Thursday, October 16, 2008

A lesson for those who didn't pay attention in high school . . .

I am trying to stay away from politics in my blog - but I had to post this because it is informative and may help people to understand some of the things they keep hearing about in the media.

Recently, Senator Obama spoke to Joe the Plumber who had asked him why he would get more taxes for a small business that just happens to make more than $250,000.

This was Senator Obama's response:

“It’s not that I want to punish your success, I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they’ve got a chance at success, too. I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”

Those words "spread the wealth around" have said to confirm some people's feelings that Senator Obama has more socialist policies than democratic.

What I've realized in my conversations with people my own age is this: no one paid attention in high school civics or government class and they don't have any idea what socialism is. And they really don't care! So I ran across this blog this morning which had a great excerpt from Mike Huckabee's book.

I wanted to share this lesson with you here:

“I once heard the various forms of government described this way:

Communism - you have two cows and the government takes both cows and gives you part of the milk.

Socialism - you have two cows and the government takes one of the cows and gives it to your neighbor.

Fascism - you have two cows and the government takes both cows and sells you the milk.

Nazism - you have two cows and the government takes both cows and shoots you.

Bureaucracy - you have two cows, the government takes both cows, shoots one, milks the other, and pours the milk down the drain.

Capitalism - you have two cows, you sell one and you buy a bull!

Our system, based on the capitalist idea, is intended to create incentives so there is a return on one’s endeavors. It has it’s flaws, but ours is still better than any other system on earth.”

I am hoping that this short lesson has helped some people understand these things they keep hearing on the TV but don't take the time to learn about.

I will leave you with a quote from Former President Ronald Reagan (which reminds me of a time when people had a respect for the one holding the office of the President of the United States . . .)

“All systems are capitalist. It's just a matter of who owns and controls the capital -- ancient king, dictator, or private individual. We should properly be looking at the contrast between a free market system where individuals have the right to live like kings if they have the ability to earn that right and government control of the market system such as we find today in socialist nations.”

Main thing: God is still God.

Be informed.
Vote on November 4th (or you do not have a right to complain).

(I am now finished with my political comments . . . until the next election.)

6 comments:

Barry Pike said...

Great post, Iz, and you didn't even have to mention the part about the dead babies. Very well done.

Anonymous said...

I am actually surprised that more Christians aren't supportive of socialism on an economic level if not political. I feel like it might be something of a disservice to try to pin down Jesus' attitude on something like this, but socialism seems much more in line with "loving your neighbor" than capitalism.

IzzyBeth said...

In everything that I have read - the problem is people. If you take away the incentive of being successful - people will stop trying. They will keep their money, stop expanding their businesses and hiring more people.

Then there are others who will take advantage of the system and do nothing to help - but just wait for "fairness" to give them their share.

And when does it stop? When does it go from the government taking one of your cows and giving it to your neighbor to taking both of your cows and only giving you some milk? My point is that the government should not make it a law that we help our neighbor - that is taking away our choices. We should WANT to help our neighbor and do that anyway.

It's also kind of like when you work next to someone who has the same job title as you, you both make the same amount of money, but you do all the work and the other person just sits and talks on the phone to their significant other all day - but you have no chance of being promoted, because that wouldn't be fair to the other person . . .

The more power we give the government, the less freedoms we have as a people to make our own choices and decisions.

Anonymous said...

People are a problem in capitalism too. How many rich people have taken advantage of the system, or taken advantage of other people, to become wealthy? And when you have money, you tend to have a disproportionate amount of power in other ways. The wealthy are punished much less severely than the poor for similar crimes. For example, being caught with 500 grams of powder cocaine (which is more expensive and tends to draw wealthier people) results in a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence. The same sentence is mandated for 5 grams of crack cocaine, which is more prevalent among the poor. The wealthy have a distinct advantage in almost every arena beyond the financial, whether it is the law, healthcare, or whatever.

Before going on, I want to nitpick the quote from Mike Huckabee, and to some degree this is just semantics, but capitalism is not a government; it is an economic model. Of course, bureaucracy is not a government either and is possible in any form of government or any organization of more than 2 people :)

Socialism can be an economic model or a government, so to some extent it can exist within a democratic republic. This is part of why I feel it is unfairly treated like it is a dirty word.

As far as you not wanting the government to dictate that we help our neighbor, I can understand that to some degree, but it just seems like Christians would want to be more systematic in helping others out. And I just can't see Jesus as a proponent for capitalism when in my view of him capitalism is almost antithetical to his teachings.

And if Christians don't want the government to legislate morality, such as making us "help our neighbor," then why do some want to legislate morality in other areas, such as restricting the civil rights of homosexuals? (and this example isn't directed at you because I have no idea how you feel about this) Christians don't want the government to tell them what to do with their money but they do want the government to tell same-sex partners in a committed relationship that they have no legal standing. Even if you think it is immoral, do you think it needs to be illegal too?

And I am a pro-lifer, so I am uneasy making this argument, but saying you don't want the government taking away our choices would resonate with a crowd I am guessing you wouldn't want to side with. But that is really outside the point I am trying to make.

I guess all I am really trying to say is that I am comfortable "rendering unto Caesar" a little more money if that gives even a chance to someone who would otherwise starve or be uneducated or whatever. Sure, some people will take advantage of the system, but maybe someone has an opportunity that they wouldn't have had. And maybe I can't buy a home theater, but I am OK with that.

IzzyBeth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
IzzyBeth said...

I had a typo in my last post and couldn't edit it, I had to delete and re-do!

This is all about being able to discuss things. And for the record - I don't agree with denying people rights due to their orientation or any other thing. I think that is stupid. However, I also believe that marriage was created for man and woman - but that doesn't mean that gay couples cannot have benefits, etc. People are people and I know that my God loves all people, no matter what their background, race, lifestyle or whatever! I don't believe He would want us to treat people the way they are often treated by Christians.

My whole point is that if everyone lived the way God wants us to - we would have no need for capitalism, socialism - or any type of ism. We would just take care of each other. But there are always people on both sides of the spectrum who take advantage of whatever system we have. (Human Nature, unfortunately). Rich people who don't help out the disadvantaged and use their money for selfish means and poor people who sit around and wait for someone else to take care of them instead of trying to better themselves. The people who are hurt in this are the at-risk children and the disabled who unfortunately have to rely on others to help them.

But God gives us a choice on whether or not we want to live for Him or go our own way. Why should we have this type of choice taken away from us when it comes to our money and in other areas of our lives? I don't agree with many of the government regulations that take away our freedoms.

As for abortion . . . to me, that doesn't even count as a choice. I know and believe that life begins at conception - and terminating that pregnancy is killing a human life. Abortions used to be legal only in the first term, now partial birth abortions are being done, and people are fighting for legislature that allows teenage girls to have abortions without parental consent - and also laws are being fought for to NOT save aborted babies that are born alive. When does it stop? Will it start becoming legal to kill our children if we can't handle them? There is a stark difference between choices and just plain right and wrong. Some of those lines - I will not cross.

I know of one young mother who got pregnant at 13, and she chose to have her baby and the 2 more after that. But if it weren't for her and her decision to protect human life - I would not have my family.