Sunday, June 10, 2012

Socialism

Republicans often use the word "socialism" as a scare word like the word "communism" was used in the 1950's.  Any proposed legislation by the Democrats is labeled socialism by the G.O.P.  None of them define exactly what socialism means; they just want to make everyone afraid it.  Here's what the word socialism means according to a dictionary:

A theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.
 
As a practical matter, important segments of our society are highly socialistic if you judge them by definition, but people don't seem to be frightened by it.  Why?  The public has control of it.  Take public utilities, for example, which are regulated by state commissions.  Utilities, telecommunications, transportation, education and other large segments of our society are socialistic in the sense that there is a public interest in the quality and quantity of service, and at some level, public control of it. 
 
Take a closer look at society's infrastructure, though, and you find that all those industries are public/private partnerships.  A school district contracts with private companies for support services; state highway departments bid construction contracts to private industry, public electric companies contract with private suppliers for fuel, and so on.  It is this balance of public interest and private enterprise that brings most infrastructure to our lives at the highest quality for the lowest cost. 
 
In a time of financial stress, should public services be cut?  The answer is maybe.  When politicians cut government, they also cut the underlying private sector jobs that support them.  However, budgets are about balancing revenue versus expenses so every aspect of government should be fair game.   
 
However, Scott Walker, Republican governor of Wisconsin, took budget cutting one step farther.  Governor Walker removed the rights of public employees to bargain.  Mr. Walker survived his recall election largely by framing the issue as a budget debate, which it was not. 
 
Governor Walker's actions were an attack on individual rights.  If the governor were truly interested in budget cuts, he should have shown some leadership by asking the legislature to cut his own salary and benefits.  He didn't because his actions were not about cutting budgets; they were about the elimination of individual rights.  
 
Across the country, using the buzzwords like socialism and budget cuts, Republicans are rolling back the rights of individuals, whether it's voting rights, women's and minority rights, the right to free access to information, the right to free speech, the right to collective bargaining.

The next time a Republican says the word "socialism," grab your Bill of Rights and hang onto them.  The G.O.P. wants to eliminate your individual rights.

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