January 30, 2012

If Ron Paul Is So 'Nutty,' Why Is He Right About So Many Things?



The Amazingly Accurate Predictions of Ron Paul...Listen 'Till the End and You'll Be Shocked!



If Ron Paul is right on so many issues and Congress and the other Candidates are wrong on the same issues, doesn't that mean that Ron Paul is the ONLY Candidate right for the Presidency?

connectingdots1
June 12, 2011

This video reveals Ron Paul's opinion about the "housing bubble" in 2002 and 2007, his opinion of the rationale and threat from Iraq in 2002, his amazing statement in 2007 at a presidential debate that Osama bin Ladin was hiding in Pakistan, and additional predictions that are coming true today.

If you're tired of electing officials who don't know what they are doing, take a look at Ron Paul. No other candidate for President has his principled voting record, and nobody else has his amazingly accurate record of predictions (culled from his knowledge of history and the Austrian school of economics).







Ron Paul: Right on TSA, Still Wrong for the Presidency

By Bob Bartelby, Yahoo! Contributor Network
January 30, 2012

I've made no bones about saying that Texas Congressman Ron Paul is nuttier than a chipmunk, but now and again, even a blind chipmunk stumbles on a nut. So it is in the case of Rep. Paul vs. the Transportation Security Agency.

During an interview on CNN on Sunday, Paul spoke about the TSA: "You know, when you look at some of these pictures of probing groin areas and breast areas and all this, and old women having to take their clothes off, if we as a people are so complacent that we can look at that and say 'Oh, that's OK. They're making us safe.' It doesn't make us safe."

Paul is right. It's absurd that you have to be at the airport, for example, in Los Angeles, while your plane is still refueling in Dallas because of the horrendous amount of time it takes to have a government official grope you, all so you can cram yourself into rows of seats with people free from the worry that you might blow up.

We also cram people into rows of seats in movie theaters, trains, buses, classrooms, stadiums and concert halls. And we don't even screen them, no less grope them. Planes are inherently no more dangerous. They merely move fast. Paul is right on the money.

Paul is right about a lot of things. He's right, for example, about the drug policy. According to the Los Angeles Times, he believes it should be left to the states. It's costing us too much money for too little gain. He's right.

He's also right on Israel. According to Reuters, Paul says Israel should look after itself. He's right, if for no other reason than it acts autonomously, against our efforts toward peace, but then still expects our unmitigated support. There's nothing in it for us.

Paul is right about a lot of things, but he's wrong for the presidency. Why? Quite simply, he has one of the worst records in Congress for the passage of his agenda. The presidency is entirely about leadership, and almost nothing about ideas. He has some great ideas, but here's the catch: No one in government is following him, and they haven't for the duration of his lengthy legislative career.

Oppositional defiance is valuable, but it's not leadership. America needs a leader, and Paul's record proves he's not the guy for the job.

The following are just the first few pages of the more than 1200 responses to this contributor's piece on Yahoo!:

More controlled Nazi like media putting the US Constitution down as usually. Ron Paul obeys and protect our Constitution unlike the corrupt elite. How can anyone sit here and down a man who want the people to have the say in what happens in our Country and not a bunch of money and power hungry people who think they are Gods. We need a very big change in this Country and Ron Paul is the only one that will do what he says. The elite are scared to death of Ron Paul and people are starting to see even our media is bias and corrupt and ran by tyrants.

Bob Bartelby you disparately need to learn about America, and what makes her so great!
Ron Paul is the best person to be Presidents! All the other candidates are just more Corrupt Status Quo Pawns ! They will continue to do what Bush and Obama have done to America !... I'm sure you have access to Yahoo Search or G00gle! So look up: "Ron Paul predictions that came true"

So what your essentially saying is a "leader" is going to lead by FOLLOWING the status quo?

He has some great ideas, but here's the catch: No one in government is following him.
This is why I will vote for Ron Paul 2012. Go Ron Paul.

that is until your rights to free speech are revoked, your firearms are confiscated and you are called an enemy of the state, rounded up by the cia, nsa or military and taken to a prison camp indefinitely without being charged or due process. then you will wish you had voted for ron paul.

Bob Bartelby is an idiot ! It never ceases to amaze me what passes for journalism these days.He says Ron Paul shouldn't be president because he can't get any of his ideas put into place ?The reason he can't get anything passed is because he is the ONLY politician that ISN'T bought and paid for ! Did you read one of the other articles about how ALL the politicos currently in Congress and the House are concerned that they will lose their cushy jobs next election ? with Congress approval ratings at only 11-13% They should!!I hope all the Sheople wake the #$%$ up and make it so. They ALL need to go!! If we start fresh MAYBE then Ron Paul could turn this country's sad state of affairs around. RON PAUL 2012 !!!!!!

The hypnotist/author basically says that Ron Paul is right on issues buy would prefer you vote for the lying, paid off frauds with the big bank backing.

Dr. Ron Paul (notice I didn't say Lawyer, Ron Paul) is the only person running that is concerned about our Constitution. Look at this mans voting record, he will not take the medical care when retiring, or the retirement, how many others have said this. Newt Gingrich wrote the forward to the book "Creating a New Civilization" which says the Constitution is outdated and needs to be replaced. Mitt Romney is not conservative enough for me. Rick hasn't gotten the support to make it much longer. So the only one running is the Conservative Constitutionalist Ron Paul that I would trust to run the Country. He is right on every issue. Don't trust the media they are trying to pick your President. We were told Iowa was the most important primary, then New Hampshire, then S. Carolina, now Florida, they can't make up their minds what is important or who is right about anything. Look into who owns all the major media in this Country and you will find only 5 names...Do your own investigations and don't trust the media. Check the voting records yourself.

It amazes me the number of people in this country who honestly believe that a vote for any of those MSM wanna be presidents is gonna change the status quo. Can that many sheople really be that clueless ?

Quite simply, he has one of the worst records in Congress for the passage of his agenda. hey, poindexter. the reason he didn't get more of his proposals passed is because his proposals were in favor of eliminating "business as usual" would you cut your own throat? of course they voted against his legislation. everybody wants change, but not if they have to contribute.

I'm beginning to think these "commentary" articles on Ron Paul are posted just to rile up Paul supporters. The comments after each essay are overwhelmingly by Paul supporters who are outraged by the media repeatedly trying to tell us who we're going to vote for. I'm torn between being mad that they keep running such stupid stories, and happy that they help keep the Ron Paul fires burning.

If he looked like Clooney, he'd be the next President. People vote the image, not the man.

Few in government follow Ron Paul because his ideas are contrary to the continuance of the enlarged government that the typical career politicians want to develop, regardless of what they say they want. His agenda only hurts those who have been unfairly helped.

This is what Yahoo passes for journalism???!!! HAHAHAHA, what a hypocrite author, you say he is right on TSA but he shouldn't be president because we can't have someone with logic and a brain running the country. We need more war right?

Ron Paul is the ONLY one of these idiots that offer up viable solutions to our many problems. the rest of these clowns are just fine with spending our way into 3rd world status. trying to maintain an empire with a bloated military budget. stripping citizens of basic rights such as privacy and due process.

The author is obviously part of the same media machine that will do anything to make Paul lose! What a propaganda hack job! Go RP!

Wow...how ridiculous is this? Ron Paul is right...but he'll vote for someone else??!!!! THIS is exactly the mentality that puts people like Obama in the presidency...gee..he lies so well..and he's not bad looking...yep..let's elect him..doesn't matter if he doesn't have clue, right?

Bob Bartelby still clueless about the constitution, sound money and foreign policy.

Given that the only difference between the Democrats and Republicans except who they market to, I will only vote for Ron Paul. He is the only candidate from either side who is truly different from every other in that he will actually do what he says. If he doesn't win then I don't care who does.

Wow. This author, while claiming that Ron Paul is right on numerous amounts of issues, still says he shouldn't be president. Absurd!!! If you agree with someone's policies why condemn them?? You might see you will agree with most of what he has to say. Does this Bob guy want to vote in another lobbying liar, that says one thing and does whatever he wants. C'mon Bob!!

So the author thinks Ron Paul is right on most of the issues but is wrong to be president because the members of congress seldom support his legislation and would rather continue down the wrong path. How stupid is that?

Actually Bob, it 's lack of leadership that has gotten us this far, perhaps you don't think we've reached a crisis yet?

Bob Bartelby: How in the world do you even call yourself an objective news person? The simple fact that our country is so far removed from the leadership that it was founded under and you say Ron Paul has not pass anything in Congress is completely missing the point. How do you think we got in the mess our country is in now. By not listening to the men that stand by what our founding fathers laid out in our constitution. We have a man that has tried for over twenty years to stop the cancer eating away at this once proud country and you say and I quote “No one in government is following him, and they haven't for the duration of his lengthy legislative career". I laugh out loud at your views, maybe if the corrupt money grabbing two party so called legislators we have would have listened to his warnings of this collapse he has been preaching for years we might have avoided much of it. It is not his leadership that Ron Paul lacks, its true honest political guts in congress that is lacking. I won't even go into the disgraceful ways the national News Media make a living, I think the American people are starting to wake up to their lies. Go find an honest job and see if anyone will hire you.

Funny how Ron Paul is always right about every single issue going on in the country but is referred to as nutty, insane, dangerous, etc.... Whats nutty is attacking Iraq for 911 when they had nothing to do with it, whats insane is trying to spend your way out of debt, whats dangerous is letting the government take away all your rights... But i'm crazy as hell and am voting for Ron Paul......

"Paul is right about a lot of things, but he's wrong for the presidency. Why? Quite simply, he has one of the worst records in Congress for the passage of his agenda." So when the entire Congress (with the exception of RON PAUL) creates 15 trillion of debt by continuously voting for deficit spending you say RON PAUL is wrong for the Presidency because he lacks leadership skills. I think what we really need is a mass sterilization program to rid the country of half-wits like the author of this article. That's what's really wrong with the country. The vast majority of the people are stupid!

No one in govt is following him........Why????? He is the worst nightmare for politicians. He tells it like it is, his ideas cut spending, calls for fewer people in govt, and shows the American people what can be done if politicians just work for the people of this country instead of working to increase their bank account!!

Bob Bartelby coming around. He knows Ron Paul is in it for the people unlike the others.

He's wrong because of his poor record of passing things in Congress...Wait, is this the same Congress with an approval rating in the teens? The Constitution and freedom brings people together...and so would be the case with Ron Paul as president.

Ron is the only man fit for the job Bob. Obviously you know that or this would read Santorum bla bla bla ... That is absurd logic, and I don't even support Paul all that much. To say someone is not a leader because he has no followers is to say leadership has to start with mainstream ideas. I guess Patrick Henry wasn't much of a leader, by this logic.

Bob (the author) is like most other clueless Americans, they vote based on the status quo, good looks, or speaking ability, and ignore what matters most, the Constitution. They seem to love Paul's view on policy, but just 'can't' vote for him because he's a 'dweeb'. That, my friend, is pure ignorance.

Paul would obviously have a much bigger bully pulpit as President than just as lowly congressman from Texas. It's easier to get people to follow your agenda when you're POTUS!

Actually, I think he would make a Great President. He has his ego under control, zero greed, totally honest and right about everything. Minnesota is going for Ron Paul....big...join us and climb on board the Peace Train.

I'm a 55 year old democrat who switched party's to support RON PAUL in 2012. Every time some new sleazy article like this one comes out against RON PAUL my family sends in a new Donation to the RON PAUL campaign. My family will vote for Ron Paul even if we have to write his name in. GO RON PAUL.

I'll say it again, if the Republicans want to have any chance at beating Obama they will nominate Ron Paul for the mere fact that he IS so right on so many things. The American people want their country back. If he is not nominated I will cast a write in vote.

Man!, They are really afraid of this guy!....Ron Paul 2012

If Paul loses the nomination, the republicans lose the election. I'll gladly vote for a third party candidate like Gary Johnson over any of those other clowns. And I'm not alone. The GOP knows this, and they're terrified of it. The "Republican Nightmare" already came true. These fools have 2 choices... Change, or get left in the dust.

Its this commentary and selection of " news" articles that has me on the way out with Yahoo. Terrible quality and liberal slant. Logic is completely absent in this article. Ron Paul is right on most everything but not a leader? Did it cross his mind that Ron Paul consistently votes liberty and against the established powers? Might be why very little passes.

when people spend as much time running Ron Paul down must be something there, like if you see alot of smoke , must be a fire some where, well these guys are really scared of something and that makes Ron Paul just right for my vote, how about yours?

Who gives a #$%$ about your opinion Bob Bartelby....We are grown up adults, and I might add are quite capable of summing up the candidates without your help! Ron Paul is the one we should be voting for, but make no mistake, Romney and Co has the election sewn up! Money buys just about everything....

Yahoo sucks, how many hit pieces has Yahoo allowed on Mitt and Neuter?

No one in our government listening to Dr. Paul? They don't listen because they don't want their cushy world to come crashing down like so many American peoples lives have. It is time for a change. The economic disparity in this country is because our government wants it to be that way. Of course THEY don't listen but the American people are FINALLY taking notice. If you are tired of being thrown under the bus for the benefit of our current government vote Dr. Ron Paul in 2012. The doctor will free you now.

Congressional record does not mean a thing. Did you ever think that Ron Paul couldn't get anything passed because of working with jerkoffs with the same mentality as Jon Corzine and Henry Kissinger? People who are basically either owned by corporate lobbyists or control what the lobbyists are actually lobbying for? Come on now.

How anti Semitic of you to even suggest the TSA is wrong. It was the multi million dollar boondoggle Congress endorsed so that former "homeland" security director Chertoff, also a citizen of Israel, could make millions while irradiating dumb Americans who accept everything spoon-fed to them by media mavens. For you to throw a stone at TSA is to throw a stone at Israel and all those wonderful chosen people who occupy our intel, military leadership, academia, media and financial community. Our nation is now booming and prosperous because of the leadership Chertoff and his fellow citizens insisted on having over us....

Dr. Paul is not nuttier then a fruit cake...he is a true America who see that the policies of the Bush era are wrong and rob the Citizens of our Nation of the Constitutional rights. Ron Paul needs to win the nomination for the Presidency, our President Obama will win in a landslide. The Republican party's only hope is RON PAUL.

How can you agree with most of what Ron Paul stands for and then say he isn't fit for the Oval Office. The false statement that NO ONE supports Ron Paul in Congress... Some do, the ones who do support him are the politicians who aren't BOUGHT and PAID for like every other #$%$ politician. He's not fit for the Oval Office because the zombies don't follow him? He goes against the status quo! Of course they wouldn't. Him being in office would hurt their wallets. The simple truth is, mainstream media throws Ron Paul on the back burner and feeds the sheeple this propaganda because they know the public will eat it up. No one wants to back a 'losing horse' so by beating it into their heads that "he can't win" makes people think "well voting for him would be a waste since he 'cant win'" Wake up people, stand up for what's right... stand up for YOUR rights... Stand up for the Constitution, that piece of paper that made this Country what it once was.

They don't learn not to bash Paul. If the writer of this article represented the will of the majority, he would not have written this article. He only represents his owners. Not the People

It is a waste of time answering this supposed writer. A man who can't see or understand. A man who knows nothing of the history of our country. Of the many who died to protect the same papers and Idiology Ron Paul is defending. What a shame he cant hear the truth when it is right in front of him I will vote for my principles and the future of our children RON PAUL 2012

Ron Paul is the ONLY one I will vote for. Even if I have to write him in. All the others are just more of the same, and "more of the same" isn't and hasn't been working.

Who is right for the presidency? I think I'll decide for myself and not let the MEDIA pick it for me like millions of other people do. My vote is , Ron Paul . I personally think he's right for the presidency, and right on TSA. My name is Tim and I approve this message.

He is right on with all of his policy stances, just not right for president? What a lame article! Do your editors even review this drivel you writers get to print? That is like saying broccoli is a really great, cancer fighting food, and very healthy to eat but McDonald's is more visually appealing and tastes better to the general public, so that is what's better for us.

GOP scared that Ron Paul supporters go to Independent! Wow...Independent thinkers whom don't tow the party line...I'll be 55 this year and I have never heard another politician put everything on the line for the ordinary people...That this quirky, (and I say that with the utmost respect as he is just like you and I) Gentleman from Texas should come forth and respect the peoples wishes is unprecedented in today's World...Voting with the Heart and Loving the Freedom ...Knowing we did what was right and against the wishes of the "So-called Powers that Be"...Be Proud Independents and all those that left the Flock of Sheep...Be Proud...Ron Paul...2012 and Beyond...The Year the Citizens Take Back"

Another opinion piece from the Yahoo Contributors Network which, as I've said before, I also wrote for. I'm a Ron Paul supporter and none of my articles ever saw the light of day. So much for unbiased reporting. The writer starts of by his "nuttier that a chipmunk" screed and later says that Ron Paul is right on a lot of things. Dr. Paul's record in Congress is a function of principle in the face of bought-and-paid-for ( much of it by AIPAC funding), earning him the title Dr. No. Not fit for the presidency? Are we to suppose that Clinton, G. W. Bush, and Obama represent fitness for this high office? Clinton gave us NAFTA and GATT, Bush gave us two disastrous wars, Homeland Security (modeled after the Gestapo), and a record national debt. Obama has shown himself to be a two-faced political wonk who made a lot of promises that he didn't follow up on; in fact he is even a bigger war monger than Dubya was, and has ballooned the national debt even higher. Ron Paul is the peoples' choice for smaller government, getting rid of the TSA and the Federal Reserve, bringing the troops home, and returning this nation to Constitutional principles.

THAT'S your reason for not wanting him to be president?! So, he has all of the right values and ideals, but you don't want him to be president because no one else in Washington does?! That is a terrible argument

On one side you have lawyers, car salesmen, bankers, corporate CEOs, lobbyist, self serving politicians, and on the other side you have honest hard working tax paying citizens and Ron Paul. Guess who wins.

We used to be the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Now we are simply sheep. TSA exists in contradiction the Constitution and Bill of Rights. These mall cop rejects should all be given their walking papers and sent to the unemployment line. They don't make us safer. They just make us all into lamb chops.

What a confusing article. Make up your mind... Don't write an article about how someone is soooo bad for the presidency and then say, but I agree with him in regards to just about everything that he stands for. Yahoo, I understand that you have fallen victim to corporate bias that pads your pockets, but I think you can ease up on Ron for just a bit.

I don't support all Ron Paul's ideas but he is the only one who seams to care more about the people than any other candidate. He even seams to be honest and that's unique in politics. It is true that if he becomes president he will have very little power.

This report is bias just like all mainstream media. He's right about everything but he isn't a leader. Right now a leader of con artists is not what America needs. We need our voice "We The People" to be heard in Washington D.C. It needs to ring out and send shivers down their corrupt little spines. They need to be reminded their job is on the line. Getting rid of one corrupt politician is extremely valuable in doing this. The next step is to refill the entire process with fresh recruits willing to make a difference. And trust me there are literally thousands of qualified applicants. So yes Ron Paul isn't a strong leader of con artists. But his voice carriers the weight of his fellow countrymen. Washington D.C. Get The Memo!!!!

Ron Paul is right on the TSA, right of foreign policy, right on monetary policy, right on the drug war, right on just about everything else, and absolutely right for the presidency. Ron Paul 2012!!!

Hey, Bob Bartelby, you ignorant Boob. Ever hear of the presidential VETO? Or the BULLY PULPIT? Under what rock did they find you?

The reason he can't get anything through is because his legislation would take money out of other politicians pockets. Those people aren't there for us, they are there for themselves. They are there for the power and entitlement. Ron Paul is there for America. Check his record. Quit believing what the media tells you to believe and look with your own eyes. If you can't see what is going on, then you are the one that is nuttier than that chipmunk's s**t

When I first found Yahoo there was a lot more truth then this crap, Get some one who will state facts, not their own view, or may be we will find a site that will

LOL! That is awesome. So if Ron Paul is against the establishment and the only way to get laws supported in the legislative branch is to pander to the establishment then why his lack of support a bad thing? He doesn't trade votes, he votes on his principals. Maybe instead of saying that Ron Paul can't get people to do things we need to instead get rid of the House and Senate and start over. Maybe it is all of the other elected officials who are the problem instead of Ron Paul?

Ron Paul is right about the TSA, about Israel, about the drug policy, and all these issues, but he's wrong for the presidency??? Wow, Bob, you're an IDIOT.

A vote for Ron Paul would be a step in the right direction. What is it going to take to unite the rest of our country? Consider Dr. Paul and start feeling better.

Bob, you also forgot to mention the corruption of the two party system. No leadership necessary as long as you play to stay, look at ONada. ONada had one badly written piece of legislation, Ron Paul has written approximately 297 pieces. Their is no place for integrity and honor in the White House. Why disturb the apple cart when you have a good thing going?

Mr. Bob Bartelby fails to recognize that Dr. Ron Paul has voted consistently against big government, and as such, Mr. Bartelby is wrong in this article, as Ron Paul was voting the way he believed this country should be run, its called Constitutional law and Liberty.

Yahoo= 0 Ron Paul= 1470, I recommend- Get the story right and do your historical research.
Vote Dr. Ron Paul 2012 is a vote against Obama, Gingrich, Romney, and Big Government.
Ron Paul is a vote for Constitutional restoration in this country and FREEDOM.

The author's thesis that Ron Paul would not be a good President because he hasn't authored many bills that have become law is sheer lunacy, and shows how bamboozled the general public has become on the nature of law. Did we have enough laws lat year? What about the year before, and the year before, and the year before, and ...? How did we get along ten years ago without all the thousands of laws that have been enacted since then? It is crazy to think that the best Congressmen are the ones who "get something done" (i.e. create more laws). There are far too many laws, and what Congress should be doing is repealing them. The best Congressmen are those who file bills to get rid of laws. That has always been the main focus for Ron Paul. Get US out of the UN, and get the UN out of the US. Otherwise, all liberty will be lost.

Let me see, so our politicians are so F'd up on agendas and vote count that they have disregarded the constitution and have been worse than an 18yr old in handling their financials, but we should vote someone in that doesn't go against the sheep. We should vote someone in that keeps those money hungry blood suckers (both left and right) following. This article makes me want to vote for Ron more than ever. I'm ready for CHANGE. You know, the thing that Obama's last candidacy ran on? You are truly an idiot BOB. Lets not fix the system, lets vote someone in that will make all the other politicians warm and fuzzy so we can pass BS laws. You should run for President, you would fit right in. Keep pushing our government to hell.

Why hasn't the media told you about Ron Paul's recent endorsements? Yahoo writer's would rather give their opinion than report the truth.

Of course few in government are following Ron Paul,they are too busy sniffing the money trail
and setting themselves up for reelection! Dr, Paul's agenda is to get back to the Constitution
and the People's, Bill Of Rights. Don't be fooled. Time is running out. Vote Ron Paul!!! The
Only choice !

"I've made no bones about saying that Texas Congressman Ron Paul is nuttier than a chipmunk," The fine state of journalism today again reflected by Yahoo. They should be oh so proud of their contribution to a civilized discussion of the issues facing the country today. By all means folks take a bow for another outstanding piece of dung article posing as news.

If the writer of this article quits writing ~ he might start to know what leadership is about!

Why cant we vote yahoo articles down like comments?? I'm sure this smear/smutty "article" would wither away quickly. So I guess self reliance, and honoring the Constitution is nutty now huh. Well look at other countries and study the past.. see where big powerful govt got them. Most are begging for scraps.

Give the guy a new congress to work with. The current system does not work . Flush the toilet.

The approval rating of Congress is 8-9%. The 90+% of our federal elected officials are the ones who are the example of poor leadership and should be lumped in with Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. If there is one thing the general public can rally around, it's the concepts of Freedom, Liberty, and following the laws of the U.S. Constitution.

Why is everyone afraid of Dr Paul? Because he tells the truth about many issues and is not in the "status quo" If anyone has any common sense then they will vote for him. Ask yourself this: "What exactly did Obama do before he got in"? At least Dr Paul has a plan to get the American people out of this mess. Enough said: Vote for Dr Paul 2012

When I first found Yahoo there was a lot more truth then this crap, Get some one who will state facts, not their own view, or may be we will find a site that will

I wonder how much people get paid to write negative things about Ron Paul. It must be quit a bit because there are a lot of people writing a lot of bull on the internet.

In essence Ron Paul is wrong for the presidency because congress is controlled by lobbyists, can't wait to watch the whole corrupt system collapse!

I cannot believe these words appear on my screen, written by a person who can functionally tie their shoes. Paul's ideas are "Right on the money" but because the rest of the losers in office don't agree, they are too busy lining their pockets. Dr. Paul is "Wrong for the Presidency." Of coarse!!!!! Why couldn't I see it, we need a President that the thieves will follow, someone more like the thieves, now that will solve all of our problems. You know what the scary part of all of this is don't you?

Whoa....hold on stallion !!! Not so fast. You say that Ron Paul is not right for the Presidency but over the last few decades, our country has been marauded and toyed around with like a yo-yo by the leaders we have had. Maybe Paul is a bit different, but that might not be such a bad thing. Evidently all you want is one of those smiley-faced polished candidates who will smooth talk the electorate and then take their lunch. Have you ever thought that perhaps the other leaders were too corrupt or opinionated to listen to what the man was saying ? I say give him a chance. And after all, you did point out some of his well thought out ideas.

So what from what I understand from this article, is that we don't need a person with ideas that might turn this country around and put us on the right track to what America stands for and our Constitution but instead we just vote for someone that has a poor track record and the "support" from their party?

Ron Paul has the right idea about what role the government needs to play, as opposed to the other candidates that are just spewing whatever from that orifice on their face just to be in the spotlight. Candidates are only saying they are anti-this or pro-that just to gain an idiot vote. Haven't heard anything more about how they will help the average American.

great ideas and a poor president ? ok whatever .....

Also as President he doesn't have to pass bills anymore, he gets to veto all the stupid ones that our congress tries to pass stealing our money.

It just doesn't matter to me...... say what they will.... I, will still vote for "Ron Paul" in 2012 rather than vote in another Baby Bush jr, or Obama both of whom love their war machines.

Ron Paul is the only one who understands we can't borrow ourselves out of debt. Why are we paying interest to the Federal Reserve Bank anyway? All they did was key some numbers into a computer, and we pay interest for THAT. Why? Ron Paul 2012!!!!

Let's start a movement. Let's all write in Ron Paul and destroy the Republican Party for marginalizing him. They're no different than the democrats anyway.

Ron Paul is NOT represented by any of the many special interest groups. His agenda is for LESS government, so why would Congress support him when he's trying to limit their power?

Author: Paul has one of worst records for passing of his agenda.
Both republicans and democrats voted for NAFTA, GATT, NDAA and other draconian pieces of legislation, which illustrates what kind of tyrants we have in Congress. It is of no surprise to me that Dr. Paul is in sharp disagreement with them. The author claims that Paul lacks leadership. Paul stands up for that which is right. What should the author have Paul do, introduce legislation which further strips us of our Constitutional rights?

Hey!!!! Commentary, You can stick it where the sun doesn't shine!!!!....Where the hell have you been? IF GOVERNMENT has been so #$%$ great and then why the HELL is this country in shambles....WAKE UP!!!! Ron Paul is best suited for the job...MORE THEN any other candidate running...You mean to tell me that because the idiots he worked side by side as 12 term Congressmen is worthy of their endorsement?!?!? They're the ones that made a HUGE MESS of things...WOW!!! Out standing!!,,,,I'm convinced it's people like YOU!!! that are just dieing to see see this country fall...She's on her knees now...She just needs one more blow to the head and she's done for. Just LOOK at our economy!!!!...I can't stand people like YOU!!!

wait wait. so since our corrupt dysfunctional government doesn't support him? but the people support his ideas... hes not a leader? sounds like a helluva leader to me. cleanse the system

I'll make no bones about. Bob Bartelby is just another out-house commentator, stinkier than a ton of fresh cow patties. When the public speaks on Ron Paul's behalf, The congress won't have any other choice than to listen. Spread some crap elsewhere, Billy Bob!

Ron Paul: Right on TSA and just about Everything Else Too.

Another Yahoo contributor who states from the first sentence that he's biased against Ron Paul ... no objectivity ... nor journalism credentials ... just someone farting out of his mouth ... or in this case through his pen.

You must not be noticing the MEGA HUGE crowds Dr. Paul is pulling while on the campaign trail. His supporters won't vote for anyone else. The Revolution is coming, so you may as well get ready Bob.

f you bob-if i did my job as poorly as you did - i wouldn't even be able to collect unemployment after being fired-your truly a pathetic journalist working for a truly pathetic news outlet

I think it's time to stop using yahoo. I have seen too many ridiculous, biased articles. The media loves to point out Congress' faults, but the media is just as complicit in ruining the country. When you write biased articles about Ron Paul, just remember that all those war veterans coming home in caskets or with artificial limbs and head injuries are on your conscience.

Congress has screwed this country up for the last 50 years. If congress doesn't agree with his actions that only serves to give him credibility. Here's the best part though, as Commander in Chief he wouldn't need Congress to bring ALL the troops home and shut down the entire military industrial complex. Then our troops could patrol our borders and defend us the way they were sworn to do. As president Dr. Paul wouldn't need congress to end the FDA, TSA, DoD, DoE etc. He could just do it. This is what they don't want you to know.

He may be our only chance to remove Obama. Romney and Newt are the same empty suit. Americans may finally be ready for straight talk.

This is the second anti-Paul opinion piece from this guy in a week. Really Yahoo? How about balancing it out a bit...

America does need a leader, but he has to be intelligent enough to know where to lead us--like Ron Paul. You would take just anyone and leadership is more important than where we are going? You can keep your George Bush and Obama leading us into a ditch. Ron Paul seems to be leading the revolution well enough. If enough people join, he will be the leader and our movement is growing every day. Ron Paul could not lead on this front before because we had not come to a crisis yet where people would wake up to what the Big Banks are doing. Goldman Saks and Morgan Stanley etc.... who got the bailout are also those who support the President's (Obama and Romney contributors). So, until the actual people wake up, all we could have is the status quo. People wake up! Ron Paul speaks truth!

I believe the point of the story is that our federal government is wasting Billions of dollars on some kind of "war on terror" or "war on drugs" or "war on whatever" We as a nation can and must find better solutions to these problems. Let's try to find out what "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness " really means.

Wouldn't one argue that having great ideas that everyone agrees with, but that Republicans and Democrats both will not pass, is the definition of why he should be President? If he proposes ideas and Congress will not pass them, the people of America will vote in Congressmen to get the job done. Every one of his ideas are great. Every single one. His voting record in Congress is impressive to say the least. Get a life you 4th rate blogger.

He agrees and then #$%$ es ? Wants it both ways I guess. HEY BOB ! Who else do you recommend to get us out of this mess ? More of the same o same o as Mitt and Newt are ?Either one of these two will have us in a war with Iran in about one year. For me it is getting hard to tell a democrat from a republican, really not a big difference at all anymore.

Wonder how much money he was paid to write that article ? All of our media is bought and paid for. Now we know where all that stimulus bail out money is going.

If Ron Paul cannot defeat Pres. Obama then why aren't the liberals trying their damndest to make sure that he is the Republican nominee?

Hard to pass any agendas when everyone is against you.

Last Friday night, Yahoo finally posted the first almost entirely positive article on Dr. Paul. By Sunday, it's deleted. By Monday morning, today, there's this. It's so obvious of the media's hate on Dr. Paul that it frightens me.

Its to bad but come election day a lot of American People will be on prozac... and you know who will get their votes..... and it won't be Ron Paul.... Ron Paul attracts those of us who want something better for our America then who we have had for the last 20 years.

Washington doesn't like Ron Paul for a few reasons corporate lobbyist he wants gone that's the republicans he wants big government gone too that's the democrats. He would be a great leader because he's honest and a constitutionalist.

If Ron Paul does not the the nomination. I suggest everyone who supports Ron Paul write him in on the ballot. It really does not matter who at that point gets to be president, Democrat or Republican, we are still spoon fed the same crap. Case in point TSA. George Bush supported it so does Obama. Romney will and so will Newt. 2nd example. The Patriot Act. Put in place under George Bush, re-enacted under Obama. The American people are being played like a cheap Guitar. Ron Paul is the only chance we have to change this mess.

So that is like saying China has great leaders because they all follow one an others lead but let one man or woman stand up for freedom and they are wrong? This writer says Ron Paul is right about so many things but no one wants to follow his lead how sad to even write that maybe that is the problem we have the wrong leaders making to many deals and getting richer by the moment and putting america behind there own selfish thinking

Utterly unbelievable how the truly good man in the race for president is proclaimed to be bad. Shame on all the liars who promote the war of unsavory politicians against the truth seeking citizens. The lies continue to build with articles such as this pile of dung.

Bob forgets the power of the people and the effect of the bully pulpit, ya know, all the things Obama SQUANDERED when he took the rein...politicians have to cow tow to the public, if the public is on board, so are politicians or they are out of a job... Ron Paul is putting out the ideas, but its up to US to make them happen. This is where O failed, and Paul could win. Nobody in congress is following him but he's got it right, to me that sounds like the others have been wrong for 20 years. You have to be strong to stand alone and not get swept up in the tide of failed policies.

So a candidate is wrong because he has "great ideas" but can't get them passed because of the rest of the crooked politicians he surrounded by? This is EXACTLY what's wrong with this Country! The system is broken! I'm writing this man in because he does have great ideas!

I'd say that by the comments here, this article FAILED to undermine and deter majority opinion about Ron Paul. RON PAUL 2012.

Ron Paul is the only candidate with a different philosophy and logic set than the others. It seems clear to me that we need this different approach, or we will just continue to slide into the abyss. Any other option leaves us status quo.

Anyone that states that Ron Paul is not right for the Presidency is absolutely WRONG. Absolutely. He's exactly what we need. Then the needy would be cared for and the people who have been stealing our money would be the ones out in the cold for a change. If that is radical to you, then so be it. If you cant see this, you can not in any way be an American Patriot. No Way... What he stands for are the most important issues, period. Without liberty and freedom they'll be no more accomplished. All he wants to do is take the Federal government out of your every day life and put decisions on more personal issues in the hands of the people in the states where its easier for us to keep the field level and fair. The biggest problem with the American people today is the government has made us all cowards and it would appear that what we fear most is having to think for ourselves again. Not me, I choose Liberty. You too have choices, stop being a coward and decide that you too want to be a real American citizen again. In the land of the free, and once again the brave.........

I am not much of a Ron Paul supporter but so far he is the closest to keeping the Constitution together. All the other clowns openly want to tear it apart

"Paul is right about a lot of things, but he's wrong for the presidency. Why? Quite simply, he has one of the worst records in Congress for the passage of his agenda." His agenda is to follow the Constitution, or in other words, to take his oath of office literally and seriously. In my opinion, that makes him a leader. The rest of the elected officials should follow his lead. He leads by example.

Ron Paul is the ONLY candidate talking about CUTTING spending. The others don't because all their friends would take the hit. Wake Up America!

So often we hear people say, effectively, "Paul is right on this subject I studied, but sounds goofy on other things." This seems to apply to every principle and issue. If people are not able to trust other experts, maybe they should broaden what they study. There are simple principles of liberty, economics, practicality and morality behind Paul principles, so that should not be too hard.

Dear Bob Hartley. Have a nice vacation with what the GOP paid you for slamming Ron again. Hes been right about everything, yet you, their mouth pieces keep saying hes wrong for the job. You keep twisting everything he says. I still run into people saying they don't like his foreign policy. What on earth are you telling people? I'm so tired of the lies, and I'm tired of stupid people who don't research things for themselves.

If Abraham Lincoln was a candidate today, he'd be the butt of the media's jokes. Scary huh?

everyone but ron is ready for war with iran. obama or romney will keep the fed running making money come out of nowhere for no reason.govt will get bigger ,more checkpoints. obama/romney one in the same. i'll be voting ron no matter what.RON PAUL 2012!

Congress wouldn't dare get in the way of bills he proposes if he were elected by the people, they would be scared by the reaction of people to their obvious ignorance to the issues. And a President that believes the people have the right to take these people out of office. Look at what happened to the SOPA bill that went back to the drawing board do to the peoples reaction.

And I've made no bones about the fact that I'm tired of your propagandist articles Bob Bartelby. Why don't you have some guts and write an article exploring how unconstitutional the NDAA bill is?

RON PAUL 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he cant get bills through because the congress is bought by special interests. with Paul's presidency, more people with libertarian views will scoop up congressional seats and the establishment will be forced to conform to a country that wants freedom or collapse into itself....both of which will be awesome. also as president...he has the power of the veto. Obama was no leader...he only voted present on bills when he was a senator and he got elected

To summarize this article--leadership=submission to the tyranny of the majority. In other words, we were wrong for considering individuals such as Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Ghandi, etc leaders, because they fought for what they believed in against all odds, and eventually brought the world around to their way of thinking. They should have knuckled under like good sheeple. The idea that leadership is pragmatism and compromise is the biggest threat to our country today.

His words were exactly why we need Dr. Paul as a president. He says, "Paul is right about a lot of things, but he's wrong for the presidency. Why? Quite simply, he has one of the worst records in Congress for the passage of his agenda. The presidency is entirely about leadership, and almost nothing about ideas". Wow at the heart of leadership is ideas. We must elect local, state, and federal governments. That hold the same ideas. Another attempt to make Dr. Paul look less attractive, all the while giving him credit for being right on a lot of key issues.

your reasoning that he would not be a good president is because his ideas rarely get passed in congress??? and as we all know, congress has been doing a fantastic job now haven't they Bob Bartelby? You Sir, are an idiot.

Yet another Ron Paul point is toted as best for America while having " but he's unelectable" in the title. While the other candidates ideas are mocked as all wrong and fighting who is least owned by big banks. How deep is the rabbit hole we are in? A mad mad world

No one in government is following him, and they haven't for the duration of his lengthy legislative career. Maybe that's the reason they have no approval rating.It also makes me wonder why all the other candidates agree with him on most issues and now spout his ideas as their own.

Bob Bartelby is probably just a puppet doing and writing what he is told too. The only time the media talks about Ron Paul is to throw him under the bus! Shame on them for putting this garbage out about a man that has been wright about so many things. Ron Paul isn't the dangerous or insane one.

Why is every candidate including the incumbent trying to adopt all they can of Dr. Ron Paul's platform, without turning off the big money interests? Goldman Sacs has won every election in the last 40 years, and the country is worse off.

Kennedy and Reagan were not about ideas? You seem to have confused leadership with deal-making and cronyism. Bottom line, you agree, Paul is RIGHT, again and again. Go grind a new axe, this one is worn out.

So Ron Paul is right on most issues, but wrong as president because the Congress is so corrupt it would be hard to work with them? REALLY?

Ur an as@#LE Bob Bartely........stupid #$%$ yahoo story.The media is controlled by the false prophet of Revalation! Burn in Hell Collaborators.......

"Nuttier than a chipmunk?" Bob, I think it would be much more productive if you wrote articles for educated adults without using immature name calling and phrases deemed for the elementary school playground. If you don't agree with Paul's arguments, simply state your reasons and present your evidence. The argument that you set forth in the second to last paragraph identifies the reason(s) why so many support Paul. We agree that no one "in government" is following him; we are tired of the status quo; we want leadership that comes from ideas not ideas that come from leadership.

Anyone who admits Ron Paul is right on the TSA, has good ideas but will not support him is just a hypocrite. You cannot persuade a corrupt congress to go along with ideas that are morally based and inherently abide by the Constitution unless you have the major support of the population behind you.

How does this Hack writer always get front page yahoo headlines ? talk about a smear campaign! He's part of the yahoo contributor network? I think he has an article contributing to the cut down of Dr. Paul's campaign at least 3 times a week. GARBAGE its a pity

People Are Going To Be Amazed At The Ron Paul Support At Election Time. This Man Has An Unbelievable Following Of Good People, Who Love There Country, And There Freedom. The Others, The Democrats Just Want To See A Socialist State And Live Off the Wealth Of Of America. Obama Will Never Force The Wealthy To Stimulate The Economy So He Can Still The Thunder As He Has Done So Many Times Before. The Arrogance Of Obama Is Astounding, But What To You Expect From A Socialist Who Sat Under Reverend Wright For 20+ Years And Was Under The Teachings Of Saul Alinsky. Read His Books, They Tell All About A Man Who Is A Fraud!

mr. bartelby, is this actually what you do for a living?? do you get paid well to write garage? you are a prime example of what's WRONG in our society. vote RON PAUL to legalize liberty and restore the constitution !!

Ron Paul is as nutty as you are a journalist! Why don't you do the world a favor and keep your uninformed opinions to yourself! It always amazes me how some people can form an opinion clearly not based on facts. For anyone else who shares this guy's opinion I suggest you look Ron Paul up on you tube, or google him...You'll probably learn that Dr. Paul has been ahead of every problem we have in this country, and has been trying to warn every incompetent person that he is subjected to work with about them. You'll also come to find just how biased the media is against him as well. From negative reporting to little to no coverage you'll learn that the places where you get your news from are bought and paid for by very large corporations that have a stake at what the public's opinions are. They shape and form everything that you see, if you don't believe it, look it up. I'm sure that I'll be called names by at least one person who doesn't do his, or her homework, and that's ok. I'm just happy that I don't see things from a left or right perspective anymore. I used to defend the Democrats vehemently until I realized both sides are insane, and out of touch with their purpose for being in Washington. Every politician loves to talk against politicians as though they're one of you or me...Very few of them can relate to the everyday person in our society, but I can say 100% that Ron Paul gets it!

Since he did not address Ron Paul's defense of the United States Constitution, I guess the author believes the Constitution is one of those nutty ideas that Paul espouses. I believe this article was written with a tiny positive slant to give Paul what is known as a left handed compliment. Some of us actually listen to Paul and are able to judge for themselves, without the media advising us what is best to believe. As far as my judgment of the candidates running, my choice is RON PAUL 2012

Near the end, the article it states, "Oppositional defiance is valuable, but it's not leadership." Oppositional defiance is EXTREMELY valuable when the public is so frustrated with the scam artists that falsely claim they're offering us leadership when its more of the same! Oppositional defiance is EXACTLY what the growing oppositionally defiant public wants to see in their Leadership and his popularity will grow after he's in office.

Look up Bartelby's blogs... 'nough said

Wow what a pathetic article. Yahoo, the people know what your doing. The Ron Paul dis-information articles are not working. Truth will find the people and people are finding the truth we are waking up to the propaganda. RON PAUL 2012!!!

Maybe all readers who are sick of this type of 2nd class journalism should boycott yahoo? Maybe start a twitter movement to improve quality of these trashy articles! So sick of this garbage!

The author is obviously part of the same media machine that will do anything to make Paul lose! What a propaganda hack job! Go RP!

if they run anyone but ron paul obama will be a 2 term president. how sad will that be?

Bartelby, you idiot.. ever hear of " a government that governs least, governs best?

of the 4 remaining republican candidates, RON PAUL receives 83% of the donations from our troops. the 3 chickenhawks receive a grand total of 17% combined. they know who is right about foreign policy and these endless wars. when you disrespect dr. paul, you are disrespecting the will of those american soldiers who are are brave and willing to defend our nation with their lives. vote to give the troops the commander-in-chief they want. don't force someone they don't want on them. vote RON PAUL to restore liberty and legalize the constitution.

The author is RIGHT! Ron Paul is Crazy!!!!!!
It's crazy to not take money from lobbists
It's crazy to not take money from big corporations
It's crazy to honor your oath of office
It's crazy to not flip-flop on issues
It's crazy to honorable
It's crazy to talk about the truth
It's crazy to think for yourself
It's crazy to not vote for what your party tells you
It's crazy to not change your view based on the latest polls
It's crazy to not change your view based on what state you are speaking in
It's crazy to want to do what our founding fathers did in creating our country
It's crazy to think you should keep your money
It's crazy to think the goverment is here to protect you
It's crazy to think you are not here for the goverment
It's crazy to speak about actual facts
It's crazy to not spin everyting
It's crazy to have integrity
It's crazy to be right
It's crazy to believe in the American people
It's crazy to not lie about your fellow candidates

Call me CRAZY!!!!!!!! RON PAUL 2012!!!!!!!!!!

The Case I Almost Didn’t Make for Ron Paul

Ron Paul is the person to set a new defined marker into the ground that will represent ‘We the People’ and our desire to return this nation back to the best reference of individual freedom and liberties this world once revered. I am so tired of voting in this two party circus where the status quo is maintained where we have corporatists by proxy in our government fielding for the banks, the Fed, Wall Street and the military industrial complex. - jeffsmathers

PatriotUpdate.com
January 26, 2012

Grumpy old man says:

About Ron Paul:
  • He has never taken a government junket
  • He does not participate in the lucrative Congressional Pension Program
  • He returns a portion of his annual Congressional Office Budget every year
  • He has never voted to raise taxes
  • He has never voted for an unbalanced budget
  • He voted no to the bankster bailout
  • He voted no to raising the debt ceiling and warned us against The “Super Congress” part of the legislation that resembles both An “ Enabling Act” and a “Politburo”
  • He has never voted to restrict gun ownership
  • He has never voted to raise Congressional Pay
  • To stand with the American people, President Paul will take a yearly salary of $39,336, equal to the average US worker’s salary; instead of the current President’s $400,000 salary
  • He will cut One Trillion Dollars from the budget in the first year and balance the budget in three years (http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/Ron-Paul-plan-to-restore-America/)
  • He will Return Power to the States as set down in the 9th and 10th Amendments (Bill of Rights) to the Constitution
  • He never voted to increase Executive Branch Power
  • He will Reinstate The Constitution and Save The Republic
  • He will END the unconstitutional FED
  • He will phase out the unconstitutional IRS beginning immediately
  • He will secure the borders
  • He will limit Big Government in your private affairs
  • He will stop Illegal immigration and no amnesty
  • He voted against regulating the Internet
Mike says:

Cannot understand why people are so unkind to this man.

There will be NO country to fight for if we continue to spend in the manner that we have been spending; that makes the foreign policy a moot point. He is the ONLY candidate that in each of the debates tells us that we are heading for an economic catastrophe, the loss of the reserve currency is HUGE -- then nothing else matters.

You are correct, he has been warning us of these things -- the other candidates watch him in awe if you ask me; they do not understand the trouble that is FAST approaching -- why do you want them to lead you when they have no clue?

Because he is unwilling to start a new war at a cost of trillions with a country that supplies 25% of the energy needs to China, and also supplies a huge portion to the EU (the war would finalize the collapse of the union); and not to mention Russia people want to ignore the ONLY defender of the Constitution on that stage! Huh? LISTEN -- forget the wars, it matters little!

Iran is working very hard at getting partners to trade in some currency than the dollar -- that will spell the end for us the USA; they do not need a BOMB! If we lose reserve status the FED can no longer use Quantitative Easing to lessen the economic problems that we face; our goose is cooked and it is the WARS that has us broke!

Without the reserve status our dollar will drop, costs of everything will rise, and our way of life is over. Learn this: it matters more than Dr. Paul’s foreign policy -- trust me!

Ron Paul is right on so many counts; 25 years as being “Doctor No” for never voting against the Constitution.

If he loses we are in a “post Constitution” society, your choice folks, WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!

If you screw this up, I predict that in less than 2 years you will wake up -- into a nightmare.

AIR FORCE VIET-NAM VET says:

66 Year Old VET Supports Dr.Ron Paul. He:

  • Is A Gentleman, Ex Air Force Flight Surgeon, Delivered Over 4000 Babies,
  • Supports America's Constitution (NO WAR UNLESS DECLARED BY CONGRESS)
  • Wants to Stop All Foreign Aid And Use America's Money For America,
  • Wants to Close Down Useless American Bases In Foreign Lands,
  • Wants to Eliminate One Trillion Dollars From The First Year As President,
  • Wants to Eliminate The Overblown Federal Government,
  • Wants to Eliminate Federal Regulations That Strangle Free Enterprise.

January 26, 2012

The Social Welfare State: With Voter Bribery, Government as Santa Claus Was Possible

The Social Welfare State – Motivated Not By Compassion But Political Self-Interest

By Monty Pelerin, Monty Pelerin's World
January 26, 2012

The siren song of Socialism contains the seeds of destruction that now threaten the very foundations of civilization. Socialism as a disease progresses slowly, but has been underway for more than 100 years. The malignancy is now metastasizing. Unfortunately we are the generations that will experience its pernicious outcomes.

Feckless politicians blame anyone and everything but themselves for the impending tragedy. They are responsible for the condition of the world. Ultimately, “we the people” are also responsible. We allowed these political opportunists to create this world threat.

What Went Wrong?

Deterioration in the quality and orientation of government is a long story which has been a long time developing. No one political villain can be blamed.

The decline did not begin with the rants and ravings of Karl Marx nor any of his disciples. The fountainhead was Otto von Bismarck in the late 19th Century.

Bismarck is considered the founder of the welfare state, which is modern day Socialism. He detested Marxian Socialism. He was a pragmatist, not an ideologue and is considered the founder of realpolitik which translates to “practical politics.” He was not an idealist trying to improve people’s lives. He acted purely in his own best interest.

The motive behind Bismarck’s concept of a social welfare state was simple. It was to placate the masses in order to obtain votes and solidify his hold on office. As he expressed it (emboldening added):

My idea was to bribe the working classes, or shall I say, to win them over, to regard the state as a social institution existing for their sake and interested in their welfare.

Bribery to create an illusion designed to expand the wealth and power of the State at the expense of productive people is hardly an admirable course of action or objective. His simple deception provided powerful means for subsequent political classes. Specifically it provided the means for politicians to grow and expand their power and wealth while solidifying their tenure in office.

Despite the pious claims of current welfare state advocates, Bismarck never espoused noble purposes beyond that of his political self-interest.

Politicians in Western democracies saw the power in Bismarck’s idea and patterned their careers on winning election and re-election via the Bismarckian bribe. Convincing the public that government existed for their sake and their welfare enabled expansion into areas previously considered off limits.

Tradition and law were eventually brushed aside. The US, constrained by a magnificently sculptured Constitution and a predisposition toward liberty, held out longer than its European counterparts. Its later start and slower progression is a fact often cited as a reason why the US economy was able grow from a backwoods beginning to an economic colossus by the early 1900s.

Progressives in the US initially used the “general welfare” clause of the Constitution as justification for a social welfare state. Deliberate ignorance and distortion of the Founders’ original intent was an important aspect of their attacks. Subsequent attacks used the argument that the Constitution was a “living document” meant to be changed to reflect modern day”needs.”

Eventually tradition and law succumbed to the incessant battering of progressive activists in the US. The people’s defense against government tyranny was weakened. Government was then emboldened to redefine itself in almost whatever fashion it chose.

Bismarck’s method of “bribery” was the model that altered the nature of politics practiced in democracies. With voter bribery, Government as Santa Claus was possible. The people loved this myth and the initial effects. Politicians loved buying votes as evidenced by political campaigns where competing political factions tried to outbid each other with more “freebies.”

Collective Bargaining Gives Enormous Political Power to Public Sector Unions

Obama, Bought and Paid for By Big Labor and Big Business, Brings Chicago, the Most Corrupt City in America, to Washington in the Form of Big Government

The Elite Island of Federal Workers: They Are Above the People They Serve

In 2011, Taxpayers Will Pay $19 Billion to Fund Federal Pensions, While Federal Employees Will Contribute Only $1 Billion

The Truth About Public Education in the U.S.: Public School Systems Are Overfunded and Public School Employees Are Overcompensated

Society Is Becoming Dependent on the Government to Care for Them

Blame the Fed for the Pension Crisis Because They Engineered It

The Advance of Socialism

For almost one hundred years, Bismarckian bribery, via an expanding welfare state, has been the predominant political strategy. Over time strategies grew bolder, ratcheting to higher levels each election cycle.

Today modern economies are being destroyed by Socialism as practiced via the welfare state. After generations of propagandizing Statism, the goodness of government intervention as a necessary means to equity and prosperity and the need to invade and manage virtually every aspect of our lives, a majority of voters believe the myth.

Even the term “welfare state” was phony. It was a marketing euphemism to avoid the proper, but pejorative, description — Socialism. The euphemism conveniently conveyed the Bismarckian myth that government cared for and could take care of its citizens.

In reality, the social welfare state was backdoor Socialism. The euphemism also provided convenient cover for what amounted to political enrichment and job security.

The Effects of Socialism

A good description of the effects of current Socialism was provided by Joseph A. Harriss. Although Mr. Harriss described France and Sarkozy’s re-election chances, these conditions apply to most other leaders in European states as well as the US:

What no politician had the courage to say was that the French are witnessing, in slow motion, the end of their welfare state, known locally as the French Social Model. For the last 30 years it has been sustained through political sleight of hand and financed on credit. The French were assured they were entitled to work only 35 hours a week, take five weeks vacation, have single payer health care, pocket generous unemployment benefits, and enjoy a cornucopia of handout programs. As a result, they work on average six fewer weeks a year than the Germans, fewer hours even than the laidback Greeks.

Let the good times roll was the implicit program of politicians both left and right. Now the inevitable bill is coming due right at election time. There’s no way Sarkozy can avoid paying the political price.

Countries have now run out of both time and money. The malignancy of Socialism nears its ugly end, in the manner predicted by Margaret Thatcher:

The trouble with Socialism is, sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.

All welfare states have attained her “sooner or later” point, with most at the “sooner” end of the spectrum.

Sarkozy is in political trouble for the same reason that politicians in all social welfare states are in trouble. Whether he is the right or wrong man for the job is irrelevant. He, like his peers, is a victim of history. He just happens to be the unfortunate one holding the bag when the music is ending. There is no right man for the job in France or anywhere else. The Socialist scam is imploding.

The three-legged stool that supported the fantasy of the social welfare state for the last 100+ years was based on the following:

  • Prosperity is available without effort.

  • Government creates prosperity.

  • Government will take care of its people

Politicians were able to support this hoax only with “other people’s money.” It is now apparent to many that none of these premises were true.

The money obtained to sustain the myth has seriously damaged economies. Some of it was obtained by destroying the seed capital provided by previous generations. Some of it was obtained via obscene levels of taxation. Much of it was obtained via borrowing funds that were never intended to be paid back. The ability to obtain additional funds from these sources is dubious, particularly the last one.

The funds were obtained via coercion and under false pretenses. Inarguably, the social welfare state has crippled modern economies. The game is about over as the scam becomes more apparent by the day.

The damage done to our political system is likely irreparable. Consider current day politicians as compared to our Founders. George Washington was offered a kingship and turned it down. How many current politicians would reject a similar offer?

Current politicians are indistinguishable from clever street hustlers with inflated self-images of their importance and wisdom. They pass laws in areas they cannot possibly understand, often not even bothering to read the bills on which they vote. One wonders whether they would even understand them.

Self aggrandizement has transformed into pay and perquisites that even some well-to-do are unable to obtain. The immoral economic rewards of public office, both above and below the table, have turned politics into a career rather than public service. The political class has set themselves apart as elites in every regard, including protection from laws the rest of us must follow.

As bad as the changes to the political system and the character of politicians have been, the effects of Bismarckian bribes have ruined modern day economies. Here are a few examples:

  • The incentive structure and work ethic for large sections of each country’s population has been destroyed. Instead of having citizens with the natural human spirit to progress, all countries now have a zombie class, untrained, unmotivated citizens living off government handouts.

  • The regulatory state and its onerous taxes has destroyed productivity. Entrepreneurs and risk capital have fled to climes where they are treated fairly. Much of the manufacturing base has been outsourced to emerging countries where jobs and not snail darters are appreciated.

  • The zombie class is growing. The “takers” rather than “makers” find it more comfortable (or lucrative) to not work but to collect welfare. This class has forgotten or never learned work habits and consider themselves entitled to live at the expense of others.

  • The shrinking productive sector is forced to support the growing zombie class. Up til now, much of this support has come via enormous government borrowings, sheltering the productive class from the real costs that they will eventually have to bear. The era of leverage is ending and with it will come lack of support for the government-created and supported zombies.

  • Developed economies have been crippled and hollowed out to the point where decades of slow or no growth is the best that can be expected. Many of these economies will implode.

  • Standards of living are decreasing and have been for a while. Bill Bonner points out that the average real hourly wages of non-high school graduates has declined by 47% percent over the last 32 years! Separately it has been shown that the average weekly earnings in this country, again in real terms, are below where they were in 1966.

  • Governments have bankrupted themselves, their financial systems and their central banks. They attempt to continue the charade by having bankrupt central banks bail out bankrupt financial systems so that they can purchase bankrupt government securities.

Despite all the propaganda from the Statist machine, government produces nothing and never has. It depends upon a thriving private sector and bond market to play Santa Claus and continue the pretension that it is the source of prosperity.

The fraud cannot go on much longer because governments have crippled the golden goose via onerous rules, regulations and taxes. For three or four decades government was able to hide the problem by spending more than it took in. Governments around the world have reached the point where spending levels can no longer be sustained via tax revenues and bond markets. The latter source has practically dried up for some governments. Eventually it will for all.

France and other social welfare states (including the US) are virtually tapped out. Living standards are going down and insolvent Governments can no longer hide this fact via the charade of “debt” prosperity.

The dirty secret of Socialism has become apparent: It was never anything more than a political gimmick to gain or retain office and power. Politics has turned into what Bismark envisioned – an elaborate scam of voter bribery.

As a result, the world faces sovereign defaults, financial system collapse, civil unrest and a Depression that will make the 1930s look mild in comparison.

Thanks Otto von Bismarck for providing the the clever idea to our modern day criminal class who pose as politicians. One can only hope that civilization is not destroyed in the coming financial apocalypse.

The New American Divide

By Charles Hugh Smith, OfTwoMinds
January 25, 2012

A recent Wall Street Journal article entitled The New American Divide by demographer Charles Murray described a widening cultural divide between the "haves" (the upper middle class, roughly the top 20% managerial/creative class) and the "have-nots," what many would call the lower middle class and working class.

Murray chose to focus on Caucasian Americans to avoid all the issues and emotions of ethnicity, but I think we can apply many of his class-related observations to ethnic minority populations in the U.S. as well.

This article (based on a forthcoming book) is important not because it encapsulates this tangled subject, but because it offers a well-researched first step to a much broader spectrum of issues that the author touches upon in passing.

The cultural divides the author cites is symptomatic of powerful financial and social forces that operate well below the surface of everyday life. I don't claim to have "answers" to these issues, but I find it remarkable that the author ends up concluding that community has been displaced by the Savior State, and the ultimate solution is to return to a life based on community rather than handouts and subsidies from the Savior State.

This aligns with my own conclusions stated in my books.

I think there is much that was left out of his carefully apolitical exploration of class in America and much left out of his general explanation for the widening divide between the "haves" and the "have-nots."

I think he is correct in fingering Savior State "free money" as the primary cause of the dissolution of working-class America's communities and households: with welfare, Section 8, food stamps, Medicaid, etc. then working-class women no longer need a husband to afford children, and men either drop out, become financially dependent on someone else, enter the "war on drugs"/prison complex or "work the system" to avoid working altogether.

He is also correct in pointing out the self-sustaining feedback loops created by Savior State support and Power Elite membership: both groups' children grow up in worlds where welfare or Elite status and perquisites are the expected norm. In this profound way, people grow up in completely different Americas, and these culturally inherited mindsets are very difficult to pierce and change.

What he delicately avoids exploring is the reality that the Status Quo works very well not just for the top 1% but also for the top 20% that forms what I call the Upper Caste of American society: the technocrat, managerial, creative class that does the heavy lifting for the top 1% who own most of the assets and income streams.

The bottom 80% is employed as service workers/debt serfs or bought off with bread-and-circus welfare to keep them quiet and passive. The system doesn't have to work for the bottom 80%, it just has to sustain them at a level that doesn't spark revolt.

The housing bubble was a gigantic scam foisted on the top layer of the working class and the lower layer of the middle class as a "sure-fire way" to join the speculative financial frenzy that enriched the top 1% and their enablers, the Upper Caste technocrat class. When the bubble burst, so did fantasies of living the Upper Caste lifestyle without the hard slog to a meaningful university degree and long hours slaving away for Corporate America to join the Upper Caste.

This notion that America no longer works for the bottom 80% (I would even say the bottom 90%) is something that standard-issue pundits like Murray cannot speak to or even admit. His "solution" is ultimately for the 80% to get on with life as an underclass and make the best of living in an economy which serves their interests only enough to avoid open insurrection.

Murray, a media-pundit in his field, studiously avoids the role of mass media in the creation of the divide. He touches briefly on the fact that we all once watched the same TV shows, a unifying cultral factor, but only because they were the only shows on TV. What I see, and what I believe research supports, is a vast chasm between the media the Upper Caste consumes and what the "have-nots" consume.

The really creative class is too busy to watch much TV or many films, or while away time texting and talking on cellphones. Rather, they create the context and content for these media and devices, and do so by avoiding addiction to their own creations--much like drug pushers never sample their own wares.

The managerial Upper Caste have all the devices and services, but their workload limits the amount of time they have to consume "entertainment" and communicate with text, twitter, email, etc. for amusement. But it is not just a matter of time constraints; they are highly conscious of the fact that consuming media and "entertainment" in quantity does not further their career. What provides the elitist sheen they desire to "fit in" to the upper tier of their caste?

The signifiers of membership in this High-Caste status are leisurely foreign travel in prestigious cities or exotic areas and foreign postings, study abroad, the ability to speak a foreign language, tasteful art in the home and office, facility with corporate-speak, participation in High-Caste cultural events such as the symphony, art-house foreign films, theater, an association (however flimsy) with an Elite university or other respected institution, pursuit of costly sports such as skiing, boating, etc., and last but not least, a network of associates and "friends" (real friendship being an increasingly rare commodity in America) who can be mentioned in conversation as owning/participating in these same high-caste signifiers.

The working class, on the other hand, is a voracious consumer of all media and entertainment; the TV is often left on 24/7 in working-class households and merely muted at night, and an iPod or internet radio is always providing a soundtrack to every activity, while Facebook (i.e. Global Channel of Me) can be a near-obsession, interrupting or taking precedence over all other activities, including, it seems, sex. Texting is constant, and social success is measured by signifiers such as the latest film on bootleg DVD, high-quality street drugs, large collections of films and music (i.e. media) and in rural areas, fishing and hunting trophies.

As correspondent Chuck D. recently observed, the divide extends to money management: the High-Caste class is deeply interested in investments and view high-earning investments as signifiers of status while the working class only sees the spectrum of consumption.

When High-Caste politicos like Al Gore or Mitt Romney attempt to cross the divide and mimic working-class signifiers, their attempts are either comical, wooden or downright painful. They live in a completely different America from the voters they are clumsily appealing to.

In some ways I have a bit of experience on both sides of this divide, having been lucky enough to graduate from an Elite prep school, snag a (non-Elite) university degree and gather the requisite bits of foreign languages and travel.

On the other hand, I worked in the construction/building field for many years alongside both deserters from Corporate/Central State America and working-class guys for whom construction was a relatively high-paying avenue to a middle-class life, if they saved their money (unfortunately not the norm).

There are two other critical long-term issues not addressed in the article:

1. The "mancession"-- the trend toward an economy that values the "female" skills of communiciation, cooperation and education, while the "male" virtues of a strong back and a physical-world skill have steadily lost value. This is a very complex set of issues, but we can "state the obvious" by noting that the decline in factory/manufacturing work has apparently hurt males more than females, who have shifted to retail, healthcare, pink-collar and government work more readily than working-class males.

2. The ladder from the lower classes to the Upper Caste--upward mobility--is crumbling. Many commentators have noted that the gateway of upward mobility has narrowed. Yes, anyone can "make it in America," but making it America requires an increasing number of cultural knowledge bases and values--the very values and knowledge bases that are eroding in the classes below the top 20% Upper Caste.

While Murray describes the complex and knotty issue of declining marriage rates and soaring out-of-wedlock births, the larger question is what is powering these trends. Are men simply no longer needed as breadwinners, or are they being "selected out" for other reasons? Could the mass media once again be a critical if unspoken factor, as it has presented malehood as little more than an extended adolescence without end and fatherhood as a role for bumbling losers?

Yes, it's easy to "blame the media" but once again we must start by asking who is absorbing thousands of hours of this politically convenient (i.e. distracting and deranging) "entertainment" and who avoids it like the plague. How can ceaseless propaganda not influence those who watch it daily for hours on end?

As many oftwominds readers have noted, Step 1 in liberating oneself from propaganda is to stop watching broadcast TV.

This divide speaks very directly to the core problems we face, which are not simply financial or political but cultural.

kip.chart.taxpayer.jpg

For historical perspective, back in 1986, the top 1% of earners reported 11% of all income and paid 26% of the income taxes (compared to 20% and 38.02% in 2008); the lower-earning 50% made 17% of the income and paid 6% (compared to 12.75% and 2.7% in 2008) of the nation's individual income tax bill.

How the U.S. Feels About the Wealth Gap

Only about 10 million (or seven percent) of the 140 million people in the U.S. workforce earn more than $100,000 per year. Only 25 percent of the U.S. workforce earns $65,000 per year or more (the average salary of federal employees is $79,197 per year or $119,982 per year when benefits are factored in; the average U.S. worker's salary is $39,336 per year). The widening divide between the Upper Caste and everyone below is not just of income and wealth--it is also cultural and values-based.

American Public Radio
February 8, 2010

Most everybody has lost economic ground the past few years, but some people are still wealthy while others are getting by on less. Monthly contributor Dan Ariely talks with Kai Ryssdal about wealth distribution.

TEXT OF INTERVIEW

Kai Ryssdal: Most everybody has lost economic ground over the past two years or so. But before the recession and the financial crisis and the wealth destruction that they brought, people in the upper reaches of society were proportionately way better off than most of the rest of the country. While over the past decade or two everybody else has been figuring out how to get by with less. Dan Ariely polled more than 10,000 people -- including, via our Web site, some of you -- to discover how we feel about the ever-increasing U.S. wealth gap. Dan, it's good to talk to you again.

DAN ARIELY: Same here, as always.

Ryssdal: So it is the haves and the have nots, a little wealth distribution that you've been looking at.

ARIELY: Yes, and the first thing I should tell you is that you don't have many people listening to you.

Ryssdal: To this show?

ARIELY: Yeah, only about 600 people filled out the survey.

Ryssdal: All right. So it's actually 601 because you gotta count my mom.

ARIELY: OK, so aside from the fact that not many people are listening or at least not many people filled the survey, here is the question that we're interested in. The philosopher Rawls proposed a long time ago that a fair society is a society that if you knew everything about it, you'd be willing to join it in a random place in the distribution. You would be willing to toss the dice and put you in one bin of wealth, for example. So we posed people two questions, we said: What do you think the wealth distribution in the U.S. is? And what do you think is the ideal wealth distribution?

Ryssdal: So in other words, what do you think in the United States now, who has most of the money and then what ought it be, right?

ARIELY: That's right. And what happened is that first of all, people dramatically underestimate the wealth inequality in the U.S.

Ryssdal: Underestimate. So the fact of the matter is fewer people have more of the money.

ARIELY: That's right. So if you look at the whole world in terms of wealth distribution -- before the recession, I don't have data about after the recession -- but before the recession we're basically between the Western world and South America. We were the most skewed distribution of the Western world in terms of the haves and the have nots. But now the more interesting question is what do people think it should be. And what we found was that actually there's a huge agreement between people in terms of what it should be. And this happened to both your listeners and the general sample population. You would take, for example, Republicans and Democrats, and you would think that they would vary dramatically, and they don't, I mean they differ but they don't differ so much. So you take Republicans and they basically agree with Democrats, and you take people with low income versus high income, and they basically agree.

Ryssdal: Can you quantify what we have right now? I mean, what percentage of people have what percent of the wealth?

ARIELY: Right now the top 20 percent of the people have about 85 percent of the wealth. People think that they only own 68 percent of the wealth, so people underestimate the inequity, but if you ask them what's kind of an ideal world in the Rawls kind of sense that you would actually want to participate in, they say 33 percent. So they say in an ideal world, we want the top 20 percent to own more than 20 percent, we want them to be wealthier, but we want them to own about 33 percent of the wealth.

Ryssdal: That's so interesting. They still want the rich to be rich, but just not as rich?

ARIELY: Yeah, you know, actually, rich to be rich is a perfectly reasonable idea, right? I mean, people that have money can create jobs, they can create factories, so there is benefit in non-equal distributions of wealth, the question is what is the ideal?

Ryssdal: I'm stuck on the idea that there is a segment of society out there that thinks that inequality is the way it ought to be.

ARIELY: Yeah, you know, everybody thinks inequality is the way to be. The main lesson for me from this whole study is that when we look at the political arena, we kind of have this huge polarization, and yet when we ask people a question that is not tainted by saying Republicans or Democrats -- it's just formed and here are the numbers, and what kind of society do you want to live in -- the answers come out quite close. And for me that's kind of the optimistic outcome of all -- of this -- is, in fact, as a society, I think we're much more similar to each other than the political arena plays out how it looks like.

Ryssdal: You learn something new everyday. Dan Ariely teaches behavioral economics at Duke University. Dan, thanks a lot.

ARIELY: My pleasure.

The 'Haves' and 'Have Nots': Is the U.S. Government the Last Great Source of Middle Class American Jobs?

If you drive through Northern Virginia, you will find nearly entire neighborhoods of $500,000 to $900,000 homes owned by government workers or contractors. Then you can drive five streets over and find $200,000 to $400,000 homes owned by those who pay the salaries for those government employees. It’s a fascinating distribution of wealth. Most government employees and contractors could not earn more than $60,000 on the free market. Their only chance to make that kind of money comes from having an employer that not only never has to make a profit but can forcibly take money through taxation. - Public Servants Live Better Than the Public, and Federal Pay Continues to Skyrocket, The Daily Bail, October 26, 2009

End of the American Dream
August 10, 2010

Once upon a time, private industry was the engine of the great American economic machine. From coast to coast, expanding industries spawned massive cities filled with optimistic Americans who were able to achieve middle class lifestyles on the good jobs that American companies were providing for them.

The largest middle class in the history of the world had been created and it seemed possible for just about everyone to live the American Dream. But today all of that has changed. The private sector is being dominated by gigantic global corporations that have shown absolutely no hesitation to ship jobs overseas. Millions upon millions of good jobs have been sent to China, India and the third world and they are never coming back.

Pay and benefits for middle class Americans working in private industry have been slowly eroding and are now at dangerously low levels. Meanwhile, working as a "government servant" has never been more rewarding. Today, the average government worker makes far more than the average worker in the private sector does.

How much more?

Well, according to a new study from the Heritage Foundation, U.S. government workers earn 30 to 40 percent more money than their private sector counterparts on average.

So, in essence, the "servants" make substantially more money than the taxpayers who employ them.

Isn't the system great?

In fact, according to the study, if you add in retirement and health care benefits, the average federal employee now earns nearly twice as much as the average private sector employee.

Ouch.

Just check out this excerpt from the study....
"Including non-cash benefits adds to this disparity. The average private-sector employer pays $9,882 per employee in annual benefits, while the federal government pays an average of $32,115 per employee."
Yes, it is very good to be a U.S. government employee in 2010.

Meanwhile, the private sector continues to bleed jobs. The U.S. economy lost 131,000 more jobs during the month of July. Needless to say, the vast majority of those job losses came from private industry.

The truth is that it is becoming very, very difficult to live a middle class lifestyle if you do not work for the government.

A reader of this column named Tim recently shared the difficult experiences he has been going through as an employee in the private sector....

Been with my current company over 12 years. Last pay raise I got was six years ago. The last two years we’ve had our salaries actually reduced. 401K matching, vacation time, company stock purchase plans, actual pay, all gone or reduced. Me and buddies figure it to be about ~14% overall reduction. At my level I was averaging a 10% annual bonus (which are now a vague memory).

All in all, I am NOW working longer hours, at a much less satisfying job (it actually sucks), for about 20-25% less than I was making just 3 years ago.

My company was once a very highly respected company for the way it treated employees and the loyalty that created. We were long term focused, made great products. But now? ha! Upper management pushes harder and harder so they get their *quarterly* bonuses. Below VP level, people, and I mean a LOT of people are now pushing 55-60+ hour weeks for fear of losing their jobs.

With all this said – I still consider myself LUCKY. Even with the ~20% pay reduction, I still make very good money. But one thing has drastically changed. I no longer circulate my money. It all goes into savings. Every spare penny. And while this is good for me, we all understand it is at the expense of the local economy.

The saddest thing is to see my kids now graduating from college (two in the last four years!). They are entering a dismal job market with no hope of “true” recovery in the foreseeable future.
Of course the U.S. government cannot keep paying their workers above market wages forever.

But for now, if you need a good job and can stand to do it, working for the U.S. government pays really, really well.

Might as well jump on the gravy train for as long as it lasts.

So is this a good system?

Of course not.

The true wealth of a nation is produced by the private sector. But unfortunately, the private sector is providing fewer and fewer good jobs in the United States.

The truth is that the U.S. government has become the last great source of middle class American jobs. This will not be able to last indefinitely, but for now those seeking the safety and security of a job ("just over broke") should be looking to the government because the chances of getting a great job in the private sector are getting slimmer by the day.

Why Can't We All Work for the Feds?

It is becoming very, very difficult to live a middle class lifestyle if you do not work for the government. More than 40 percent of Americans who actually are employed are now working in service jobs in the private sector, which are often very low paying. So the tables have turned: the private sector now works to service the public sector, the last great source of middle class.

wiseGEEK

Socialism and communism are ideological doctrines that have many similarities as well as many differences. It is difficult to discern the true differences between socialism and communism, as various societies have tried different types of both systems in myriad forms, and many ideologues with different agendas have defined both systems in biased terms. Some general points distinguishing the two concepts, however, can still be identified.

One point that is frequently raised to distinguish socialism from communism is that socialism generally refers to an economic system, while communism generally refers to both an economic and a political system. As an economic system, socialism seeks to manage the economy through deliberate and collective social control. Communism, however, seeks to manage both the economy and the society by ensuring that property is owned collectively, and that control over the distribution of property is centralized in order to achieve both classlessness and statelessness. Both socialism and communism are similar in that they seek to prevent the ill effects that are sometimes produced by capitalism.

Both socialism and communism are based on the principle that the goods and services produced in an economy should be owned publicly, and controlled and planned by a centralized organization. Socialism asserts that the distribution should take place according to the amount of individuals' production efforts, however, while communism asserts that that goods and services should be distributed among the populace according to individuals' needs.

Another difference between socialism and communism is that communists assert that both capitalism and private ownership of the means of production must be done away with as soon as possible in order to make sure a classless society, the communist ideal, is formed. Socialists, however, see capitalism as a possible part of the ideal state and believe that socialism can exist in a capitalist society. In fact, one of the ideas of socialism is that everyone within the society will benefit from capitalism as much as possible as long as the capitalism is controlled somehow by a centralized planning system.

Another difference between socialism and communism is centered on who controls the structure of economy. Where socialism generally aims to have as many people as possible influence how the economy works, communism seeks to limit that number to a smaller group.



A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship. [Justice Litle, Is America’s Economic Recovery on the Whole Based on a Rotten Sham?, Daily Markets, April 20, 2010]

Freedom and initiative are being replaced by ever higher taxation, regulation and centralization of power in Washington. Our economy is now stagnant and our standard of living is declining. Each year government takes a bigger share of our earnings, employs more and more of our people, enacts more rules that strangle our economy, and controls more and more of our lives. In the enjoyment of plenty, have Americans lost the memory of freedom? When citizens are willing to sacrifice their liberty for security, they will have neither liberty nor security and will soon find themselves living under tyranny. [Ellen Sauerbrey, The Spark That Has Triggered Rebellion, American Thinker, September 13, 2009]

The government does not create a traditional sellable product and thus produces no revenue outside of what it collects from taxpayers or what it seizes from the people. Public sector workers are the most protected and most over compensated group of workers in the world. They have the powerful, politically-backed unions on their side, taking away the voices and votes of the taxpayers who pay their salaries. Like typical government dependents, they display a sense of entitlement at the expense of others. They don't want to make the same sacrifices that the private sector is forced to make. It comes down to this: Either the government workers must contribute more toward their benefits or taxes will have to be increased.

"If one understands that socialism is not a share-the-wealth programme, but is in reality a method to consolidate and control the wealth, then the seeming paradox of super-rich men promoting socialism becomes no paradox at all. Instead, it becomes logical, even the perfect tool of power-seeking megalomaniacs. Communism or, more accurately, socialism is not a movement of the downtrodden masses, but of the economic elite." [Gary Allen, None Dare Call It Conspiracy, Concord Press, 1971]

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