It can’t happen here?

Imagine, if you will, that President Trump loses the 2020 election to a yet-undetermined leftist candidate who promises free health care, free college tuition, and equality for gender, sexual preference, income, ad nauseum. Now imagine that by 2025 the United States under this leadership votes to implement socialist laws.

It can’t happen here, can it? We have a Constitution that prevents that from happening, right? Think again. Our Constitution is no better than the people behind it. That includes our legislators, judges, law enforcement, and most importantly, us. If we don’t stand up for constitutional principles and demand our leaders do the same, no one will. Ben Franklin was asked what sort of government the delegates to the Constitutional Convention had created. He answered, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Franklin understood full well that a sound government requires the constant attention of all citizens. That concept has never been more important than today. Left-leaning political leaders have removed their cloak of respect for our way of life. They are now openly advocating socialism.

There is a free documentary available on this. It is by Glenn Beck and is called, “Socialism; a message from the dead.” It can be found on YouTube. It is two hours long but please take the time to see at least the first hour. I know, Glenn Beck is known as somewhat of a conspiracy kook, but his history documentation has been irrefutable and his predictions eerily accurate. At least view this documentary with an open mind.

Normally you think of an overthrow of a government as being by military coup or other violent action. Beck shows that historically there are instances where a country has been taken over without a shot being fired. There are two glaring examples. First is Czechoslovakia after World War II. This country went from a booming capitalist economy as a result of the Warsaw Pact to a socialist government in just three years. And it was all done by the vote. There was no violence whatsoever.

The more recent example is Venezuela. This process started under the leadership of Hugo Chavez. When he died and Nicolas Maduro took his place the run to socialism became clear. You need only to check the news, even biased news, to see the results of socialism there.

Many of today’s youth have the perception that socialism means equality and charity. In other words, they support a system where the government provides some degree of free schooling, free medical care, free housing, free food, and so forth. If not free, then subsidized. The next step is a guaranteed annual income. They don’t really care who owns the factories, the fields, and the mines. What they care about is that somebody gives them a soft life. And when you give them the ability to vote themselves free stuff at somebody else’s expense they’ll do it.

According to a recent Gallup poll, 51% of Americans aged between 18 and 29 have a positive view of socialism. By contrast, just 45% have a positive view of capitalism — down from 68% in 2010. Further, a Reuters-Ipsos poll last summer revealed that 70% of Americans supported one of the central planks of democratic socialism, universal healthcare financed by taxes.

Apparently there is a belief that somehow “democratic socialism” won’t yield the same historical result that outright socialism has had. What they are discounting is human nature. The premise of socialism is that a group of people can work together for the betterment of the group. However, there is at least one in every group that will take advantage of that premise for their own benefit.

Say what you will, it eventually happens every time. A subset of the group will bestow on themselves more than the others are “due.” The difference between this and capitalism is that with socialism there is no way short of violence to get out of that mode once the subset controls everything. That means the media, police, and firearms I suggest you read (or reread) Orwell’s “Animal Farm” as a clear illustration of this.

OK, so you are believer that socialism is on its way here. You as, “What can I do?” First, educate yourself. Find as much information as possible on socialism and “democratic” socialism. Second, speak out. Many of today’s supporters of socialism are merely victims of a hijacked education system. They have never been taught the benefits of capitalism. Have some facts and comparisons ready. Keep America great.

Tom Riggins can be reached at news@lahontanvalleynews.com.