A problem with Socialism

I think may be few people who would suggest that they think people should be permitted to get something for nothing.  People who provide the monies for others to be given money and resources (in most cases, the government) are not interested in there not being a “free ride”.  It does suck that when someone is paid at least one-third of their paycheck is gone.  As Chris Rock said, “Taxes as all high and shit.  You don’t pay taxes, the government takes taxes!  It’s a jack, you get your check and the money is gone.”  At the very least, in many people’s mind, if everyone is being jacked at the same proportion it is fair.  After all, the IRS is going to get their money; ask Elliot Ness, it’s how he was able to get Al Capone, but I digress.  Part of living in a community is being part of that community; giving and taking from that community.

In most communities, the weak and the poor have a face.  That face is similar to the strong and the wealthy; this makes it easier to give.  These successful communities are small and are filled with people who you see often.  Even online communities, the members of the community interact often with each other.  Because the strong and wealthy members see their own reflection in the weak and poor and they see them (or interact with them) often it is easy for them to donate assistance and/or money, in fact, they often feel responsible to assist as the weak and poor are parts of similar groups be it a religious group, rotary, gym, PTO, or even a self help group.  With little hesitation, donations and assistance of money and resources are given.  Willfully these donations are presented; the weak and the poor are grateful for these donations, I have been the recipient of such community donation for a needed health care many years ago.  The key word in this interaction is “willful”.  The donations are not a jack, they are not taken unevenly and the people who give have control over where it is going; self-serving as it may be (even gaining gratitude from the recipient, this is a value), the people who donate are spreading their resources in the manners they see fit.  These generous activities and sharing of resources follow the tenants of socialism

The successful communities tend to be small.  The larger the community the more difficult it is for the help to be given.  The larger the community the more waste there is in the processing of resources.  Living in a global community there is going to be a lot of waste.  As a member of the strong and wealthy (relatively speaking) I too agree that I’m not interested in sharing resources and having much of it wasted especially when I have no control over the taking of the hard earned money or where it is distributed.  Is it true that I hope when I am weak and poor that the I will be able to gain assistance from the community, but I am not going to hold my breath.

If I have the misfortune of becoming sick to the point where I cannot work or having some disabling injury, I cannot afford to pay for the attached ballooning medical charges.  A trouble with socialism is that when it comes to such a large community as health care there is a lot of waste (and I’m not even going to get started with the greed and price gouging taking place), this waste has NOTHING to do with Republicans or Democrats, the trouble is not how to pay for health care, the trouble is how to get it to not be so wasteful and cost so much.  I’m not sure there is an answer on such a large scale…

As a teacher, I like to push people’s opinions.  I think it is important to make people uncomfortable with their opinions because that allows them to understand their views better and maybe even become more resolute in their views.  Consider this: your personal opinion on immigrants. Usually a Republican; arguments against immigrants have been that there are people in this country, Veterans who are homeless (injuries while in service as well as not being healthy due to PTSD) for instance, who need help first. THIS argument is an argument for socialism.  Generally speaking: Republicans = capitalism, Democrats = socialism.  I push against this idea because as a member of a global community we need to deal with the uncomfortable problem of the weak and poor (stay tuned for the hypocrisy of the Democratic argument).  It doesn’t take much to go from strong and wealthy to weak and poor: a lab test with an unfortunate diagnosis, a drunk driver causing you a disabling injury, results of military service or even something like your savings being stolen.  Who will you rely upon…?