and no one not every Bernie Sanders is calling for a Socialist state. We do have social programs and our Constitution is in fact a social contract. If you read it the first three words are “We the People”. Hence, we are all in this together. Over the first nearly 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed, we haven’t always lived up to the WE part, as a collective there has always been an us and them but that’s not where I am going with this.

Our government has historically tired to unite, Lincoln with the Civil War, Theodore Roosevelt did his best to bring the dream of prosperity to the masses and even the playing field form the robber barrens of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, FDR brought the nation out of the depression and created a social safety net so seniors didn’t live in squaller in their golden years. These were all huge investments paid for by all to provide for all, although the ones that need it most also pay the lions share.

Social Security and Medicare are deduction that come out of every working persons pay and are in turn distributed to recipients who also paid into the system. It is not a discretionary line item in the budget or an entitlement, it is a paid benefit.

Let’s put this into a scenario everyone can understand. Let’s say you worked for the same company your entire working life . For your years of service  you had a contract with said company that they took a small part of your check every pay period that when you retire would provide for you for the rest of your life. That would be a pretty good deal, right? Well, that is what Social Security is. Now let’s imagine that said company decides that they want to dissolve that contract but they still want to hold onto your money but they will invest it in the market so that their friends can make more money (hopefully) and they “promise” that you will still get your money back (Hopefully).

Sounds like a great plan a guarantee to hopefully. That is the plan this current republican party is selling.

They brought a measure to the floor denouncing Socialism… what do they historically define a Socialism.

• Social Security
• Medicare
• Public School
• The Post Office
• National Parks

I could continue the list, but you see my point.

In their system the rich get to exploit and get richer and the rest are left with HOPEFULLY.