Change in our lives many times comes on so gradually that we don't even notice. Then in a flash, we realize that things are so different and we can't believe that it has happened. Today, we seem to be awakening to the fact that our nation has made some tremendous changes and we're wondering how we got here?
In the first 200 years the United States of America produced greater wealth and prosperity than all of the rest of the world in 2000 years. Why? Because individuals were free to pursue their own individual happiness.
Throughout history, however, there have been those who have believed that government should be larger and that it should possess all power and we should be the servants of the state. I can't put my finger on a time when that transition actually begin to take place in our country. Government grew considerably during the Roosevelt administration prior to World War II. The country was slowly recovering from the Great Depression when many social programs were introduced that shifted power to the central government. This social march was interrupted by World War II. At the conclusion of World War II both Europe and Asia were in the throes of social reform. The Soviet Union regained its strength from the ravages of war and Joseph Stalin picked up the banner and tightened his grip on his subjects as he shipped his brand of communism West. His influence and his assistants very quickly transformed China into a communist state.
Post-World War II brought tremendous economic growth to our country. People had saved money throughout the war and were now ready to spend it on things they had always wanted. I guess you could say that spending money, buying homes and new automobiles was our brand of therapy to remove the scars of war. However there was another side to this story.
The Socialists were on the rise here at home as well as they were in Europe and Asia. As a matter of fact, we all remember the Army McCarthy hearings that took place when Sen. McCarthy was attempting to ferret out those socialists who had infiltrated many levels of government. His efforts may or may not have been on the mark but it does point to the fact that something was changing in our lives. At this point it did not seem obvious to the rest of us as we attempted to pursue our own lives and seek the happiness that we desired.
The Korean War was another spark to ignite the movement towards Socialism in America. We were involved in the conflict that dragged many nations into focus because of their relationship to the UN. The United Nations described this conflict as a police action however, the USA carried the burden as we always have. Between the end of that conflict and the war in Vietnam we slid back into a postwar recovery mode until the Vietnam war.
That particular war probably changed the horizon of social activity more than any single conflict this nation has faced. The streets were filled with protesters, the universities became hotbeds of anarchy and the hidden cover of the socialist movement was now in the open. The 1960s became the turning point of this nation on a very steady march to socialism. We no longer hid our socialist tendencies under a bushel.
Many tools were employed to make this transformation. The environment is one that is most obvious to all of us. It was an ideal tool to use because none of us can be opposed to keeping our surroundings clean and livable. Consequently this was a movement that could be used by government to garner more power than from any other single activity.
Many argued that free people in the pursuit of their happiness were polluting the environment. Therefore, government had to restrain the activity of people to save the earth. That activity like all of the rest was insidious. It shifted us a little at a time. Today when we hear so much about Cap and Trade. We are told that we have been terrible people because we have used so much of the resources of the earth and polluted it so badly that we now have to cut back on or use of these resources. And if we don't we will be taxed tremendously for their. If you want to cut back on the use of any product, service or activity you begin by making people poor so they can afford it. That is exactly what this program will do.
Other devices have been employed to control people and move the balance of power to a central government. Another example of control term “political correctness”. Political correctness is been a tool very effectively used to curtail freedom of speech. These things I have mentioned have been long-term slow-growing tools of those who believe the power of our lives belongs to a central government.
There are several things that are paramount to move a nation to the left. Number one, you must control capital and we see this happening on a daily basis. In the last two years we have seen Wall Street maligned, our banking system decimated resulting in economic chaos like we have not seen before. Number two, controlling production is essential to the power and control of a central government. As we look at the automobile industry it becomes clear that the government is moving steadfastly in this direction. The third and most important requirement is to control the population.
Population control can be the result of many activities that are regulated under the guise of something altogether different. We now hear that we must control the Internet. Of course we must control the Internet if we are to have a strong central government that speaks for all of us with one voice. Talk radio is another target of our present administration. There has been talk of a “bailout” for newspapers. Should that take place, the freedom of the press will become only four words and have no meaning whatsoever. Napoleon once said that he would rather face 10,000 swords than three newspapers. I think we can see why it's so important for government to control the press. The most critical population control devices so far has been the embryonic national healthcare system. The government will eventually force you into this system whether you like it or not and will require you to pay for the pleasure of doing it.
Wouldn't we all like to believe that these actions taken by those we have elected are for our benefit and to make our lives better? That is not the case at all, but rather a shift of the diminishing wealth of our nation from the private sector to government. That means simply that those in power have the wealth and we produce it only if we are able.
As dire as all of this looks I really believe the nation is awakening. I am reminded of the statement made by admiral Yamamoto as he steamed toward Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He said “I think we have awakened a sleeping giant”. I hope that is exactly what has happened in the last two years. I do believe that we are becoming wise, more educated and ready to meet the threat that faces us.
This fall we have the opportunity to go to the polls and do what we have done for over 200 years and that is to clearly tell government what their powers will be and what their powers will not be. It is our choice to make and we can make it or we can continue on the slippery slope that we are on today.
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