“The trouble with socialism, is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” Margaret Thatcher. The following descriptions of three nations, as they existed before socialism (communism) took charge of them. Compare them currently! The descriptions before socialism I found on the internet.
Cuba
“Cuba’s reputation as an exotic and permissive playground, came to light in the 1920’s when the country became a favorite destination for Americans. Hotels, golf clubs, restaurants and casinos, sprung up in Havana, catering to the rich jet-setters seeking luxury. Socialites, debutantes, celebrities like Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra, came to play in the Cuban paradise.
“Sugar was Cuba’s economic lifeline, but its tropical beauty, and tropical beauties, made American tourism a natural and flowing source of revenue. A 1956 issue of ‘Cabernet Quarterly,’ a now defunct tourism magazine, describes Havana, as a “Mistress of pleasure, the lush and opulent goddess of delights.” Havana then, was what Las Vegas has now become.”
Were there uneducated workers in the sugar fields, like workers in all farm lands? Of course! Were there areas of poverty? Maybe, but now the entire nation is poverty stricken, and the average Cuban lives, it is said, on twenty dollars a month, and is starving. Mexico, (and I cannot understand why), sends Cuba lots of money to keep her afloat. Cuba was wealthy, and now, socialism (communism), has transformed a once prosperous nation into a slave state. America has been traveling on the road to a slave state, as illustrated on last week’s column, and the solution for us individuals, aside from voting, is to protect ourselves with gold and silver.
Argentina
“Socialist policies have repeatedly driven Argentina’s once-thriving economy into chaos, leading to poverty, inflation, and economic stagnation. Buenos Aires was known, world-wide, as one of Earth’s most beautiful cities, and Argentina as one of the world’s most prosperous entities. Here’s a list of the key ways socialism has devastated Argentina’s economy:’
“Massive government spending and deficits.”
“Endless subsidies for public services, such as energy, transportation and housing.”
“Hyper-inflation caused by money printing to finance reckless spending.”
“Socialist regimes turned to the central bank to print money, devaluing the peso and creating runaway inflation.”
“Destruction of the middle class.”
“Unsustainable welfare programs. “
“High tax burdens on the productive class.”
“Corruption and cronyism.”
“Suppression of economic freedom.”
“Excessive regulations and heavy restrictions on businesses, trade, and economic choices.”
“Trade barriers (tariffs) isolated Argentina’s economy, cutting it off from global opportunities.”
“Conclusion: Socialism’s legacy of economic ruin.”
Obviously, so far, The U.S. has not completely gone down the path of absolute ruin, as did Argentina, but the hints and clues are unmistakable, such as New York’s upcoming election for mayor, and most of the above. How could anyone doubt that what America has done since FDR? Trump has tried, but his tariffs, (read my column on July 14th) have alienated our friends, bankrupted farmers, small businesses and even Ford, for that matter. His sending in troops to Chicago, Portland, and other places, has infuriated mayors and governors, who believe it is their property, not Trumps, and I agree. If their cities are filthy, crime ridden, and violent, let their own police do something, and if they won’t, that’s their cities problem. Let them burn. Who cares?
Trump ran on sealing the borders, and making government smaller, NOT tariffs!
Venezuela
Oil was discovered in Venezuela in 1914, and by 1970, ”It had become the richest country in most of the world, exceeding Greece, Israel and Spain.” It all came to an end, when socialist Carlos Perez came into office, promising all sorts of government handouts, public housing, free everything, and all paid by oil revenues. Perez was followed by Hugo Chavez, who nationalized the oil industry to pay for all the freebees, and as has. and always will happen with any government, corruption, money printing and total inefficiency ruled, making within a few years, Venezuela becoming a socialistic (communist) state, and now everyone is poor, starving, and four million have left and illegally crossed the U.S. border to escape what Venezuela has become. A disaster, with crime, corruption, and poverty universal. The last election was stolen by Maduro, who lost by a huge margin, but he declared victory. His opposition, won by a large margin, and who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize for her 20 year efforts to expose the Venezuela corruption.
All three nations, before socialism, were healthy, prosperous and vivacious, with free markets, capitalism, honest elections, and small governments. The lure of socialism, is so obvious to the stupid, non-thinking, freebee consuming, sector, who will always vote for the candidate promising the most from the public treasury. This means that unless only educated, literate, candidates are running, nations will vote themselves into poverty, as has already happened in America.
I have no idea of a solution, but the upcoming mayoralty election in New York, will undoubtedly prove my point. It would be impossible to limit voting to those being literate and intelligent. Trump and ‘Turning Point,’ may help, but the ultimate solution for voter self-destruction, is to protect ourselves with obvious insurance against inflation, taxation of profits and inheritance, are gold and silver. We’re here!
-Don Stott. -don@coloradogold.com