Socialism Sucks!

Since it seems to be a hot topic, as of late; let’s talk about socialism.  In theory it is nice to think that a great equalizer, such as socialism, would solve all of our economic woes.  After all, what a wonderful world it would be if poverty didn’t exist.  Everyone would have the same income, the same opportunities, the same net worth, and everything would be fair.  Life would run like a well-oiled machine.

In the words of Jim Carey playing the Grinch, “Wrongo!”

An economics professor at a well-known university decided to teach the concept of socialism to his students by conducting a classroom experiment using their grades in the place of income.  He explained to his students that he was going to run his class on the principals of socialism, thus all grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade; so no one would fail and no one would receive an ‘A.’

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone in the class received a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.  The second test average was a D.   No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.   As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased because bickering, blame-shifting and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

To their great surprise, everyone FAILED the class.  The professor explained to his students that socialism would ultimately fail as well because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great; but when the government takes away the reward, no one will try or want to succeed.

This is the same concept as the "everyone gets a trophy" bullshit happening with youth sports.  If all of the kids are going to go home with the same trophy, what's the point in doing your best and trying to win?  In fact, why even play if the score doesn't matter, if there's no glory at the end, no challenge of winning, no fear of losing, no competition to drive you?

Why work harder or work at all when there's no recognition for your achievements?  Why should I bust my balls and have half my paycheck go to someone who won't even get off the couch?  Socialism is settling for mediocrity and mediocrity sucks!

 

 

Socialism has many flaws:

·          You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
 

·         What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

·         The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

 

·         You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

·       When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they have worked for… that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

 

 

Wake up, America!  ~

Armed Good Guys (at least) Have a Shot

I’ve read countless Facebook posts about gun control and how guns are to blame for the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.

This statement is not entirely correct.

Yes, guns were used, but people are to blame.  In this case, a mentally disturbed individual is to blame. I can own one hundred guns, but if I never load one and fire it at someone, then those guns never kill. 

That being said…. Should we institute some form of gun control.  Yes.  But we need to make certain it is not in violation of our overall right to bear arms.  It’s a fine line, but it is an important line and should not be crossed.

People have quoted statistics about how the United States has the highest rate of gun-related deaths each year.  I would like to know how many of those deaths are due to genuine accidents and how many were caused by un-registered, un-licensed gang-type behavior. 

See, Americans who are licensed gun carriers are not the ones killing people.  Americans who own guns to protect themselves and their families are not the ones walking into schools and murdering children.

If we take away our right to bear arms as a nation, it only affects the law-abiding citizens and those aren’t the people who are killing others. The “bad” guys are still going to get guns, whether there is a law against it or not. 

Drugs are illegal, and yet look at the number of meth, crack, heroin and cocaine users in our nation.  It is the same with guns.  “Bad” people are going to do bad things no matter what laws we have in place.  What we CAN do is make it harder for them to do bad things…

Should we make it more difficult to purchase a gun?  Sure.  Should we institute harsher punishments on those caught with un-registered, un-licensed guns?  Sure.  But punishing legal gun owners who have not and most likely will never use their gun to commit a crime is only causing greater problems.

A greater debate is do we arm more “good” people in order to better be able to stop the “bad” people.  I don’t know.  But, had the Principal or the Counselor or one of those teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary been a concealed, licensed carrier, maybe they would have been able to get to their gun and maybe they would have been able to take the man down before he reached any classrooms.

I don’t know the answer… but I believe, in today’s world, arming teachers so they can at least have a fair shot at protecting our children is no longer an idea I would frown upon.  Having an armed guard at our schools is no longer unfathomable. 

Look at the two signs above.  Now, pretend you're a deranged individual who gets the idea to go into a school and kill people.  Which sign has a better chance at making you stop and re-think your plan?

Let’s face it, parents of all of the children in all of the schools across our nation watched the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in horror; and if one of us could have picked up a gun and ended the disaster by killing the shooter we’d have done it in a heartbeat.  Any one of us would have fired that shot and taken him out to protect our kids; but we can’t fire a shot with a gun we don’t own.

Unarmed good guys can’t stop an armed bad guy…. but armed good guys have a shot.  ~

 

 

 

An Attitude of Gratitude

On this Veteran’s Day I want to thank everyone who has served and is serving to protect our Nation and our Freedom.  May God bless America and you.  May He also bless your families, who serve along with you in their sacrifice.   It is not small.  Some of have given their lives and mere words cannot express the gratitude I feel.  Even when our economy is in turmoil, I am proud to be an American.  Even in times of upheaval, I am proud to be an American.  I am proud to stand behind our troops, waving stars and stripes, and profess my gratitude that we are One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice For All.

 

 

Thank you, God, for every blessing and every freedom; and thank you, Veterans, for defending and protecting the blessings and freedoms we have been given.  ~

Shocked, Scared, Stranded...but Alive

On September 11, 2001 I sat on the couch with my infant daughter, rocking her back and forth, staring at the television in horror.  Like every American, I was terrified.  But, on that morning, I wasn’t only afraid for our nation.  My fear was personal.  I was afraid I had lost my husband.

My husband, Cash, traveled every week for work, and after years of this travel lifestyle I stopped writing down his flight numbers.  So, on the morning of 9/11 all I knew was that Cash was leaving Boston on a United flight, home to Colorado.  The first plane hit the Towers and I stood frozen.  The second plane hit and I, like the rest of the world, began to realize we were under attack.  The news reported that the planes were both United flights, heading westbound out of Boston, and I couldn’t breathe.

Diving for the phone, I dialed Cash’s cell phone, but he didn’t answer.  I dialed again and again and again for seven minutes straight.  It was the longest seven minutes of my life.  When he finally answered I almost collapsed with relief.  He was alive.  Shocked, scared and stranded; but alive.

It took Cash another five days to make it home and when I saw him cross the threshold of our front door, it was one of the best moments of my life. 

My 9/11 story had a happy ending, but for others that wasn’t the case; and today, especially, I pray for those whose loved ones didn’t come home.  ~