On the Brink of Socialism | Teen Ink

On the Brink of Socialism

April 15, 2009
By Austin Nissly BRONZE, McMurray, Pennsylvania
Austin Nissly BRONZE, McMurray, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments

The United States of America will soon be a socialist nation. Okay, maybe I’m being a cynic, but the policies of the current administration make my stomach churn. Barack Obama seems to be walking the country down the road to socialism. Conveniently for him he doesn’t even have to blindfold the American people because they’re already closing their eyes. The U.S. is on the brink of socialism because of the government’s reaction to the economic crisis and the apathy of the American people.

Contrary to the research of thousands of economists, Obama and his ideologues believe that trillions of dollars in government spending will revive the economy. Dr. Robert Barro, an influential Harvard economist, explains how this spending will be ineffective and how the tax cuts are "not geared toward incentives." Did Obama pass his high school history course? I mean some of my friends barely passed history, and they know that the Bush and Regan tax cuts spurred the economy back into prosperity while the Roosevelt, and recent Japanese, and Argentinean spending frenzies achieved minimal success. I am sure Obama passed history with flying colors, which leads me to question his motives. Does he want to change inherent American ideals? Does he believe that the United States is better suited for socialism? But I guess all of this is okay because we have a crisis on our hands and we need to do SOMETHING!
Regardless of whether this spending works or not, the U.S. will be farther in debt. The interest expense on the national debt in 2008 was $450 billion according to treasury direct.gov. This expense will increase dramatically over the next ten years assuming Obama’s budget is passed, and the CBO is right in its predictions that the annual deficit will be 85% of GDP by 2019 (up from 40% after the passage of the Stimulus Bill). The question here is where will we get this money? The answer is American business. The government will be obligated to raise taxes on business. With the capital gains tax on business through the roof the government will be literally holding American business by the neck. Does this grasp on business resemble the free market capitalism upon which this country was built? I don’t think so. Due to these tax hikes, the growth of these businesses will be stunted, and they will be forced to lower wages, fire workers, and limit their spending to avoid insolvency. The average middle class worker will be hurt, and before long he will be knocking on the front door of the White House asking for relief. Lobbying will persist, and the majority of Americans will vote to raise taxes to help the desperate middle-class who can’t find jobs. Obama, Pelosi, and Reid will try to dry their watering mouths as they raise taxes on the rich once again. This makes me think of Robinhood cheering; “Take from the rich give to the poor!” The rich are smart. They will realize that their money is being taken from them, and they will not work as hard. They will be less likely to take the risk to expand their business; they won’t buy a new big screen TV; they won’t go on expensive family vacations. Once again the middle-class factory worker, TV salesperson, or flight attendant will be hurt. These people will then turn to the government for help. The cycle repeats itself. Eventually over 50% of the country is dependant on the government. In a democracy where people vote, how will we ever be able to swing the pendulum back to free market capitalism, which has made America the greatest county in the history of the world? We will be stuck in mediocrity like Europe, Japan, and Argentina. But mediocrity is okay as long as we have a big middle class, right? America is built on the middle-class, which makes socialism appealing because it seems to help the middle-class. The reality of socialism is that it merges the classes into one big lower-class (large income gaps can be frightening, but the one class system is worse). Capitalism builds the middle class by giving them the opportunity to reach the upper-class. Socialism cuts the upper-class at the knees in an attempt to help the middle-class which creates a massive lower-class.
If Americans would open their eyes and try to understand what is happening to our great country I do not believe socialism would pose a threat. The government realizes this and is playing on the fear and timidity of Americans. Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.” Clearly, the government recognizes that now is its chance to implement socialist reforms such as nationalized health care because history has proven that people question capitalism during a downturn. How can anyone in his right mind trust our government with his health care? Did we forget that this is the same government that caused the housing bubble by encouraging mortgage companies to give out sub-prime mortgages so that “everyone could have a home?” Americans need to wake up to what is going on. For example, Congress recently signed the Employee Free Choice Act, which will essentially end the secret ballot when voting to join a union. This is clearly a bill thanking the unions for their support during the campaign. Obama should help us get out of this recession instead of paying back his pals. Another bill that will do nothing to help us get out of the recession is the cap and trade. Americans know that now is not the time to save the environment at the expense of business, but we don’t care enough to notice. Good-hearted Americans who understand and respect the American tradition would never allow socialism, but I believe that socialism is an imminent danger if we don’t start paying attention.
A recession is a tough time for everyone, and we would love to prosper again as soon as possible. The million dollar question is how can this be done? I believe that the solution lies within the heart of each American: rich, poor, black, white, young or old. Now is the time to return to our inherent conservative ideals and the faith in free market capitalism. We have been through hard times before, but as Americans we have inherited the unique ability to persist and improve our situations using our God-given abilities. Those who are not in this position must do everything they can to help. This could be volunteering at the food bank, or simply going to church on Sunday to pray. Capitalism has its downturns, but we live in America and this has and always will be the system that brings us wealth and prosperity. Persist; we are on the brink of prosperity.



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This article has 20 comments.


on Jan. 24 2012 at 11:13 am
Hawthorn BRONZE, Nowheresville, Maine
3 articles 0 photos 55 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Know Thy Enemy" Sun Tzu

Personally I think it would be a good idea to raise taxes on businesses but offer rebates based on how many people they are creating jobs for, what environmental protection measures they have in place, how well they treat there employes, and other similar criteria. That way not only would the taxes probably be less than what we started with but businesses would have more incentives to create jobs and do other things that are beneficial to our country and more importantly the people in it.

on Jan. 24 2012 at 11:07 am
Hawthorn BRONZE, Nowheresville, Maine
3 articles 0 photos 55 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Know Thy Enemy" Sun Tzu

yep. Thomas Paine was one of the first founding fathers to realize the value of propaganda that was more than half true and often quite witty. The american revolution wouldn't have happened as quickly without him

. said...
on Jul. 29 2011 at 9:47 am
mutualism a form of socialism invented by pierre joseph proudhon. in this theory the state is abolitioned and every person owns a means of production. things are traded or bought depending on the theorist, for there value not for profit.

on Aug. 15 2010 at 12:23 am
StanHubertson, Oak Park, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments
Tell me, do you consider Thomas Paine a founding father?

Austin said...
on Aug. 13 2010 at 12:09 am
I support the hard working American who is struggling to support his/her family paycheck to paycheck. History has shown that capitalism helps these types of people and socialism hurts them.  That is a fact.  Do you even realize what all of the blood sweat and tears was for? It was for capitalism. It was for individualism; the entreprenuerial spirit, freedom, limited government.  Things that our Founders ingrained in us to make us prosper.  Why don't people like you listen to that? These ideas among others have proven to help the people IN our country.  What are your ideas to help them?

on Aug. 11 2010 at 1:17 pm
StanHubertson, Oak Park, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments
Perhaps because I am too middle class to afford a move to one of those countries or to suddenly uproot and move? Make my parents give up their jobs to come with me. You sound like an ignorant nationalist. I know what it took to build this country, the blood, sweat and tears of the working class, apparently you have forgotten. Evidentally I love this country more than you do because I love the people IN IT, I realize what they need to live prosperously and I know it isn't capitalism. You might love this country, the notion of the United States, but I love what it's made of. 

Austin said...
on Aug. 10 2010 at 5:16 pm
I accidently posted my last message at the top.  

Austin said...
on Aug. 10 2010 at 11:01 am
This is really sad that I have to defend America and that there are people like you out there who hate this country.  It's insulting not only to me but to the founding fathers and our troops who have died to make this the best place in the world to live.  You sound like an ignorant socialist who has no respect for what it took to build this country.  And don't talk to me about poor people. I've worked with some of the poorest people in is this country and they would rather be here than in Canada, Denmark, or Norway.  If you want to live under the soft tyranny of socialism and give up your freedoms then why don't you move to Canada?

on Aug. 9 2010 at 10:09 pm
StanHubertson, Oak Park, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments
Are you high? the United States has one of the largest poverty scales in the world. The three best countries according to the United Nations since the 1990s have been Canada, Norway and Denmark (Norway and Denmark of income rates of above 60%)

Austin said...
on Aug. 9 2010 at 10:00 am
What is wrong with profits?  I started a landscaping business this spring with one thought in mind.  To make a profit.  Now keep in mind in order to do that I have to treat my customers with respect and be ethical or my customers will stop hiring me, and I will stop making a profit.  Profits motivate me(and all entreprenuers) to provide a legitimate good or service at a fair price that will improve the lives of my customers(their yard looks nice and they paid less than they would for a more experienced service).  And then I also hire my friends for more than they make at their regular jobs - in turn improving their lives as well. When you have millions of businesses doing this very same thing, millions of peoples lives are improved every day.  And if a business is blind to social commitments - I don't know if this is what you are talking about but say a company does not allow homosexuals to work for them(an outrageous, unethical business move) - this will get in the news and people will stop buying the good or service that the company provides, and the company will go under.  The same would be true if a company did something racist.  I trust my fellow man, with the help of the media, to oust  these companies that do such terrible things.  And this has happened in the past.  Where we run into problems is when the government tries to get too involved.  For example the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 forced banks/mortgage giants to give out subprime loans which led to the housing bubble.  I want you to do me a favor: next time you are driving look at the businesses located in your town.  I challenge you to tell me how they are not providing your town with a valuable good or service.  Go into one of these entities and talk to the owner or manager or sales rep and tell me how they are not your fellow man.  I challenge you to tell me how you can't trust them.  I challenge you to go into your nearest bank - count how long it is before someone says "can I help you." Is he or she not your fellow man?  After checking out a couple of businesses go home and think about these businesses and the entreprernuers who started them. I challenge you to tell me why the owners created these businesses.  And then tell me how America has the highest standard of living and is the land of opportunity. 

on Aug. 8 2010 at 10:07 pm
StanHubertson, Oak Park, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments

The reason for Greece's economic collapse is the faulty lending practices done by the bankers. It kills me when people bring this up because they always mention the riots in Greece. To stop you from mentioning that I would like to say briefly that the riots in Greece being done are in aprehension of the tactics used by the IMF, i. e, the breakup of the unions and the loosening of regulation. 

Nextly, about whom will I put my faith? I think my fellow man is a good place to start. And if your too ignorant to see that a corporation or a bank, something with no social commitments is interested in only seeing a profit I think you've got your head shoved somewhere unpleasant. 


Austin said...
on Aug. 8 2010 at 11:01 am
Why does it matter who passed the bailouts?  Your either for or against them.  I'm really worried when I hear people say that trusting business is useless.  Who are you going to put your trust in? The public sector?  Look what happened to Greece when they did that? Personally I trust the bank that I go to, and I have never felt that they are betting against me.  And if I thought this way I would take my money out and go to a different bank.  Entities guilty of betting against the American people are Fannie mae and Freddie mac(government chartered mortgage giants).  Look up the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977.  Banks had to give loans and mortgages to people who didn't deserve them(subprime mortgages).  This led to the housing crisis and one of the factors that led to the recession.  Government involvement makes businesses less efficient and will make it tough for us to survive in the new global economy.

on Aug. 7 2010 at 12:48 pm
StanHubertson, Oak Park, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments
Also, keep in mind, Obama did not pass the bailouts. Bush did.

on Aug. 7 2010 at 12:47 pm
StanHubertson, Oak Park, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments
For some reason my response's format is very screwed up, I think you can get the general feel of my ideas.

on Aug. 7 2010 at 12:46 pm
StanHubertson, Oak Park, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments

 In my response I will directly quote Glenn Beck, "You will wake up one day America, and you will be in a different country than the one you went to sleep in." 

In terms of financial regulation, here's my idea of financial regulation, the banks willingly bet against the people, the banks did this not only in our country, but in nations around the globe. This idea should be attributed to Milton Friedman (who was deeply involved in the IMF) and helped set it up so that it would create Libertarian economies in whichever country needed an economic bailout, but, furthermore, my idea would be (appealing to both capitalists and communists on this) would be to let the banks fail because of their heinous crimes (appealing to Capitalists) OR, have the government nationalize the banking system and regulate them within an inch of their lives and stop this from happening again. 

Trusting business is useless. Business has no social commitment, therefore we have no interest in trusting that they have our best interests at heart.


on Aug. 6 2010 at 11:08 pm
Austin Nissly BRONZE, McMurray, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
The liberal push toward socialism is not a revolution.  When Beck says that I don't think he means that America will become socialist overnight.  What I think he means is that America is slowly becoming more and more like Europe.  Measures such as the financial regulation bill, the health care bill, cap and trade, the bailouts, and the stimulus make me feel like we don't trust the free market anymore and government must get involved in every aspect of business.  Do you agree?

on Aug. 6 2010 at 6:19 pm
StanHubertson, Oak Park, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments
I invite you to examine the histories of the Russian Revolution. If Obama is radically changing our country to socialism it's like no revolution I've seen and I can't wait to "wake up one day" as Glenn Beck says and see a socialist nation the next.

HOPEMVP said...
on May. 5 2009 at 6:05 pm
I TOTALLY AGREE

on Apr. 20 2009 at 3:00 am
Austin Nissly BRONZE, McMurray, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
Thanks for the comment "sunshineyday." What happened when Bush cut taxes after the dotcom bubble burst? The economy got back on track and unemployment went down!!! What happened when Arnold took over California and implemented his liberal tax policy? High unemployment and disaster!!!:( I would also like you to check out the tax system in Texas and look at how their economy is doing. Thanks

Sunshineyday said...
on Apr. 19 2009 at 1:17 am
Good writing but I entirely disagree! Bush's "trickle-down" theory was a load of junk! We can't focus on tax cuts to make the rich richer while the poor get poorer.





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