I didn’t write is. A pastor’s wife in northern Arizona, wrote it, but I’ll pass it along, with a few changes by me, as a last paragraph. I changed her “O” to an “X.”
“And it came to pass in the age of insanity, that the people of the land called America, having lost their morals, work incentive, and their will to defend their liberties, chose as their supreme leader, a person known as “X.” He emerged from the vapors with a message which had no meaning, but he hypnotized the people, telling them, “I am sent to save you. My lack of experience, questionable ethics, and association with evil doers, are of no consequence. I shall save you with hope and change.”
“And the people rejoiced, for even though they knew not what “X” would do, he had promised them he would bring hope and change, and they shouted, “Yes we can.” And “X” said, “We live in the greatest country in the world. Help me change everything about it.” And the people said, “Hallelujah! Change is good.” And “X” said, “We are going to tax the rich fat cats who don’t pay enough.” And the people said, “Sock it to them, and re-distribute their wealth.” And Joe the plumber said, “Are you kidding me? You’re going to steal my hard-earned money and give it to the deadbeats?” And “X” ridiculed and taunted him, seized his records, but no crime could be found.
“One lone reporter asked, “Isn’t that Marxist policy?” Another citizen asked, “With no foreign relations experience and having zero military experience or knowledge, how will you deal with radical terrorists, Russia and China, who are our enemies? And “X” said, “Simple, I shall sit with them and talk kindly to them, and show them how nice we really are; and they will forget that they ever wanted to destroy us.” Our enemies paid no attention, and no one noticed…for a while.
“And the people said, “Hallelujah, we are safe at last. We can now collect all those nasty guns, and beat our weapons into free cars for the people.” “X” continued: ”I shall give 95% of you lower taxes,” and lone voice said, “But 40 % of us pay no taxes.” The people yawned, and the already slumping real estate market, continued its decline. “X” then said, “I shall mandate employer funded health care for every worker, raise the minimum wage, and give every person unlimited health care, medicine, and even transportation to the free clinics.” The people said, “Give us that!” And the hospitals went broke, and doctors stopped practicing, but no one noticed…for a while.
“X then said, “I shall bankrupt the coal industry, and perhaps even the oil industry, with carbon footprints and taxes. Even though electric bills will skyrocket, we’ll build subsidized wind farms and solar power stations to make the air clean.” And the people said, “Coal is dirty and evil. No more coal, but we don’t want higher electric rates.” “X” replied, “Don’t worry, the rich will be forced to pay their ’fair share,’ of the taxes, which they don’t now, although that lone reporter said for all to hear, that the rich already pay most of the taxes. He was ignored, but after a while, the rich began closing their businesses and factories, laying off thousands of employees.
“X” then said, “Illegal immigrants feel scorned and slighted. Let’s grant them amnesty, Social Security, free education, free breakfasts and lunches, free medical care, bi-lingual signs, and guaranteed housing. And it soon became common policy.
“And so it came to pass, that employers, facing spiraling costs and ever higher taxes, raised their prices, sold less and less of their products, and laid off workers. Others simply gave up, went out of business, and the economy sank like a rock dropped off of a high cliff. The banking industry was destroyed, manufacturing slowed to a crawl, and more and more of the people were without a means of support or a job. “X” blamed the previous administration and management. He then extended unemployment benefits to a year, bailed out his favorite banks, and took over the other banks, insurance, tobacco, and auto industries.”
“X” said, “I am here to save you. We shall just print more money so the government will have enough to care for you.” Immediately, the Fed complied, and the printing presses roared. Our foreign trading partners, said, “Wait a minute, your dollar is not worth a pile of camel dung. You will have to pay us more for everything, as your dollar becomes worth less.” The people said, “That is not fair.” And the world said, “Neither are those other idiotic programs you have embraced. Lo, you have become a socialistic state, and a second-rate power. What factories are not owned by your government, are owned by us, and you shall now play by our rules.”
“And the people cried out, “Alas, alas, what have we done, and what has happened to us?’ But it was too late. The people eventually spat upon “X” and stoned him, and his name was mud. The once mighty nation, was no more, and the once proud people were without sustenance, shelter or hope. The change that “X” and those following him, was like unto a delicious poison that had destroyed them from within, and like a whirlwind, consumed all they had built. And the people beat their chests in despair and cried out in anguish, “Give us back our nation, our pride and hope.” But it was too late. The once glorious ‘Land of the free and hope of the brave,’ was no more. You may think this to be a fairy tale, but it is not. The welfare system which FDR began in 1933, is now finishing its obvious conclusion, and that conclusion is not far off if America doesn’t wake up”
That was part of the ‘sermon,’ which was sent to me in 2009, but looking at the major American cities, suffering hundreds of thousands living in tents, rapes, burglaries, shooting sprees, filth and degradation. Each year, hundreds of thousands of those who made the states and cities what they used to be, are now leaving for lower tax states. What hope is there for a Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York, or Boston? In 30 years, at the rate they are decaying, what will be left of San Francisco, Portland, or Baltimore? Will they be the skeletal remains of what once was? Since Times Square and many ‘main streets,’ are no longer safe, where can we safely go in a major U.S. city? If you have never read “Atlas Shrugged,” please acquire one and read it. It’s all coming true now. How lovely it is to live in a small town.
Don Stott – Don@coloradogold.com