| As much as we decry socialism as a fake form of the virtue we call 'charity', we must decry anti-socialism with even greater passion. It is extortion via the power of law and politics of pandering. Oklahoma has several state policies which are blatantly guilty of robbing from one demographic and giving the loot to another favored class. We heard a lot about this when the 60s 'Great Society' programs sought to end poverty. Instead, we subsidized poverty then wondered why we had more of it? Generational Warfare Next time you go to a tag agency to renew your drivers license, look at the price chart. You'll see that anyone over 65 years gets their license for free! Why? Yours costs $40. There is no means test involved. The state seems to assume that a 65 year old is dirt poor. It's clearly a pandering policy. Older folks vote and they pool their influence through lobbying efforts. AAA is just one powerful presence at the state capitol. they insisted on and achieved massive new requirements for younger folks to get a drivers license, but fought off legislation which would require folks over 75 to retake their road test, to insure they still have the motor skills and cognizance to safely share the road. |  |
Private sector commerce exercises this pandering with 'senior discount' promotions. They effectively charge a premium to anyone younger than 55. But that's a proprietor's right. We can take our business somewhere else if we don't like it.
The Lottery Is Socialism In Reverse
The state gave themselves exclusive rights to conduct a lottery form of gambling. It's the worst exploitation of those who lack discretion or basic math skills. Our govt. has these massive wealth transfer programs (welfare) to take from the affluent and give the poverty-class a meager substance to survive upon. But then we heavily advertise our lottery to the poverty-class, enticing them to spend some of that welfare check on lottery tickets. We tell them; 'Somebody's gotta win, why not you?'
That lottery mess is socialism in reverse. It takes heavily from the poor, to make one wealthy person. then the state taxes the crap out of that winner's prize. It's a tax on folks with bad math skills.
That lottery mess is socialism in reverse. It takes heavily from the poor, to make one wealthy person. then the state taxes the crap out of that winner's prize. It's a tax on folks with bad math skills.
Higher Ed. Spending
Oklahoma spends 1/7 of our state's appropriated budget on the creation of cheap college for affluent families. We would have enjoyed a budget surplus for each of the last 6 years if we did not dump nearly $6 billion into the public higher education industry. We have over 100 public higher ed. campuses. If we would have at least means-tested the subsidy so that the poor families got more help, it would have made some sense (in a socialist sort of way). But we charge a hefty sales tax on all commerce; then take a billion dollars and cut the price of higher ed. in half, so the affluent families get to save over $10,000 per year on tuition to those fancy schools in Stillwater & Norman.
We have a handful of great private universities in our state, but the legislature is actively seeking to kill them through predatory practices. If you're a faculty member at ORU, TU, SNU, OWU, or another private university, your paycheck reveals that one out of every seven dollars in state taxes withheld from your paycheck is going to your competitor..... directly!
We have a handful of great private universities in our state, but the legislature is actively seeking to kill them through predatory practices. If you're a faculty member at ORU, TU, SNU, OWU, or another private university, your paycheck reveals that one out of every seven dollars in state taxes withheld from your paycheck is going to your competitor..... directly!
Healthcare
We've focused on state policy, but the problems are magnified at the federal level. ObamaCare is a prime example of anti-socialism. First of all, the massive program is a handout to the insurance companies. They have become the sacred cow for a deliberate purpose. They are currently treated as 'too big to fail'. The backlash will result in what Obama wanted all along. Single payer socialism is nearly inevitable.
ObamaCare is clearly a scheme to make the younger citizens pay for the cost of the middle-age health services. Health insurance as a concept is a bad design. People are no longer rewarded for frugality because the pricing is mandated to be the equivalent of an 'All you can eat' smorgasbord. Congress could have adopted the Coburn plan for a means-tested benefit to the needy. An annual funding to a health savings account, with a catastrophic umbrella coverage, would have provided seamless care, but those credits could accumulate for the individual if not needed. The Coburn plan would let the citizen 'cash out' unused funds, as a reward for prudent discretion and healthy living.
ObamaCare is clearly a scheme to make the younger citizens pay for the cost of the middle-age health services. Health insurance as a concept is a bad design. People are no longer rewarded for frugality because the pricing is mandated to be the equivalent of an 'All you can eat' smorgasbord. Congress could have adopted the Coburn plan for a means-tested benefit to the needy. An annual funding to a health savings account, with a catastrophic umbrella coverage, would have provided seamless care, but those credits could accumulate for the individual if not needed. The Coburn plan would let the citizen 'cash out' unused funds, as a reward for prudent discretion and healthy living.
Growing Govt. Through Corporate Contractors
This past two years we've watched the Democrat minority of the legislature declare a 'sit-in'. They have opposed the liberal Republicans' tax bills because they know how the tax burden is used as a weapon. Democrats want to target the industry which funded the Republican party success (oil producers). They're not the only ones doing this. Republicans have launched a very successful effort to neuter organized labor's political muscle. Never of the 2 parties is innocent.
Twenty years ago, Gov. Keating replaced many state institutions with corporate providers. We paid billions to private prisons and private mental hospitals. This was done to bust up the monopoly of organized labor. Unions had been giving campaign funds to the Democrats. But Corporate state contractors give huge sums to Republicans, as well. Government doesn't get any smaller from this move. In fact, even while our spending has exploded, services to the citizens has shrunk. But as long as legislators keep getting cash to get re-elected, nothing will change.
Twenty years ago, Gov. Keating replaced many state institutions with corporate providers. We paid billions to private prisons and private mental hospitals. This was done to bust up the monopoly of organized labor. Unions had been giving campaign funds to the Democrats. But Corporate state contractors give huge sums to Republicans, as well. Government doesn't get any smaller from this move. In fact, even while our spending has exploded, services to the citizens has shrunk. But as long as legislators keep getting cash to get re-elected, nothing will change.
