Posted on 02.15.2019

Once Upon a Time in America

All it takes is a look at the U.S. Congress to see how seriously fractured our nation is.

Bernie Sanders no longer has the dubious pleasure of being the only openly socialist member as he has been joined by, most notably and loudly - thanks to the media - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who has kicked socialism up several notches to resemble what took Venezuela down the drain in a few short years.

The acceptance of socialism, mostly by the younger voters can be blamed to a big degree, on their education, especially at the college level, where pseudo revolutionists from the flower child generation teach the nobility of socialism, making it sound like a place of social nirvana where everybody shares and shares alike, where people are rewarded according to, not their production, but simply by virtue of being born.

Shortly after the fall of the iron curtain, when American businesses rushed into the Eastern Bloc countries to reap the benefits of the fledgling democracies that McDonald’s had set up shop in and the people scrambled to get the jobs they offered at better wages than they had ever seen.

Then the problems began because the workers they hired came in, worked a short while and tried to spend the rest of the day just sitting around reading the newspaper or whatever, work be damned.

The truth of the matter is that they simply didn’t know any better, the work ethic had been so thoroughly burned out of them by the socialistic theory that no matter how hard you work, you’ll never advance and you won’t make any more money, so going to work, to them, meant sluffing off all day.

Reportedly, there was also a high rate of employee turnover.

The apologists leave out the parts about how for socialism to exist, there eventually has to be a totalitarian government to enforce it, after the few who dare to excel start looking at the slugs and wondering why they deserve the same pay and benefits as one who brings something to the job and actually produces for their pay.

These people have to be kept quiet lest they upset the apple cart and start a movement that could turn political and topple the elite, who sit at the top of the pyramid and live like royalty.

To start with, a little harassment and public scorn is enough, but after a while, it eventually takes a midnight knock on the door and a person never being heard from again, and a little bit of this goes a long way in toning down the dissenters.

When governments start nationalizing private businesses the bureaucracies explode, and since they have to justify their existence, they begin levying regulations that tie the hands of commerce and make it next to impossible to show a profit.

Which doesn’t bother government at all, since they have a never-ending source of income and when they need more money they simply raise taxes or print it.

Eventually, both their sources are pushed to the bursting point when taxes can’t possibly be raised anymore and as a result of printing money hyperinflation sets in and it takes a dump truck full of cash to buy the weeks groceries and no nation is willing to lend more money and the panic begins.

There is no food on the shelves, gasoline is totally unaffordable, even if you can find it, then factories and manufacturing shuts down, the government is stone broke, the dole is discontinued, the power struggles begin which means that even the meager amount of currency that can be had goes for guns, not butter, and the people resort to whatever they have to, to eat - up to and including slaughtering the animals at the zoo.

Everywhere socialism has been tried, it has miserably failed, reducing the quality of life, destroying governments and leaving economies in shreds.

Yet there is always a new gaggle of fools who think they can make it work, or at least that’s what they tell the electorate, always masking their real intentions of having suffocating and perpetual power over a nation.

America sets on the edge of the precipice, the next couple of elections will decide whether we pull back or go over the side.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

— Charlie Daniels

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Check out "Mudcat" from Beau Weevils - 'Songs in the Key of E'

Comments

Dam the Demoncrats
Amen, Amen & Amen Charlie the only good that I can see in all of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez manifesto of building a train to Hawaii and cows passing gas will end the world in 10 years along with Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar Islamic views on Jews in her anti-Semitic rants is that many, many Democrats will wake and see how far their party has gone left and vote Trump in 2020. God Bless America and damn the socialists, Plowboy
Posted by Plowboy
Coming Previews
Keep it up, Charlie. I think we can write most of this off as the rise and fall of common sense. May God Bless America..... the Democrats never will. ~ NIMOC
Posted by Jeff
Mega-dittos
... of course, I wouldn't kick Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez out of my bed were I lucky enough to have her in it. ~
Posted by Allan
Socialism
I think you are missing the point of much of this. As a liberal progressive - and as one who knows many liberal progressives - the goal is not to reward everyone the same without regards to how hard they work. People who work hard and achieve - should be rewarded, and people who are lazy and don't work shouldn't. That is the foundation for capitalism - and that is fine for most of our society. It is not problem that someone who has worked hard and achieved gets to drive a better car, live in a fancy house etc. It is not the goal of most progressives to take that away. However, there are two exceptions where pure capitalism does not work. Health care and education. Most Americans do not believe that rich people should get better health care than poor people. Does Ivanca Trump deserve a better heart surgeon (should she need one) than most of the people on this web site ? It's fine if she drives a better car - but should she get a better surgeon. Medicare is one example of government run socialism in health care - and most Americans like it. If not repeal it - and have health care distributed by pure capitalism. You can't afford it - you don't get it. No health insurance and your sick - tough - you only get what you can afford. Your insurance does not cover the expensive treatment that you need - tough - you don't get it. Is that what you want ? Education is the other area. A gifted child in a family of moderate means deserves all of the educational opportunities (distributed by merit - not income) afforded to rich people. Should a rich person of limited ability get to go to a better school than a poor person who is gifted. Now - how to achieved these ideals in health care and education is the subject of a much longer discussion. However, characterizing the liberal ideology as wanting lazy people to get all of the benefits as hard working people shows a lack of understanding. Yes - there are extreme folks on the left and the right. However, much of the discussion by reasonable folks on the left entails providing opportunities in health care and education that are not limited by income.
Posted by Paul
You
Saw you at Cheyenne Frontier Days 2018 while I was working (LEO). Thanks for being a Patriot and Pro-America.
Posted by James
socialism
paul….Why should I pay for you .If you can't afford it than you don't get it.Socialism has never worked and it never will.Get two jobs or in your case get one.
Posted by Robert J
Paul -- amid a see of socialists
WTH..... reasonable folks on any part of the leftist, progressive scale have disappeared or are sworn to secrecy. Pelosi just proved that with darling AOC at her side. There is no discussion to be had anymore. They don't even want to try talking. Besides, they think their zero negotiation is working.
Posted by Jeff
socialism movement
Thanks for your comments, Charlie! I agree and empathize with your concerns and sentiment and pray daily as you suggested. There has been a serious threat by the radical Islamic groups that believe it's their time for a jihad and wiping out the U.S. and Israel. While this is a serious and valid threat, I now see this ignorant movement toward socialism as more threatening to American freedom and democracy than radical Islamist's goals. If this continues to any serious extent, it could bring about the 2nd Civil War with Americans not fighting for the freedom and liberties of black people, but all Americans. I pray to GOD that never comes. As for Paul's comments about your lack of understanding of the ideology of socialism, I applaud the two cited goals, but realize that you cannot have socialism for those two goals alone without serious unintended consequences which every nation that has tried socialism as succumbed to. GOD bless you speaking out and GOD bless America fighting for freedom for ALL!
Posted by Lon
Socialism
It sounds like you all are for eliminating medicare and medicaid. As a physician - I have seen many that require care that their insurance does not cover. Even the conservatives always want the care. No one ever voluntarily bypasses the required care they can't afford. As for Robert J, I suspect if you do the math and don't forget to carry the 1, you will see that people are paying for you.
Posted by Paul
HOW LEFT WING / RIGHT WING WAS CAME ABOUT
Ecclesiastes 10:2 https://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/10-2.htm
Posted by MORRIS
To Plowboy
There's a republican who's running as a democrat so he can run against Trump in 2020 for president. We should vote for him in the democrat primary. Tru Cola
Posted by Tru
Great overview of Socialism
Love your article, "Once Upon A Time in America" and I totally agree with everything you said. Thanks and keep on writing.
Posted by Penny
To Socialism
Paul, I am not making a habit of using CD site to respond. Your explanation of healthcare and education (neither of which are working real well) are just neon signs and talking points. I frankly tire of hearing them. That is only the beginning if you don't admit that. It doesn't stop. And the Green Deal is full of more do-good boondoggles. The bureaucracy alone to administer it would be enormous. (look at Medicare and education) But don't pull the charade people are against healthcare or education. Now they are only brochures for the vast expansion. It's also amusing that cost doesn't seem to matter. The mob will always demand. And pols will always see themselves as elite gatekeepers. PS. once something is politicized, as Obamacare, it changes the foundation and outcome -- if that is what you want. ~ NIMOC
Posted by Jeff
socialism
Jeff Like any complicated issue, solving the problem of providing health care and education to US citizens is not easy and does not lend itself to 30 second sound bites or a few sentences on a message board. Although not perfect - most Americans think Medicare is a good thing. And medicare is indeed government run socialism - which is ok. Medicare has been around for years and it has not led to the death of capitalism in the remainder of society. Even toddler trump stated that he would institute a method for covering all Americans with great health are once he became president. Of course, once he was voted in, he stated "who knew it was so complicated." I would be happy if the republicans ran on eliminating medicare. No better way to have a democratic president. If you or your family developed a chronic illness in your elder years, you would need medicare to cover your health care. You would need a lot more money from it than you ever put contributed to it. Although you might be tired of hearing about it-----you would not be too tired to use it.
Posted by Paul
Life
Thank you Charlie Daniels for standing up for what is beautiful and true. I most notably love your comment about Life and that there should be “Sanctiary Cities for the preborn babies”... yes.... there should be ! My dream is to host a benefit concert called “Musicians for Life” . Bless you!
Posted by Michelle
Once upon a time in America
I have to agree with Charlie on this subject when we look at the way people how treated are treated at a simple traffic stop the police act like the Ghestapo in most instances. I agree there’s bad people out there and we need the police between the wolves and sheep. In a lot of ways some of this is perpetuated by our college campuses and the mindset that the police are your enemy. Another problem right out of the socialist handbook is gun control disarm the population and then the government is not going to honour or be on the side of the people. I really wish that people would wake up and realize that our founding fathers put the 2nd amendment right after free speech and expression. We better wake up in this country and fast because America is the last stand for decent people once it’s gone we’re all in trouble.
Posted by Brian
Response to MORRIS
This Bible verse doesn’t refer to the left-wing/right-wing politics familiar to us. And that’s not where we get the terms left-wing and right-wing, either. These terms come from the French Revolution, when those in favor of democracy sat at the left wing of the table at the debate and those in favor of monarchy sat at the right wing. The Bible verse is in reference to the fact that the right hand is dominant for most people (and the status quo in their ancient culture). Obviously, the left-wing of our politics isn’t in synch with the Christian faith. But neither is the right-wing, even though it seems like it is. There are very good reasons for a good Christian to sometimes choose a liberal idea over a conservative one. Instead of being liberal or conservative, we’re better off thinking for ourselves. -- Tru Cola
Posted by Tru
Responding to Paul
If people were to voluntarily support a charity that manufactured prescription medicine and gave it to those in need for free, there’d be one less reason to support socialism. -- Tru Cola
Posted by Tru
Socialism Redux
First of all, Paul, we can no longer talk about Medicare (much less healthcare) in isolation of socialism or centralized and socialized government. Socialism is consuming the table, as these plans indicate. I prefer to leave Medicare alone, minus the needed reforms. But it is the left who want to crash and destroy it, the same way Obamacare was only a vehicle to single payer.(as CBO’s own numbers for Obamacare over years demonstrate) It is only a means. So it is not the right you have as much to worry about. It will decimate the system. The Left only likes it as a vehicle. But you refuse to deal with the political factors of the matter, politicization, or especially with socialized medicine. And it is used as the poster child and gateway drug to socialist utopia. We have to admit and deal with that. ~ NIMOC
Posted by Jeff
America
Something has gone very wrong with the educational system. I was speechless when my 20 yo nephew stated matter of factly, at Thanksgiving dinner table, that “America is not that great....it was never that great”....🤯 This is a kid that grew up in NYC....and has dropped out of college after attending Bronx Science Prep School... “just not interested in college” and “ not interested in looking for a job “. 😲. And for some insane reason, my brother, who worked at age 16, like me, and is a professional ( lawyer), who works his butt off, lets him. I’m dumbfounded. I don’t have kids since I worked my butt off becoming an MD. I think this 20+ generation is a lost generation...and maybe even a national security risk. They want socialism bc they’re spoiled, coddled, overindulged, lazy , useless souls. How could this happen in America?
Posted by Laura
Socialism
The expected cost of Medicare to cover all Americans is ( just reported) to be $ 32 trillion. This exceeds the US GDP of $19 trillion. (The US GDP is 19390 billion = $19.39 trillion. Reference: “ The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the United States was worth 19390.60 billion US dollars in 2017. The GDP value of the United States represents 31.28 percent of the world economy.” Therefore is would bankrupt the country and disrupt the world economy. Medicare reimbursement is a subsidy earned after working and paying into the Medicare/Social Security system via payroll taxes. It does not represent the cost of care it covers. Doctors/health care providers accept Medicare patients by cost-averaging it with higher private insurance payees, by contracting with insurances providers in a prearranged ‘capitated’ system, ie. United covers 50000 capitated lives at X hospital/ facility for Y dollars, banking on earning a return by betting the fees they pay will be less than the premiums they collect. Medicare does not function like this and instead subsidizes the true cost of the care, as an ‘earned entitlement’, unlike private insurers. However, due to the complexity of the Medicare system, multiple layers of additional administrative entities, ie. Utilization review, QA, Pre-certification reviewers, Radiology Management Review, etc. 3rd Party providers have been interjected inthe system thus extracting a piece in the pie. This multilayer 3rd, 4th, 5th Party payers explains why the cost of Medicine did not decrease , as proponents of the Managed Care (HMO) organizations. While the reimbursed cost to providers, ie MD’s, hospitals, etc reimbursement has decreased, the overall cost of Medicine hasn’t because of the multilayer administrative costs.
Posted by Laura
Socialism
Hello Charlie, I must say that I agree with you 100% when you said "Everywhere socialism has been tried, it has miserably failed, reducing the quality of life, destroying governments and leaving economies in shreds."; however, in a perfect world if there was a way to make Socialism work, and work well would you find yourself advocating for it or would you still want Democracy. Thank you... Huge Fan!
Posted by Nathan
Socialism/Communism
When I was a young man of 19 in the USAF, I would report to duty every night right smack dab in the middle of the Cold War. My job was to defend and secure the nuclear-loaded B-52s that stood vigil on alert, ready to respond in an instant should America come under attack. In those days, our chief rival was the communist Soviet Union, and as an American military troop, they were my sworn enemy. Hoping the day would never come, I was ready to take the lives of my enemies and fight to the death for my mission. I would have never thought that I would one day see an America where people sympathetic to the principles of Communism would sit in the very seat of power in this nation, and roam the chambers of the US Congress. It is a slap in the face of those who died overtly fighting communists in Southeast Asia and the Korean Penninsula, as well as those who died covertly in the clandestine services or on classified missions during the Cold War. For the rest of us who served during that time, we stood strong against the Communists then in defense of freedom. To find them here now, legislating and running for office, sickens me, and it should sicken you as well, no matter which side of the isle you lean towards.
Posted by Dan