Socialism 101

A friend of mine who happened to be living with me at the time was singing Obama's praises one day.

Now naturally, this generally serves to grate on Synapses' last nerve. My first impulse is usually to tune out the twittering Obamaphile and relegate his demented squeaking and squalling to background noise. However... this was coming from within the confines of my own home, where I couldn't get away from it so easy.

For some reason, I garnered that an explanation presented in the simplest of terms, would clear the air of tension, and not only that, but allow the offender to see in clearer vision, his god... his idol... The Obamasiah... the naked emperor.

Now, it took a child to point out that the Emperor had no clothes on... if a kid can do this, why not me.

And so I took the change jug out of the closet. I bought one of those crappy piggy bank jars for the spouse's birthday... or Christmas, I don't really remember which. And it held all of about 74 cents, which was left after a purchase of cigarette materials (I didn't say cigarettes, I said cigarette materials... the nanny state I live in has jacked the price of cigarettes up so high it's hard to afford one of my two remaining vices, smoking, and coffee consumption)

I said, "Hold out your hand." This is something any Obamaphile will completely comprehend and comply with; after all, they are used to having their hand held out, palm up, whether its free health care or a free lunch, free this, free that....

He did, and I dumped the 74 cents in his hand. I said, "This is your paycheck for one whole year."

I took a quarter. "This represents your federal withholdings."

Then I took two dimes. "This is your state withholdings."

And a nickle. "This is your Medicare premium"

And another nickle (I'm up to 55 cents by now huh) "This is your Social Security contribution."

And another nickle "This will go toward health care for illegal aliens."

And another dime. "This will go toward propping up all those huge businesses that the government took over because they were about to fail."

Finally I extracted two pennies. "This will pay for all of the police, firefighters, road construction, etc. etc. etc."

By the time I was done, he had exactly two pennies left. "This is your net income and it is all you have to live on... don't spent it all in one place."

Bewilderment turned to wide eyed surprise when I explained to him that this is how socialism works. All those freebies that supported him -- paid for by you and me. All the freebies that get expanded -- paid for even more by you and me. All the freebies that get bloated, out of control, and handed out like cotton candy at a ball game -- paid for out the nose by you and me.

Then his surprise turned to flabbergasted lividity when I told him Obama's health care plan could mean healthcare rationing and ultimate untimely death for the spouse...a person that my friend felt he could count on when the chips are down, and loves more than anything. (The spouse has congestive heart failure and respiratory problems, and so far has made numerous trips to the hospital... so far has not had to go to the hospital this month *knock on wood*) But that, my friend, is the face of socialism...!

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is a government strong enough to take everything you have...!!!


(By the way, Synapse opted to make this rant expletive-free... for the most part dammit... heh! This one I've made work safe for as wide of circulation well, as the whole Internet, that plus the reality of the situation is harsh enough.)

Also... FYI... silly ol Synapse darkened the door of the Social Services office for the umpteenth time... my joblessness coupled with the spouse's ongoing health crises combined with the lack of health insurance to deal with them, prompted me to seek a government bailout... ugh. My trepidation was toward the proposition that we spend a little over $300 for a Medicaid spenddown, and the Social Security money supporting us all, is already stretched so tightly...!!! My glee at the news that there would be no spenddown, just straight Medicaid for the spouse combined with the state Medicaid program picking up the tab for Medicare premiums, which meant an extra $94 monthly, only lasted as long as the realization that they could discontinue paying in at any time, for any reason (I.E. no money in the state's coffers) did not set in....

Oh and by the way we live in a state where the governor declared a moratorium on state tax refunds, WHY... no money in the budget that's why. To compensate, the state sent out collection notices on tax debts that were in some cases over 50 years old...! Imagine the looks of disappointment when they only collected $24 million instead of the hoped for $500 billion or whatever odd number one of the aides puked up in alcohol and crystal meth molecules...

More and more I'm seeing change... less and less of hope.

BTW, I never heard my friend speak of Obama in a positive light after that little conversation. Perhaps he feared to challenge my (superior) intellect. Or perhaps he knew how receptive I was to the Messiah in office (not very damned much.)

Or perhaps he finally understood what I was trying to tell him...the government does not ever give something for nothing.

Or perhaps the air molecules bouncing off his brain as I was lecturing him did too much damage, I will not ever know.

All it takes is a little testicular fortitude, some tact, reasoning powers, and a simple explanation of what we all face. Somewhere, somehow, there is an Obamanite out there with an American inside of him, crying and begging to be let out...

I find it hard to believe that all of his supporters do not have some iota of what it means to be American, or the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, even a nod to the flag... One simple explanation may be all it takes.

He still has not offered one to all of those birthers. But... that, my friends, is another rant.