Jerry Newcombe
No, we're not all Socialists now
By Jerry Newcombe
On Sunday, New York Post had an editorial about how many millennials embrace "socialism" while not really knowing what it means: "Millennials – ignorant of socialism's appalling economic and human-rights history – increasingly embrace socialism and its naively unrealistic prescriptions for ending all human want."
I'm reminded of a college student who wrote his dad: "Dear Dad, No mon. No fun. Your son."
His dad wrote back: "Too bad. So sad. Your Dad."
The Post points out that a majority of Democrats view socialism positively – yet the very same poll finds them in favor of small business and free enterprise. Therefore, many claiming to embrace socialism are apparently not aware that socialism refers to government control of the means of production.
Meanwhile, New York Magazine had a title story: "When Did Everyone Become a Socialist?"
The article claims, "Pinkos Have More Fun."
Well, I'm certainly not a socialist. And most of the people I know are not either. For the record, can anyone name a square inch on the planet where socialism has improved life for its citizens?
Russia?
China?
Vietnam?
Cambodia?
Cuba?
Venezuela?
It seems that between socialism and capitalism, the latter has the worse "branding." Capitalism is supposedly greedy and self-serving. Socialism is supposedly caring and sharing. But that is not the reality.
Young people have been fed a steady diet of pro-socialism in the media and in academia. Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center once told me in a TV interview: "In the movies from a cultural standpoint, the themes are that capitalism is bad; it's evil, the free market system is evil, the wealthy are the greedy rich."
Jim DeMint, former U.S. Senator noted, "As secularism replaces faith in America, we become less free and more socialistic; in other words, the government is controlling more things and things are controlled from the top down rather than the bottom up.... You have central decision makers. That hasn't worked any time in history, it always results in some form of tyranny."
With socialism, the state replaces God. But the Bible says, God alone is God, and we should worship and love Him above all, and not the state, nor anything else.
Dr. Everett Piper, the president of Oklahoma Wesley University, says, "I do believe that socialism is on the rise right now and I think it's a direct correlation to the loss of a biblical world view – the vacuum. When you create a vacuum it'll always be filled, and if you take God out it'll be filled by man. And God always gives us more liberty and freedom than man does."
The Bible says we should love our neighbor. But is it really loving our neighbor to wish on them a socialistic economic system like that in Cuba or Venezuela?
Dr. Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary, notes, "And if you want a modern example of why socialism doesn't work and what it produces, look at Venezuela. Venezuela was one of the most affluent countries in Latin America; it is now a complete basket case."
Today's socialists like to say that Sweden, Norway, and other Scandinavian countries are the model – not Venezuela. I was married in Norway. I have many in-laws who still live there. Its economy is still more of a capitalist one – with high taxes for socialized medicine. But it's a much smaller country with a limited population. Furthermore, my wife always points out that Norway is coasting on its past Christian work ethic.
Socialism violates the command "Thou shalt not steal." The Ten Commandments also say we should not envy – but socialism is built on envy, envy of the wealth of others.
More and more Americans seem comfortable with "the politics of envy." The New Republic published an article by Alex Shephard (3/1/19) entitled "The Sensible Politics of Soaking the Rich." The article shows a picture of Democrat socialist leader, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, newly elected to Congress, who argues that $10 million should be the limit on what people can keep, regardless of their contributions to the market.
Last week at CPAC (a conference of conservatives), Larry Kudlow, the director of President Trump's National Economic Council, said socialism needs to be confronted quickly: "I want you, and everybody in this room and your friends and your neighbors, I want you to put socialism on trial, that's what I'm asking.... I don't want us to stand idly by.... I don't want to let this stuff fester. I want it challenged. I want it debated. I want it rebutted. I want to convict socialism." For example, he called "the Green New Deal" promoted by Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez "central planning on a grand scale."
Indeed, the time has come for a necessary national discussion on socialism vs. free enterprise. On big government vs. market-based solutions. Let the debate begin.
© Jerry Newcombe
March 6, 2019
On Sunday, New York Post had an editorial about how many millennials embrace "socialism" while not really knowing what it means: "Millennials – ignorant of socialism's appalling economic and human-rights history – increasingly embrace socialism and its naively unrealistic prescriptions for ending all human want."
I'm reminded of a college student who wrote his dad: "Dear Dad, No mon. No fun. Your son."
His dad wrote back: "Too bad. So sad. Your Dad."
The Post points out that a majority of Democrats view socialism positively – yet the very same poll finds them in favor of small business and free enterprise. Therefore, many claiming to embrace socialism are apparently not aware that socialism refers to government control of the means of production.
Meanwhile, New York Magazine had a title story: "When Did Everyone Become a Socialist?"
The article claims, "Pinkos Have More Fun."
Well, I'm certainly not a socialist. And most of the people I know are not either. For the record, can anyone name a square inch on the planet where socialism has improved life for its citizens?
Russia?
China?
Vietnam?
Cambodia?
Cuba?
Venezuela?
It seems that between socialism and capitalism, the latter has the worse "branding." Capitalism is supposedly greedy and self-serving. Socialism is supposedly caring and sharing. But that is not the reality.
Young people have been fed a steady diet of pro-socialism in the media and in academia. Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center once told me in a TV interview: "In the movies from a cultural standpoint, the themes are that capitalism is bad; it's evil, the free market system is evil, the wealthy are the greedy rich."
Jim DeMint, former U.S. Senator noted, "As secularism replaces faith in America, we become less free and more socialistic; in other words, the government is controlling more things and things are controlled from the top down rather than the bottom up.... You have central decision makers. That hasn't worked any time in history, it always results in some form of tyranny."
With socialism, the state replaces God. But the Bible says, God alone is God, and we should worship and love Him above all, and not the state, nor anything else.
Dr. Everett Piper, the president of Oklahoma Wesley University, says, "I do believe that socialism is on the rise right now and I think it's a direct correlation to the loss of a biblical world view – the vacuum. When you create a vacuum it'll always be filled, and if you take God out it'll be filled by man. And God always gives us more liberty and freedom than man does."
The Bible says we should love our neighbor. But is it really loving our neighbor to wish on them a socialistic economic system like that in Cuba or Venezuela?
Dr. Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary, notes, "And if you want a modern example of why socialism doesn't work and what it produces, look at Venezuela. Venezuela was one of the most affluent countries in Latin America; it is now a complete basket case."
Today's socialists like to say that Sweden, Norway, and other Scandinavian countries are the model – not Venezuela. I was married in Norway. I have many in-laws who still live there. Its economy is still more of a capitalist one – with high taxes for socialized medicine. But it's a much smaller country with a limited population. Furthermore, my wife always points out that Norway is coasting on its past Christian work ethic.
Socialism violates the command "Thou shalt not steal." The Ten Commandments also say we should not envy – but socialism is built on envy, envy of the wealth of others.
More and more Americans seem comfortable with "the politics of envy." The New Republic published an article by Alex Shephard (3/1/19) entitled "The Sensible Politics of Soaking the Rich." The article shows a picture of Democrat socialist leader, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, newly elected to Congress, who argues that $10 million should be the limit on what people can keep, regardless of their contributions to the market.
Last week at CPAC (a conference of conservatives), Larry Kudlow, the director of President Trump's National Economic Council, said socialism needs to be confronted quickly: "I want you, and everybody in this room and your friends and your neighbors, I want you to put socialism on trial, that's what I'm asking.... I don't want us to stand idly by.... I don't want to let this stuff fester. I want it challenged. I want it debated. I want it rebutted. I want to convict socialism." For example, he called "the Green New Deal" promoted by Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez "central planning on a grand scale."
Indeed, the time has come for a necessary national discussion on socialism vs. free enterprise. On big government vs. market-based solutions. Let the debate begin.
© Jerry Newcombe
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
