"I've always liked what I heard from Bernie Sanders. I think Bernie Sanders is a great senator, is a great voice for a fair society & a fair economy." – NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio speaking about the socialist Vermont senator who is drawing large crowds as he gears up his 2016 presidential campaign attacking businesses, corporations, Wall Street, & successful people highlighting issues like income inequality, discrimination, & oppression of the poor & helpless.
One of the big plays of all the 2016 socialist presidential candidates (Hillary, O'Malley, Chaffee, & of course Sanders) is income inequality. As such, class warfare has increased to the point that far too many Americans have bought into the idea that they are owed a living (& a darn good one) & are supporting anything that makes them think they are putting one over on successful business owners – like government requiring employers to provide paid sick leave to employees who are ill & paid leave to parents of new children and employees caring for sick family members. A majority of Americans, moreover, continues to support raising the federal minimum wage to BO's target of $10.10 an hour – it shows how pathetic the opposition is if this tinkering around the edges of poverty is all they can offer to their expected voters.
But the pitiful populist strategy is winning & America's confirmation of de Blasio's above fond appraisal of socialism is shown in the results of the below CBS news poll / NY Times poll – May 28 – 31: with the country's free enterprise history no longer being taught in government's schools the results are not surprising. This poll is not unique – I have seen similar results several times before.
In brief, the results of the poll show the majority of Americans feel that
just a few people at the top have a chance to get ahead & that the money & wealth in this country should be more evenly distributed as more & more people succumb to socialism - an alleged ideal motivated by benevolence that has been tried on every continent on earth with terrifying failure.
Look closely @ the poll questions & responses below to see what we are fighting & losing to.
Which comes closer to your view? In today's economy, everyone has a fair chance to get ahead in the long run, or in today's economy, it's mainly just a few people at the top who have a chance to get ahead?
35% – anyone can get ahead; 61% just a few people @ the top have a chance to get ahead
Do you feel that the distribution of money & wealth in this country is fair, or do you feel that the money & wealth in this country should be more evenly distributed among more people?
27% fair; 66% should be more even; 7% don't know
Do you think the gap between the rich & the poor in the United States is getting larger, getting smaller or has stayed the same?
67% – getting larger; 25% – stayed the same; rest getting smaller or don't know
Do you think the gap between rich and poor in this country is a problem that needs to be addressed now, a problem but one that does not need to be addressed now or not a problem?
65% – addressed now; 16% – not addressed now; 17% – not a problem; 2% don't know
Should the government do more to reduce the gap between the rich & the poor in this country or is this something the government should not be doing?
57% – reduce gap; 30% should not
Do you favor or oppose raising taxes on people earning more than $1 million per year?
68% favor: 30% oppose
As you may know, the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour. Do you favor or oppose raising the minimum wage to $10.10?
71% favor; 26% oppose
Do you favor or oppose requiring employers to offer paid leave to parents of new children & employees caring for sick family members?
80% favor; 17% oppose
Do you favor or oppose requiring employers to offer paid sick leave to employees who are ill?
85% favor; 14% oppose
Do you favor or oppose requiring chain stores & fast-food outlets to give workers at least two weeks' notice of any changes in their work schedules or provide them with extra pay?
72% favor; 25% oppose
Do you think large corporations have too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on American life and politics today?
74% too much; 20% right amount; 6% too little or don't know
International Trade
Most Americans continue to say that trade restrictions are necessary to protect domestic industries. But the large majority of Americans haven't heard or read much, or anything @ all, about the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Which of the following statements comes closer to your opinion?Trade restrictions are necessary to protect domestic industries.Free trade must be allowed, even if domestic industries are hurt by foreign competition.63% restriction necessary; 30% free trade must be allowed
Do you favor or oppose Nafta — the North American Free Trade Agreement between Mexico, Canada, and the United States, or don't you know enough about NAFTA to say?
22% favor; 14% oppose; 63% don't now enough to say;
As you may know, the Obama administration is negotiating a trade agreement with 11 countries bordering on the Pacific called the Trans–Pacific Partnership. How much have you heard or read about the Trans–Pacific Partnership – a lot, some, not much or nothing at all?
6% a lot; 16% some; 30% not much; 48% nothing @ all
Doug – the poll and your observations depict a nation that has lost its zeal to strive to learn skills, apply talents, take risks, to get ahead, contribute to making the nation and world stronger and wealthier. Gone are the days of JFK (ask .. what you can do for your country). Too many believe the Government and corporations (strong armed by the Government) owe them much.
ReplyDeleteMajor reason for this are politicians who feel that the more they promise and blame the rich for a gamut of economic and social ills, the more likely they will win political office. How irresponsible this is, as the US economy is bloated in debt and ripe for an economic collapse greater than 2008.
The nation has grown fat and lazy. We need new leadership to drive a return to free markets and individual initiatives. Otherwise, all will one day wake up to an economic collapse where most entitlements will be gone, and the gap between the rich and poor will reach unprecedented ratios.
Socialism never works because of the crook in the middle - $1 for you and $1,000 for me. Socialists know if they give you half soon you don't need their help. You must stay poor for socialism to work.
ReplyDeleteHi Doug - Great commentary. The problem as I see it is not just the government. It is the corporations (particularly the large ones). Their crony capitalistic mindset is a perfect foil for their socialist brethren in government.
ReplyDeleteThat is why the true free market companies and people have such a big uphill battle to climb.
If you recall when the FairTax was born they went to the Fortune 500 companies to drum up support, thinking they would be the natural allies for such a proposal. The corporations response was deafening. Deafening silence.
That was when I realized that "Corporate America" and Wall Street were not on our side.
Dear RTE,
ReplyDeleteThis week I have been reading the WSJ news articles regarding Greece and their debt problem. Then I read your latest post and I connect the majority opinions in the survey questions in your post with the financial crisis in Greece and how the voters there elected Tsipris, a Socialist, who promised them relief from austerity, return of government jobs that had been eliminated, and the writing off of Greece's debt. There is no evidence of personal responsibility in the voters and leaders in Greece or in the responses to the survey questions listed in your post. If only the American people could see the eventual ending of the prosperity and hope we have in America as we ask for more government handouts and guarantees instead of taking care of ourselves.
The divisiveness based on race, sex, income urged by many of the current political leaders is so evil and will surely continue the rapid erosion of our Founding Principles and America as the Founder's envisioned.