Marching Toward The 'Ideal' Society
By Henry Lamb
February 23, 2009
Since Franklin Roosevelt's election expelled Republicans from control of government in 1932, Democrats have controlled the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives for 31 years; Republicans controlled all three centers of government for only four years during this period. Democrats controlled Congress for 53 years; Republicans held the majority for only 12 years. (web site) In view of this reality, Democrats are primarily responsible for public policies that have resulted in:
Loss of manufacturing capacity;
Decline in education ranking;
Exploding illegal immigration
Growth of regulatory compliance costs
Growth of government
It is neither fair nor accurate to blame all the nation's woes on Democrats; Republicans provided considerable assistance over the years. But there can be no doubt, that since Franklin Roosevelt's election, the nation's public policies have been shaped by Democrats.
Regardless of the label policy makers may wear, what they believed is quite clear from the policies they adopted. Those who have made policy believe:
The federal government is not limited by the U.S. Constitution. This belief predates Roosevelt, but abuse of the enumerated powers expanded rapidly during and after his administration.
Government, not the governed, is the source of power, and has the inherent authority to grant or deny rights to the governed, and to take and redistribute the property of the governed.
Government should manage markets with tax penalties, incentives and permits. A classic example: gasoline is heavily taxed, while ethanol is subsidized.
Government should manage society by regulating the use of property. In some areas, government limits home building to one per 40 acres, while allowing dozens of homes per acre in other areas.
Individual rights are subservient to the government-defined collective rights. Private homes are often taken by government so government can give, or sell, the property to another private owner who may pay higher taxes -- which benefits the collective.
People who believe these are legitimate government activities are more likely to be Democrats, although some Republicans share these views. More importantly, whether Democrat or Republican, people who believe these are legitimate government activities are not capitalists. They are collectivists.
Capitalists believe that the means of producing wealth should be owned and controlled by private individuals or privately owned corporations. Collectivists believe that government must own or control the means of producing wealth in order to assure that society (the collective) shares resources equitably.
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