Here is an interesting article, likely to stir up some of the liberals from this channel. But an interesting perspective none the less:

Socialism kills

By: Dennis Prager

In a period of two weeks during August, more than 11,000 elderly French men and women died of heat stroke. It is important to note this is not nearly the scandal in France that it would be in America. In fact, upon hearing the news, French president Jacques Chirac decided to stay on vacation in Quebec, Canada.

Why not? Because, in the words of British historian Paul Johnson, the French – like most Europeans, and like most left-thinking people anywhere – love ideas more than people. The average educated European can intelligently discuss Hegel or Matisse almost as well as the average educated American – who probably never heard of Hegel or Matisse – can discuss real estate or sports.

Europe has given the world Marxism, communism, fascism, Nazism, racism and socialism, all rotten ideas that have caused immeasurable human suffering. But for Europeans and their ideological twins on the American left and at universities, ideas are not judged by their ability to ameliorate human suffering or reduce evil, but by their complexity and apparent profundity. An idea is not good because it produces good – that's unromantic American pragmatism – it is good because it sounds good.

Eleven thousand unnecessary deaths occurred in France largely because socialism inevitably breeds hedonism, selfishness and callousness.

As ironic as it may seem, but the fact is that socialism – i.e., cradle-to-grave state welfare – makes people worse.

First, the socialist mind loathes work. In France, the legal length of the work week is 35 hours. Working hard to make more money is an American value that is held in contempt by the Left. The New York Times recently featured an article describing the death of the Protestant work ethic in secular, socialist Europe and the thriving of that ethic in America – and that this explains the far greater productivity and affluence of America. The Judeo-Christian tradition values work; secularism doesn't. And as we all know from watching our children, people with a lot of time on their hands have character problems.

Second, socialism values equality more than liberty. The Norwegian government recently passed a law that the boards of its largest corporations must be half female. The California left – the Democratic Party – just passed a law that no employer may fire a male employee who wears women's clothing at work. Because the Left holds liberty (except sexual liberty) in lower esteem, Europe has raised a generation that does not value liberty nearly as much as Americans do (though we're getting there).

Third, socialism teaches you to avoid taking care of other people. The state will – why should you? If people in France and elsewhere in Europe take less care of their aging parents, it is because they are taught from childhood to allow others – i.e., the state – to take care of everybody. Just as we saw in America when the state stepped in to take care of women who had children without a husband, these women increasingly refused to marry and felt little compunction about having more babies out of wedlock. The bigger the government, the worse the people.

Fourth, as a result of this socialist mindset, people in socialist countries give little charity, while Americans give vast amounts (just as Americans in conservative states give more charity per capita than people in liberal ones).

Fifth, the larger the state, the more callous it becomes. Twentieth-century evil was made possible in large measure by the bureaucratic mentality – the type of person who is merely a cog in huge governmental machine, collectively all-powerful but individually powerless to do anything except take and execute orders. The bigger the state, the colder its heart. (It is also true that the bigger the corporation, the more callous its heart. But unlike the state, corporations have competition and have no police powers.)

As I wrote in a previous column, the future of the world is either European secular socialism, Islamic totalitarianism or the unique American combination of Judeo-Christian religiosity and political and economic liberty.

Few Americans are attracted to the second possibility, but vast numbers look to Europe as a model. One hopes that the next time they do, they will note the 11,000 elderly dead in France. But don't bet on it.

 

This is just further proof of what happens when you try to get GOD out of our lives. I could not imagine depending on the state for anything. But of course I believe in God and try to live my life as the Bible suggests.

 

I found the article interesting and I agree with the writers opinion of socialism. In my opinion, socialism, while it sounds good on its surface, simply doesn't work with the human animal. Though I am registered as a Republician, I do take issue with his assertion that Democrats as a whole promote socialism. His example of ridiculous legistation is well taken, but examples of this are abundant on both sides. It would be easy to pen an essay on either side (pick one) stating with examples they are flaming socialists. The article accurately points out some of the reasons France is now a second rate nation and is likely to stay that way.
Dono

 

i figure if this isnt too off topic that, for the most part, truck people are more conservative and tend to be republican, where as liberals and dems drive bimmers and saabs. my 2 cents
eric

 

Very good article, I think we will become more and more like Europe. All we have to do is elect more socialists,.... stupid voters.

 

Why did the 11000 die? I dont see much fault on the state. I know I am missing something, so someone point it out right quick.

 

The heat wave that went through that region.

Spain & Portugal got it too.

 

I don't really get the connection between 11,000 people dieing in one of the worst heat waves in France's history and socialism, but maybe it's just me.

No doubt there is some validity in the article, but as is so often the case, it is overshadowed by the hyperbole and the blatant bias of the author.

Waxy

 

I believe the point that the author was making was that those people would have had family and friends here in the US that would have looked in on them as they were mostly elderly people but that the mentality of the socialist state is that people don't take responsibility for helping each other but rather depend on the state to do it. Unfortunately the state cannot be all things.

 

It's France, what do you expect?
I get the impression that France thinks they are the greatest thing since buttered popcorn, I have never been there and have never studied the people very extensively. I am probably wrong but thats my two cents.

 

It was also Vacation, European countries virtullay shut down for several week while the majority of residents go on "Holiday".
Traditionally it is the younger generation or the very rich that do this. The ederly and the poor must stay home.
In this instance there was no one to care for or look in on the elderly.
One bit of good news out of France this week, the high heat this summer will produce an excellent wine harvest.

 

Gee, and I thought it was the fact the there was a heat wave, many folks there don't have a/c (it usually doesn't get that hot) and most of the country was on vacation (in France the majority of the country takes their vacations at the same time). I don't care what country it is, I'm quite sure the people there care about their elderly parents and grandparents.

I think trying to link everything to the left is biased and in this case, far fetched. Old people die in Atlanta when we have heat waves, but luckily the whole town isn't on vacation when it happens. I guess that means the metro Atlanta area is socialist and left.......?

This was just a bad case of bad weather at the worst possible time, nothing more.

 

RRMike hit the Nitty right on the Tipple. Sitting around . sipping wine , expounding about abstract forms of governmental organization(s) while some poor slob is having a heartattack is Not what America is all about. That , is exactly why Hitler was able to conquere(sp)France in WW2. And, i believe that the Bible does advocate a form of socialism...i.e...we are our brothers keeper therefore , are we not compelled to help those folks out that need assistance?? Not necessiarly a Welfare State in a purely Socialistic form of government , but rather a compassionate heart for those that are "in Need". Social Security is a form of socialism but it hasn't removed the American independence of spirit or the will to build a better mousetrap and derive the economic benefiits of your effort. sk

 

Yeah man,
so this dude goes up snowboarding in the backcountry, and this mondo avalanche like, buries him alive! So these dudes figure it out that he's gonna like, die, so they start to dig him out.
Anyways, bro, this dude dies cuz those guys weren't there fast enough. If those guys were there faster, he totally wouldn't have died!
Man, the reason he died was because those dudes that tried to dig him out were like, underpaid and there weren't enough dudes to dig, and their snowmobiles were too old. IT'S THE GOVERMINT, DUDE! They don't care that these dudes aren't paid enough, so other dudes wont want to do the job, and the snowmobiles are too old. If the govermint, like, cared more, this dude would have TOTALLY lived.
No, stupid. He died because he made bad choices.
Socialism doesn't kill anybody. To blame socialism on the deaths of 11,000 people from heat stroke is foolish and spurious and transparent.
BDV

 

Hehehehe......I like your reply big_daddy. That was a clever way of making your point. Which I happen to agree with to a certain extent. I still believe that Socialism may have been a source of exacerbation in the current situation, but ultimately not the sole cause.