America and Socialism

This report is on an email I received today. Ponder the message and then please respond. I want to know if you think this is true and if so, what do you think about it?

Snopes; (Undetermined).

Norman Matton Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. He was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1911. As a candidate for President of the U. S., Norman Thomas said, in a 1944 epoch speech: “The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of “liberalism”, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.”

He went on to say: “I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform.”

How is the Democratic Party compared to Socialism as suggested in the email above? If socialism is about government controlling care of society through the programs that they provide, then maybe we are becoming a socialistic society after all.

In a socialistic society, there is not much effort required to attain what you want or need. It is a “Dole System” where you do nothing more than be a member to attain a reward. This system makes people lazy, dependent, and complacent. There is no reward for personal effort and no reason to excel.

If you disagree with me, please do and give me examples where those on the “Dole Systems” feel a need to get out of dependence on government and programs and move into the realm of independence and earning their keep. Show me where the Socialistic Government and the Democratic Party support individualism, capitalism, and rewards for a good deed or a good job.

Now that I’ve said that, we can probably agree that we see the disadvantages of both types of systems. Your comment is probably that you would like to see a government that is somewhere in between the two systems. You want a system that cares for the people as a whole but still protects independence and the will to excel.

I suppose the answer is to have the type of system the “Founding Fathers” created, with checks and balances. They set up a system where each party contributes to the whole. The problem we have now is that too many in government and society prefer the “Dole System” so now we have an out-of-balance system. The solution is obvious, to elect people for government service that will balance out the system.

Another thing we need to do is look at our own motives, our own credibility, and our own ethics. If we are generally corrupt in the way we think and feel, we will generally elect people with the same values. If we want people in government who have better values, then we need to start with ourselves before we expect more from government.

The truth is, we have two parties with two different ways of thinking, and that helps us to be more balanced than other governments. If we have values that are so far to the right or the left, then we are not a balanced government or a balanced society. We may be adamant about our beliefs and faithful in our efforts to promote that belief but that does not make our beliefs best for society as a whole.

Yes, I am a Republican. With that being said, let me tell you why I feel adamant about this position. I think the Republican Party’s values  represents my own belief system best. People should think and do as they please, as long as it doesn’t interfere with another’s rights. On the other hand, the other party wants to legislate rules and regulations that forces people to correct wrongs in life.

For example:

• If someone wants an abortion on demand because pregnancy does not fit into current plans, then by all means, lets pay for that person to get rid of her baby. She has the right to do what she wants with HER body, never mind that the baby’s right to live – it has a body and life also.
• Let’s take from the rich and give to the poor. I believe those who have should help them who have not. However, if we help, it has to be done without taking away the will to be independent, to excel, to do things for themselves. Even people who are handicapped, know they must do what they have the ability to do for themselves in order to have self-worth. 
This means protecting self-worth is vital when helping people.
Protecting a person’s need to do things for himself or herself protects self-worth.
Protecting a person’s “will” to accomplish and excel, in spite of affliction, strengthens the person and gives courage to do other things. When people realize they still have value and that they can do things they never knew they could do, then they will try other things as well. People have learned to do fabulous things because they had success in other efforts they didn’t know they could do. If we help these people too much, we kill their ability to learn this important principle.
• Lets care for everyone who enters this country, even the illegals, by giving them subsidies. These people have access to food, medical care, prescriptions, daycare, and other programs that most hard-working Americans – those who are born and raised here, who have worked to provide the money for – cannot have access to themselves.
• Sadly, if government was really interested in helping all it’s people, there would not be programs that some people can’t qualify for themselves when they need help. The programs available for some will not be available to them because their income is too much.
Never mind that the demand on large income households is greater because they have to pay taxes for funding the programs others receive for nothing. An example of this is when my husband told me of an employee who had a Tax refund check greater than the taxes he had paid out, and he has a brand new car as well. Where is the fairness and equality in this type of “Dole System?”

Okay, I’ve said enough for now. Let me conclude with theses thoughts.

• When we expect government to do more for us than we are willing or able to do for ourselves, we give up a certain amount of agency. 
• When we get too comfortable and our needs are met, where is the incentive to work for it? We grow complacent and perhaps too demanding as well. 
• We have a powerful Democratic Congress and a Democrat for President. That arrangement makes Congress and government out of balance. Perhaps you will think about this the next time you vote.

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