So, things have been difficult for my family lately. Melissa is still pregnant with twins, I’m still struggling to find work for my new business, and we’re still pretty broke. After a while of feeling like things just won’t turn in my favor, I slipped into feeling like a victim of circumstance.

Keep in mind, I’m a conservative guy. I don’t believe in playing the role of victim. However, after a while of getting late notices on bills, overdraft notices from the bank, and  arguing at home about money, I almost couldn’t help but throw my hands up and pray for help.

That’s the catch.

I am not alone in this circumstance. Millions of Americans are going through the same problems right now. Actually, it’s probably millions more than were going through those issues just a year or two ago. Add to this equation a consistent message from nearly all national media outlets that these hardships are due to circumstances out of most folks control, and you have a recipe for national outrage at the injustice done upon it’s people.

This, is the recipe for Socialism.

A lot of you who know me, will undoubtedly roll your eyes right now. I’ve spoken about my concern of a larger federal government for a while now. However, look at the circumstances objectively. There are a few facts, that I dare anyone to rebut:

  • More Americans are without work
  • NBC, ABC, CBS, usually report stories about the greed of the wealthy, and it’s effect on people who ‘have less’
  • The ‘Fed’ (a euphemism for the Federal Treasury) has begun printing paper dollars at a vastly increased rate, compared to two years ago (This is likely to lead to a high level of inflation – the increased value of goods, usually paired with a slower value of labor and wages)

These circumstances are likely to lead to more people doing with less, and more people believing that somehow our system of economics is flawed, and they should be compensated for their difficulties.

There will be a point when inflation reaches levels so high, that the vast majority of Americans will welcome national intervention to prevent further impoverishment of it’s citizens. This is similar, though not quite the same, as what happened in Russia in  1917, Germany in 1932, and China in 1949.

In all of these scenarios, people were presented with bogus options to solve their problems. Folks were told choose A or B, and usually B seemed completely out of the question. This forces people to embrace circumstances they usually would never tolerate.

Ask about the legitimacy of socialized medicine in 1998, and you’d likely get a lackluster response. Ask about it during the depth of a severe recession, and you’ll get a much more enthusiastic crowd.

So, here’s the real conspiracist in me: I think the hardships that people are going through right now, are being perpetuated to further an agenda that consolidates power to the federal government. Granted, DC doesn’t have the ability to outright create recessions, especially one like we’re in now. However, they do have the ability to hinder legitimate recovery from said recession.

By effectively nationalizing banks, nationalizing health care  (it’s on the way), and sending a lot of mixed messages to potential investors to business, the Federal government has created a sense of unease with the entrepreneurs and businesses that would have seen our economy back on it’s feet, much the same is they have for hundreds of years.

This prolonging of economic suffering, under the guise of helping, is no foolish trick. It is a way to entice the masses to believe the only hope they have for recovery is through the determination of a nationally strong central government. A government that will stop the corruption of the few, will save the dignity and prosperity of the many.

This is, by definition, a socialist argument.

But, I’d bet you didn’t think of that way, did you?

 
  • http://corycollier.com/2009/05/insanity-depression-and-recessions/ Insanity, Depression, and Recessions | Cory Collier

    [...] said before, that I think this recession is being prolonged to further a national dependence on federal government. I still believe that the federal government should stay out of our lives, and not intervene in [...]

  • JP

    Cory, I agree with you. Socialism isnt the asnwer, But Unfettered Capitalism isnt either.
    You should read “The Road to Serfdom” written by F.A. Hayek,
    He is a staunch capitalist, and promotes free free markets.; You will love his ideologies, as I do.
    One thing I have to say is that the top 5% of this nations earners are taxed far far far to little in proportion to the middle class.
    You may at first object to this but hear me out. Ive heard the argurment that “the rich pay most of the taxes” and by advocating for this Im accused of”Punishing hard work”
    Not true.
    It is detrimental to society for such a small amount of people to control such a large proportion of the worlds available capital. This migration of money (especially in the last ten years) from the middle class to the coiffers of the uber wealthy has taken the fuel out of the economic engine that is the middle class.
    There are only x amount of dollars available in the market. When large amounts of cash are pulled out of the economy, a few things happen. The Government prints money, as u noted before, and the credit industry booms, both leading to a false sense of security.
    Inflation devalues the dollar making the money you do have in your pocket collectively worth less. (some say this is the conservatives way of raising taxes). and the credit you now have puts imaginary money in your pocket which you pay back with interest further taking money out of your local economy and moving it into corporate accounts in NEw York, and other banking economies.
    A tax on the ability to raise capital is prudent and necessary for the sustainability of capitalism.
    The shrinking middle class will lead to socialism otherwise.
    Think about it. Capitalists are always wanting to give the handouts to the supply side of the economy, but the demand side, always gets the shaft. If the middle class has no purchasing power, no money to uy homes, cars, ipods, dvd’s, flatscreen tv’s, ionvest, go out to eat, go get a tan. How is capitalism going to survive?? All the while there are huge pools of real legitamately printed cash sitting in overseas accounts and being invested in overseas business.
    Im not for raising taxes now in a recession, but that stimulous should only be a means not an end. We must raise capital gains taxes at some point, or on certain sectors such as hedge funds and derivatives.

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