Repeating History - Submitted by Reg Anderson

The dialog between you, Tony & others caught my attention and you asked for feedback and opinions. So - following are some observations from my perspective.

To paraphrase, "He who ignores history is doomed to repeat it."

First, I want to assume that all sides of the political spectrum want the same things including healthy, happy, congenial lives with freedom to pursue our goals and dreams, so far as they don't infringe on others. Of course, this isn't always the case but let's start there. If the above assumption is correct, then the only question is "What is the best way to achieve it," and therin lies most of the squabbling.

I am reading a comprehensive history of Scotland beginning at about 3000 BC. I'm only about 70 pages into a 730 page book, but I am overwhelmed with the unending saga of wars and battles, with each one trying to take what belongs to someone else. And Scotland is not unique. Read the history of any country at any period of history and it is a similar scenario of conflicts.

In my opinion, war is the second dumbest thing that people can do, The first dumbest (to coin an old expression) is to live under a dictatorship when resistance is possible and to fail to defend our families and homes. See the Title of Liberty in the BOM.

One of the mantras of the "Hate Bush" coalition is his motivation in attacking Iraq. In my personal opinion, entering Iraq was an unwise thing to do. Not because of any ulterior motives or the lack of weapons of mass destruction, but because the basic assumption seemed to be that if we could eliminate Saddam Hussein, we would be joyously welcomed and that democracy and freedom would immediately result. I lived for many months in Saudi, Kuwait, Syria, Abu Dhabi and Dubai and I have great respect for many aspects of the Muslim culture in that part of the world, but it is a mistake to think that a culture can be changed overnight. It may take centuries, and almost certainly it won't be exactly as we would like.

It is somewhat hypocritical to blame Bush as a "war monger", when a cursory review of the wars that we have fought in the past two centuries shows that often they were initiated or exacerbated by the left side of the political spectrum.

As I consider the form of government that has evolved in the United States, it is apparent to me that we already have significant elements of socialism, to the extent that the government controls many aspect of our lives and commerce. Certainly some of this is necessary. We aren't likely to each one build his own road system, for instance.

Looking at the political spectrum with pure capitalism on the right and pure socialism or communism on the left, neither extreme has worked well historically. If you look at examples of either extreme, they fail for the same reasons: lust for power and greed and the end result is generally a dictatiorship of one form or another - ie, Stalin or Hitler.

One unfortunate outcome of the liberal bias in many universities today is the prevailing attitude among young adults that business is evil and that the profit motive must be eliminated. This undercuts the basis of the success of this country. Granted, there is greed and crime that occurs in the business world, and I have seen many examples personally, but I have seen many more instances of these things in the government organizations that I have encountered. The current rush to more government is not going to solve anyything. In any case, absolute power corrupts absolutely!!! We are racing deeper into socialism with the government attempting to control everything including finance, manufacturing and health care.

Philosophically, I have no problem with a system that promises everything to everyone. However, pragmatically and historically it doesn't work. Why doesn't it work? Because it removes all incentives. My example that you have heard many times: if you work 80 hours per week to try to improve life for your family and I go to the park and watch the grass grow for the same 80 hours and we are paid the same, how long will you contunue to work hard?

I also liked your example of the college professor that told the class that since they felt that everything should be equal, they would all get the same grade based on the cumulative average. Predictably, the scores were increasingly lower on each exam and, in the end, everyone got an F. That's socialism in action.

During the presidential campaign, Pres. Obama said repeatedly that one of his main goals was to redistribute the wealth. This idea is to cut up the pie into exactly equal pieces. Conversely, a well run capitalist system seeks to make MORE pie and provides incentives to do so. In some of his speeches, President Obama has also hinted at the idea of "Reparations". Scary.

Those who oppose socialism are accused of lacking compassion and charity, however, if you look at the statistics, we are more charitable per capita than the next most charitable country, Great Britain by several times over.

The fundamental question is this: If things are so bad here, when was it better and where was it or is it better? Let's all move there. I suggest that we all need to learn a little more history.

I hope and pray that we are not so political and so naive as to assume that we don't need National Defense and that organizations like Al Qaida will abandon their goals to eliminate the US and western culture if we just talk nice to them. I am very familiar with those cultures and they have leaders who would love to detonate nuclear bombs simultaneously in 6 or 8 American cities. They would do it in an instant given the chance.

Regarding Nationalized Healthcare, I am 72 years old in October and I don't look forward to being told, "You have cancer or heart problems. You're too old to treat. Just go home and die or come back in a few years and we'll see if we can find someone to talk to you." But it is true what they say, a healthcare system like that will definitely cut costs. It just depends on how strictly you ration it.

I agree, if there are people who cannot get healthcare inspite of Medicaid and Medicare, we need to find a way to get care to them. But who are they? The poor have Medicaid and the elderly have Medicare. Let's concentrate on finding ways to solve the problem without taking over everything.

Arlene and I won't be around to see the full impact of the financial irresponsibility that is being thrust on us right now. It's our kids, grandkids and great grandkids who will inherit the burdens and have to pay the real costs. I appologize thet we couldn't find a way to proceed more wisely. but we certainly didn't vote for this.

John, sorry for this rambling, but you asked for some thoughts. Let's talk.