An opinion expressed recently in the newspaper (Public Viewpoint, July 9) regarding changing the meaning of profit got me fired up. The individual stated she wanted a world with equal outcomes “where all people are equal and given a fair shot at life.” This is the belief of the progressives. They have their hearts in the right place, but not their reasoning. Let’s call them what they really are — Socialists. Their goal is have equal economic results regardless of the individual’s participation and effort to achieve said results.
Rather than government-mandated entitlements to equal individual economic outcomes, we conservatives want everyone to have a fair and level playing field from which to strive for individual results, but not equal results.
We believe every child should receive an excellent primary education, something that currently is lacking in Arkansas and across the U.S.A. thanks to federal government involvement, unions and tenure for teachers. Excellent primary education is available in Arkansas through charter schools. They have proven outstanding primary education can be achieved without government involvement all across the country.
Federal government-mandated redistribution of earned profit (wealth) taken from the productive sector of society to give to the unproductive sector only promotes ill feelings by the productive sector while engendering a sense of entitlement to unearned benefits among the non-productive sector. In stark contrast, the helping hand offered by charitable organizations induces caring and compassionate feelings from the productive sector while generating a sense of gratitude among those who accept the helping hand.
Every man, woman and child should read and understand the history of Jamestown and Plymouth Plantation. Both were started as socialist communities by very homogeneous groups where productivity and sobriety were highly valued and laziness and drunkenness were deeply frowned upon. Within three years both communities had failed miserably to provide the basic needs of food, shelter and clothing. Out of necessity, both changed their economic philosophies from socialism to capitalism. As residents realized access to food, shelter and clothing would only be possible when each of them became productive members of society, both settlements began to prosper. They came to the realization that waiting to benefit from someone else’s labor was a failed philosophy.
As Margaret Thatcher said “Socialism works great until you run out of other peoples’ money.”
It is time we return to our founding principles. Social Security, Medicare and now Obamacare are all socialist programs and are bankrupting the U.S.A. We are running out of money if we have not already run out. Just ask any 20- to 25-yearold if they ever expect to receive any money from Social Security when they retire. They will answer “absolutely not.” Why are we passing this monstrous debt onto our children and grandchildren? Wake up, citizens of America! More socialism is not the answer. This does not mean progressives do not mean well; it just means they do not understand human nature. They want to live in a Utopian world. However, that world does not exist anywhere here on Earth.
MIKE CLIFFORD
Bentonville