Tag: progressive policies

Categories
Quick Analysis

One-Sided Harshness

There has been much written about how harsh American politics has become.  The fact exists that the nastiness remains, for the most part, one-sided.  Despite the wailing over President Trump’s tweets, the lion’s share of the vitriolic comments, and the radical positions, come from the Left.   In contrast, the Right has been comparatively restrained in its descriptions of the increasingly extreme and dangerous comments and positions emanating from the Progressive side.

Consider the extraordinary ideas pushed recently by Democrats.  The late Rep. John Dingle, (D-Michigan) shortly before his passing, advocated abolishing the United States Senate. There has also been considerable advocacy on the left for eliminating the Electoral College. Those acts, alone, would fundamentally alter the entire governing structure of the Constitution. The motive for restructuring the most successful republic in world history is not based on any profound practical or intellectual complaint. It comes from a crass and cold calculation that a fundamental transformation from a federal system to one dominated by a central government would allow the left’s centers of power, the large cities, to essentially monopolize power.

It would also be a crucial step in allowing socialism to flourish. That political/economic system, in its hundred-year existence, has failed in every jurisdiction it has been tried across the globe, and resulted in political tyranny and increased poverty.  The most recent example is Venezuela, and the many American leftists who hailed the leadership of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro have yet to face substantial criticism by the left-friendly media. The label “extremist” is not frequently used against its advocates.

Positions against religion have been taken, including the rapid growth and acceptability of anti-Semitism in the Democratic Party, the attack on First Amendment rights of religious institutions (seen in the mandates of Obamacare,) and the sharp questioning of Catholic nominees for judicial positions by Senators such as Diane Feinstein (D-Ca.), Kamala Harris (D-Ca.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) who have implied that followers of that religion may not be fit for the bench have become commonplace.

Noah Freldman, writing in Bloomberg stressed that “Senator Dianne Feinstein owes a public apology to judicial nominee Amy Coney Barrett — and an explanation to all Americans who condemn religious bias. During Barrett’s confirmation hearings…before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Feinstein, the California Democrat, insinuated an anti-Catholic stereotype that goes back at least 150 years in the U.S. — that Catholics are unable to separate church and state because they place their religious allegiances before their oath to the Constitution.”

However, some rx viagra of the side effects it can have are: Increased blood pressure, Diarrhea Stomach upset, Headache Vision impairment, Effect on the hearing capacity of a person, Flushing of the face, Priapism. Explaining Nighttime Sweats Mainly because the factors of nights viagra from usa sweats may be the symptom of the extra significant physical circumstance, it may possibly also be the result of erectile dysfunction. The little blue pill is strictly advised not to take the Tadalfil as this may levitra sales online affect the blood pressure. Platelets are blood cells that are naturally created in online viagra no prescription the bone marrow.

Steve Cortes, writing in Real Clear Politics  reported: Sens. Mazie Hirono and Kamala Harris, in written questions to District Court judge nominee Brian Buescher, challenged his suitability for the bench because he belongs to [The Knights of Columbus.]  Hirono claimed that the Knights have taken “extreme positions” such as affirming Catholic belief in traditional marriage and even asked Buescher, ‘If confirmed, do you intend to end your membership with this organization to avoid any appearance of bias?’…Harris wrote that ‘the Knights of Columbus, an all-male society comprised of primarily Catholic men … opposes a woman’s right to choose.’ Anyone who further dares to personally embrace longstanding Christian doctrine on the sanctity of life, including the unborn, should also seek employment outside of the federal bench.  Such anti-Catholic bias represents not just a discriminatory affront, but also an unconstitutional religious litmus test for appointees…”

The most basic concepts of the Bill of Rights have been targeted by Progressive politicians and advocates. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) called for restrictions on the First Amendment. Democrat lawmakers in Hawaii seek to abolish the Second Amendment.

Perhaps most profoundly, Progressives have advocated for eliminating the very concept of U.S. citizenship. H.R. 1, introduced by Rep. Sarbanes (D-Maryland) would protect jurisdictions that allow illegal aliens to cast votes. It passed with near-unanimous support by House Democrats (but will not survive in the U.S. Senate.)

It cannot escape notice that even as deeply radical concepts are pushed by the left, they are hardly ever characterized by the media as “extreme.”  That label seems to be reserved for moderates and conservatives who generally seek to merely preserve the traditional practices of America’s governing structure, its economic system, and societal norms.

Illustration: Pixabay

Categories
Quick Analysis

A candid discussion on American socialism

Do progressive policies actually accomplish solid results?

As several presidential candidates ask Americans to seriously consider an openly progressive agenda, it is appropriate to examine how that concept has fared in actual practice. The goals of the hard left are in line with President Obama’s desire to “fundamentally transform” America.

Throughout most of its history, the United States has experienced unprecedented economic growth and mobility though an essentially capitalist philosophy. Market conditions which encouraged growth and entrepreneurship allowed vast numbers of Americans to advance economically into the middle class and beyond.

As a possible reaction to the poor results of the Obama presidency, free-market advocates or conservatives have, according to the Gallup polling organization, outnumbered both moderates and liberals since 2009.

However, as presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders has openly identified himself as a socialist, and his Democrat opponents Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley have for the most part agreed with his policies in an attempt to solidify their support with the left wing of their party, the question of “fundamentally transforming” America from a free market to a progressive/socialist economy has risen to the forefront.

The progressive concept, which is essentially been the mantra of the currently ascendant left wing of the Democrat party.

Progressive policies can be distinguished from other programs such as Social Security and Medicare, which are essentially funds taken from individual paychecks then returned to the taxpayers at a later date when eligibility sets in. Progressive policies center on the concept of “redistributing” wealth from those who have earned or produced it to those who have not.

The late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once remarked that ““The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

As Geroge Will “America’s national character will have to be changed if progressives are going to implement their agenda…consider the data Nicholas Eberstadt deploys in National Affairs quarterly: America’s welfare state transfers more than 14 percent of GDP to recipients, with more than a third of Americans taking ‘need-based’ payments. In our wealthy society, the government officially treats an unprecedented portion of the population as ‘needy.’ Transfers of benefits to individuals through social-welfare programs have increased from less than one federal dollar in four (24 percent) in 1963 to almost three out of five (59 percent) in 2013. In that half-century, entitlement payments were, Eberstadt says, America’s ‘fastest growing source of personal income,’ growing twice as fast as all other real per-capita personal income. It is probable that this year, a majority of Americans will seek and receive payments. This is not primarily because of Social Security and Medicare transfers to an aging population. Rather, the growth is overwhelmingly in means-tested entitlements. More than twice as many households receive ‘anti-poverty’ benefits than receive Social Security or Medicare.”

It is appropriate to note that as those entitlement programs have soared, including a 41% in the supplemental nutrition assistance program (food stamps) social security benefits for seniors have suffered, enduring the lowest amount of cost of living increases on record. Indeed, the social security program itself is facing bankruptcy, since funds that should have gone to insure its solvency have been diverted to progressive programs.

A study of American cities and states where progressive concepts have been used provides an important glimpse into what results the growing trend towards socialist government can be expected to yield.

Men that have complete injuries are less likely for having psychogenic penile erection issues. viagra buy in usa pdxcommercial.com Anyone with an understanding of how levitra price to prepare bread and butter can make the herbal cures easily by themselves. Chinese herbal medicine can take advantage of conditioning the body, and this is easily provable if you cialis sample just look at the army. Medical devices are becoming smaller, more portable sildenafil 10mg and faster. The Brookings Institute examined large U.S. Cities, and found that 90% of the most unequal cities have Democrat mayors, and have had them for extended periods of time.

Newt Gingrich, quoted in Front Page , has noted that “Every major city which is a center of poverty is run by Democrats. Every major city. Their policies have failed, they’re not willing to admit and the fact is it’s the poor who suffer from bad government.” Since 2013, of the large American cities with significant poverty rates, only Miami has had any experience with non-Democrats hands.

A study by United Way, “Struggling to Get By,” takes a hard look at how progressive policies have fared in California.  Among the key findings:

“One in three California families lacks income adequate to meet their basic needs.  One in three California households (31%) do not have sufficient income to meet their basic costs of living. This is nearly three times the number officially considered poor according to the Federal Poverty Level. Families falling below the Real Cost Measure reflect California’s diversity. One in five (20%) struggling households are white, so while poverty is often portrayed in our media and culture as primarily a problem for minorities, the reality is that families of all ethnicities struggle.”

By contrast, notes the American Legislative Exchange Council, (ALEC) “States that have adopted pro-growth policies have generally witnessed their economies grow, offering greater wage growth and more opportunities for citizens. Yet, despite years of empirical evidence supporting free market policies, some states choose a different path. …

“The empirical evidence and analysis … makes clear which policies lead to greater levels of opportunity and which policies are obstacles to growth. … This … concludes that pro-growth tax policy, that avoids picking winners and losers, provides a fair and competitive environment for all hardworking taxpayers. There are many policy obstacles that lawmakers face when trying to create a competitive economic environment… tools include lowering or eliminating the corporate and personal income taxes, reducing overall tax burdens, reducing or eliminating state death taxes, simplifying tax codes and supporting worker freedom. State policymakers [must] fix their budgets and address long-term pension liabilities.

“Generally, [ALEC’s latest] rankings show that [free market-oriented states]Utah, Wyoming, North Carolina, Florida and Texas are economic hotspots for growth. Furthermore, many of the no income tax states such as Nevada and South Dakota are also economically promising. On the other hand, most states in the Northeast and some states in the Rust Belt are facing economic decline. In the Rust Belt, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin deserve major credit for positive pro-growth reforms they have recently enacted after decades of poor policy choices. Additionally, Minnesota and Illinois both face significant fiscal challenges. the Northeast are even worse.”

Internationally, socialism has harmed the prosperity of the nations and peoples who have adopted it. The Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEE) notes: “Socialism is the Big Lie of the twentieth century. While it promised prosperity, equality, and security, it delivered poverty, misery, and tyranny. Equality was achieved only in the sense that everyone was equal in his or her misery.”

The latest example is Greece. Jake Novak, writing for CNBC  eports “while Greece’s epic debt problems have dominated the news, I haven’t heard very much about who is to blame for what’s happened in that country. When any bank or other capitalist entity fails, the news media and the general public seem to name their favorite specific villains almost instantly. The word “profit” becomes dirty somehow and public figures start pining away for a more giving society that never was. But where is the condemnation of socialism and the failed politicians who peddled a proven failure of a system not only to the Greeks but to the half billion people who live in the E.U.? Where is the recognition that when the Greeks recently elected an even more leftist and socialist government, it sped up the path to collapse?”

The problems are not limited to the Old World.  In contrast to the largely capitalist USA, Latin America economies have been far more government-centered. Despite the inherent wealth of resources, many nations in Latin America fail to prosper. Daniel Wagner and CJ Post, writing in Huffington point out that “Even when times have been good, Latin America’s socialist countries have still failed to deliver meaningful political and economic reforms or effective public spending programs.”