Liberty vs. Socialism (or Freedom Lovers vs. the Nanny Nazis)

“We believe that liberty can be measured by how much freedom Americans have to make their own decisions, even their own mistakes.” -- Ronald Reagan

Handouts or Hand-ups?
By HeavyHanded

Most Americans I believe, both on the right and left, simply wish to be left alone by the government.

The big difference between the two groups is the "doers" and the "do-notters."

The "doers," the conservatives for example, are not asking the government for other people's resources, i.e, money, time, or industry.

On the contrary; they want to be free to own a gun, free to invest their money the way they see fit, free to donate their own money to charities and churches as they see fit, pray openly when they feel like it, be allowed the choice to home-school their children if they feel it's in their best interest, and to control their own destiny.

"Plan for the future because that's where you are going to spend the rest of your life."
-- Mark Twain

"For glory gives herself only to those who have always dreamed of her."
-- Charles de Gaulle

"Control your destiny or somebody else will."
-- Jack Welch

Our opposition is the "do-notters." They don't want the government telling them how to run their lives either, but they want the government telling others how to run their lives. They want the government involved in their lives only to the extent that they get taken care of, get their handouts, get their "fair share" of everyone else's riches and hard work; and then to be left alone.

“Freedom was given to humanity by God. But, governments, if they can help it, never give freedom. They just hand out slavery with slogans.” — Taylor Caldwell, author, (1900-1985)

And is that not what you become? A slave? A slave to the government - waiting for your handouts?

As Grover Norquist puts it, these are the "do nothing takers." They are the heart and soul of the tax-and-spend left. They do nothing or next to little. They paint themselves to be "victims." Often, they do not believe that rules, laws, or morals apply to them and they look at government as the one to "level the playing field."

This country is much richer, obviously, today then in the 1950's, but we are more liberal and socialistic than in the 50's. I only see that this slow march will continue.

And yes, in the process, our liberty and freedom will be torn away from us.

This is how socialism works. It does not overthrow a government through force as a tyrannical dictator or despot might; it creeps in slowly over time, like the frog in the pot of cold water analogy, in which you slowly turn up the heat until your as.. um .. goose is cooked. You wake up one day and wonder how in the hell it happened.

“A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.” -- John Adams

True and complete freedom only comes from a democracy AND a free market system embracing capitalism.

Socialism, by definition, is incapable of providing this. Socialism will level the playing field all right - creating equal misery for all. Well for most that is. The elites and our elected officials will retain their wealth, but the middle class will evaporate and be nothing but a memory.

And so sadly, while we are becoming richer as a country, we are becoming more populous, and we are accumulating too many "victims" and "do-notters."

And socialism marches on......

---------

“Religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness.”
-- John Adams

"If there is a form of government, then, whose principle and foundation is virtue, will not every sober man acknowledge it better calculated to promote the general happiness than any other form?"
-- John Adams

"No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffusd and Virtue is preservd. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauchd in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders."
-- John Adams

"The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If `Thou shalt not covet' and `Thou shalt not steal' were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free."
-- John Adams

"Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks-no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea....
-- James Madison