More destructive than any specific policy item modern Democrats are pushing this year are the ideas they use to justify their agenda.
The $3.5 trillion bill that President Joe Biden and Democrats are now attempting to cram through Congress via reconciliation is meant to create a European-style cradle-to-grave welfare state here in the United States. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the bill’s Senate author, has, for years, praised systems across the Atlantic. As have many other Democrats.
There are numerous specific arguments against the agenda that further expands an already onerous bureaucratic state, but it is the idea that traditional American life needs reimagining that should be rejected first. Because the most vociferous champions of the European-style governance are invariably the most passionate critics of the dynamism and glorious messiness of American life. The factors that propel our economic superiority — the unplanned and lightly regulated, individualistic and seemingly disordered free markets — chafe against the technocratic sensibilities of Democrats. For them, even American exceptionalism, the idea that the United States occupies a unique position in world history, is ugly and plainly wrong.
So, they now perpetuate a corrosive culture of victimhood and dependence that already often permeates many European nations. And one of the most destructive untruths of the Europhile is his contention that the meritocracy doesn’t even exist. To convince people of this, he will fearmonger about growing poverty, the shrinking “middle class,” the rise of inequality, and the inability of Americans to achieve their dreams without the paternalistic help of technocrats. (I debunk many of these claims in my new book, “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent”).
Americans have long touted the value of personal responsibility, though they have often been mocked by elites as hopelessly simplistic when they do. Yet, according to the World Values Survey, 70% of Americans still believe that the poor can escape poverty if they work hard enough — though you wouldn’t know it listening to today’s Democrats. Only 35% of Europeans share this view. Europeans also believe that the wealthy are undeserving of their riches — which, due to a lack of entrepreneurship, lots of regulations and rent-seeking, they often are.
Wealthy Americans are far more likely to have earned their money. In one long-term study titled “Family, Education, and Sources of Wealth among the Richest Americans, 1982-2012,” economists Steven N. Kaplan and Joshua D. Rauh investigated the behaviors and backgrounds of the 400 wealthiest individuals in the United States over 30 years as reported by Forbes. They found that the share of the self-made wealthy had risen from 40% in 1982 to 69% by 2011. Similarly, an analysis by finance researchers for the libertarian Cato Journal determined that half of the wealth in the Forbes 400 has been “newly created in one generation.”
What Democrats refuse to acknowledge are the trade-offs that accompany their utopianism. They either ignore or dismiss the economic downsides of dependency, and they dismiss the numerous core freedoms, both individual and communal, that are lost when living under the bureaucratic thumb of a monolithic, centralized, soul-sucking enterprise like the European Union.
The all-encompassing welfare system progressives champion is reliant on transfer programs that pose moral hazards for society. As the money and benefits of redistribution become more generous, increasing numbers of citizens are incentivized to set aside their traditionally strong work ethic and rely on the state. We see this today, as the largest number of people who have left the work force during COVID-19 and not returned — despite the availability of jobs — are those making more money from unemployment benefits than their former job.
No one should dismiss the inherent unfairness that sometimes exists in any system, but a society that values and incentivizes personal self-determination also creates a strong work ethic, a strong sense of fairness and more opportunity. If we follow Europe, we are in danger of losing those attributes.
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at National Review and author of “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.” To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
“If we follow Europe, we are in danger of losing those attributes”? The United States has already followed Europe and communist China. The communist Democrats have destroyed our nation and the RINOS in Washington are enablers of this destruction (where are you Mitch McConnell)?
Where are the rhinos.. FULLY BEHIND THIS take over of our nation of course…
And …don’t forget… They’ll PROFIT from it immensely… while maintaining their untouchable elite status. I’d say we have to vote them out… but… That’s no longer an option. So.. I guess we just have to shut up… go back to work (when they let us and how much they will let us keep of …THEIR… money)… lower our standard of living, forget all about freedom and just do what we are told. Live free…Die well
Live on your knees, or die on your feet!
I see that the democrat Socialists / Communists party of America is in the first stages of making America over into just another communist controlled country. This Quote from the Book by David Harsany Tells what is taking place right before our eyes. ” In my own time Governments have taken the place of people. They have also taken the place of God, This new worship of Government i lack. I have no Reverence for the all-powerful and bewildered face of Government . I see it as a lessoning of the human being ,and a final looting of his birthright -The Survival of his young,I see it as a orge with despair in its eyes,”
Has anybody not noticed that the Democratic party in Georgia is now called the Socialist Democratic party. So my next question is when will they drop the Democratic party ?? And just be the Socialist party of Georgia. ??
To me, they already ARE THE SOCIALIST commucrat party.
“The $3.5 trillion bill that President Joe Biden and Democrats are now attempting to cram through Congress via reconciliation is meant to create a European-style cradle-to-grave welfare state here in the United States.” (The Socialist Democrat Party State/Dictatorship)
Wealthy Americans are far more likely to have earned their money.
self-made wealthy had risen from 40% in 1982 to 69% by 2011.
Give a man a fish that someone else caught, you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and he feeds himself for life.
During WWII tens of millions of Europeans fell under the heels of National Socialism and Communism, 35-40 million in the Germany/Soviet Union alone went from their cradles of democracy to their graves in the earth and but for the intervention of the United States in that war, and but for the tens of thousands of our protecting troops after that war, tens of millions more would have perished. How do they now repay us for the American blood and treasure spent to save them?????,,,with the same old failed socialism that will take, expend and devour more American life force and treasure than even WWII.
Hitler invaded Europe without with shock troops/blitzkrieg, while the next generation of European social corrupters did the same to the USA , with a blitzkrieg of planted college professors and the same old failed ideas and promises of a better world in words, that only produced a harvest of a worse world in deeds and accomplishments. Powers acquired in theft, lies and betrayals are never followed by sunshine and lollipops, but only their criminalized laws that protect the criminals they place in power, destined to produce diminishing returns on the investments of OUR American life forces when the true value of their theology of their government god is revealed. But for the USA taxpayer paid military umbrella that has protected Europe since WWII, that just freed up corrupted European money for more failed social experiments, Europe would have cratered years ago.
Bernie, the bill’s author, I feel does not fall into the category of how the wealthy earned their money. But the Vermont communist seems to have become quite wealthy, I would bet not from the sweat of his brow, yet he wants the US to be like Europe, in all aspects. Too bad he won’t move over their to live.
That’s every politician.. THEY ARE ALL MILLIONAIRES but don’t consider THEMSELVES to be the ‘rich’…
It’s strange how they make an average of $175,000 a year …and… in 4 years,they’re multi millionaires. Martha Stewart found their secret … look what happened to her.
its tooooo late.