^
Franklin D. Roosevelt was sort of socialist and did, I think, a good job?
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/fr32.html
oMay not be right sort of policies for now though?
Two examples from the link really stood out to me, and from them I can argue on why I think socialism is bad for America, and especially, the evils of "good intentions".
Firstly, FDR's introduction of Social Security. During the lean times of the Great Depression, Social Security was introduced for pensioners who lost everything to get a little stipend from the government, furnished by people who are working. Sounds great, right? Fast forward seventy some years and it nows takes
two working people to pay for every
one receiver of Social Security.
The program obviously had
good intentions, right? But here is the ugly side: by letting a government entity manage money, they bungled it, and now the middle class is the ones who suffer, by having money extorted from them all the name of good intentions. Believe it or not, there are people in America who, instead of
privately saving and investing their money, they are now virtually indentured servants to the government on the first of every month when the receive their SS check. It is disgusting!
The second paragraph from the link was a little less alarming, but made me feel uneasy non the less. "{B}ut a revolution in constitutional law took place. Thereafter the Government could legally regulate the economy." Again, it had roots in
good intentions. By giving them control, I think it really limited the scope of how high our economy could go.
Take a look at Hong Kong, pre 1997; it didn't have import or export duties, no restrictions on foreign investments, or limits going out. There was no capital gains tax, no interest tax, no sales tax, and no tax breaks for struggling companies. Corporate tax was a paltry 16.5% of profits, and the individual tax rate was around 15%. They can thank a man named John Cowperthwaite, who did the most sanest thing any government entity has done in a hundred years: he and the colonial government left the economy alone, to prosper and fail within it's own boundaries, not one's set by politicians.
I would also like to touch on another aspect of government warding, welfare and national healthcare. Both were, again, based on
good intentions. First off, anyone who thinks that a healthcare system should be run by a government entity should stop and think of this: when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, it took about 5 days for the government to get in gear, practically setting a record in
efficiency not seen since World War II. As we all know, Government moves at a snail's pace, that is the nature of bureaucracy. Do you really want that pace when it comes to your health?
Why is it that hospitals in States bordering Canada are full of Canadians in for surgery? We all know why, it is because Canada has socialized medicine, and the poeple who can pay, come here. Meanwhile, uncle Ted, good working man that he is, has to wait 6 months for a transplant because that is how it is with socialized medicine. For the people in Britian, I am sure that you could spend a great deal venting your spleen about healthcare.
Years ago America did not have any sort of government health plan, you went to the doctor, you paid your bill. Now think about this: did you hear of people going into debt because of health care costs then? What about now? Why is it that when the government gets involved in something private, the cost of business goes up?
How about the welfare system? introduced by President Johnson, under the guise of "The Great Society", it has been nothing but. let's face it: in any society, there will the few percent that will never work, or want to work, or take any responsibility for their actions. Now America has to pay for these assholes under the guise of welfare.
I want one person,
ONE person, to name me a successful housing project that exists or has existed in America, a housing project that was built under the guise of...you guessed it!
good intentions. Because of "good intentions", the people living in these sewers to the sky had become slaves to the government.
It makes me sick to my stomach that any human being would do this to another. Instead of helping the poor person get out of their situation by showing (and not giving!) them opportunities, the government keeps the welfare recipient in a condition akin to serfdom from medevial Europe, giving them just enough money to keep them dependent on the government. It encourages illegitimate children as a means to gain more money. If that doesn't make you feel angry, I question the soundness of your mental condition.
So, there you have it.
