Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist candidate running for the Democratic nomination for President, seems to continue gaining support from my generation. He's become the figurehead for a better economy, one in which we will gain all of our "rights" that have been stripped away from us by the prior establishment. We will gain the "right" of education, abortion, and a livable income. His policies and ideals seem appealing to our generation for many reasons.
First of all, he seems to be the most honest politician of our time. My generation is suffering the consequence of our current economic crisis that no one seems to notice. Student loan debt is at an all-time high, partially because of big business practices and partially because of rising interest rates on federal loans, and of course, inflation. Sanders says that college should be tuition and debt free. He makes it seem as if we deserve that right. Like most of his planned programs, he will implement this policy with taxes -- essentially, making college an undeniable right to everyone and making college government-funded and owned.
What Sanders' supporters don't realize is that making anything free strips it of its value. College curriculum would all eventually become the same since everyone should have the "right" to the same education. Students would not be motivated to work hard in high school because their grades will no longer matter. Employers will no longer see attending a university as an asset on one's job application, so job seekers would have to pursue a higher education to get a better job, keeping young adults in school longer unable to make an income. Of course, there will be programs for them, also.
After Sanders successfully socializes education, he will move on to bolder things like imposing an unjustified tax law on corporations and the wealthy. It seems as if Sanders is a huge proponent of the socialistic "Gospel of Wealth" which is basically a Robin Hood philosophy of taking money from the rich to give to the poor. Except, instead of Robin Hood, it would be the government -- a government with its own agenda that is usually political, not practical. He even said in an interview, "It is time to redistribute money back to the working families of this country from the top one-tenth of 1 percent, and tax policies is one of the ways we do that."
What Sanders and socialists around the world believe is that your money would be better spent in their hands. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why my generation is so eager to give their money to the government in the form of taxes so the government can decide what to do with it. Our economy is in a downward spiral, but not because the tax rate is so high or education is expensive, but because of the regime that is creating programs that we do not have the money for and placing restrictions and regulations that hinder small businesses and benefit corporations -- anything that will put America's money into the hands of the government. The federal government wants to control everything: prices, choices, trade, information, etc. If we want a better government, we have to put the control back in our hands. If we put someone like Bernie Sanders in charge -- someone who would use illegal executive orders to pass laws -- then we will end up with an oligarchic regime that would lead to a situation that Venezuela is facing now.
Socialism is just a stepping stone to communism, and we have seen what the impact of full governmental control can do to countries. Citizens of Russia, China, and North Korea have little choice in what they want for their lives. Is that what we want for America's future -- the land of the free and home of the brave? Have we become such cowards that we no longer have faith in ourselves and are willing to throw everything we are, everything we have, into the hands of our government? What will we do with the grand opportunity we have -- the opportunity people of other nations would give their lives for? Have we become so burdened and overwhelmed with life that we no longer care?
We can not be taunted and teased with ideals of free education and higher income when the truth is what Sanders really wants to do is take away our power of choice - our choice to spend the money we make in the way we see fit. It's a trick -- a farce. Any money that we receive has to come from somewhere and that will end up being our own pockets. Sanders wants to take away everything our country was built on: liberty and justice for all. Do not be timid in your search for answers. Ask questions. Do your research when you vote for our next president because whoever is elected will change the course of history for our country.
"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him -- better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford.
