One of the most beguiling words/topics thrown around by the Right these days is the terror and danger posed by “socialism.”

There is absolutely no point in breaking down the actual definition of socialism as understood by political scientists, nor its use in various governments around the world. “Socialism” as used by the Right in America invariably gets down to nothing more than helping the poor.

Yes, some Democratic proposals do have some socialist roots. There is some wealth transfer involved in direct payments to people with low income, all to stimulate the economy and abate some of the pain that COVID inflicted upon the country. The government also provides increased unemployment benefits, food stamps, and expansion of Medicaid.

Why would they do such a thing?

Because it works to keep the economy afloat, it stabilizes the country, it strengthens our nation, and it also just happens to be the nice thing to do. 

We did not hear cries of “Socialism!” when Trump and Mitch McConnell put together a stimulus package that shoveled billions to the airline industries to “keep jobs,” when those airlines then immediately laid-off employees, same with hotels, even banks. Such slush funds for the rich is the sin qua non to right-wing “socialism” and conservative government, shoveling money upward to the top, something Republicans do all too well.

But such “stimulus” doesn’t stimulate the economy. The CEOs that millions dumped into their lap gets invested, here and abroad. It doesn’t get “spent.”

But money given to the poor damn well does stimulate the economy and stabilize the country. People in the lowest tax brackets have needs. They have needed a new dishwasher, they’ve needed a new vacuum cleaner, they need some better fresh food for the freezer, they need a new coat. The point is, money to the lowest brackets absolutely stimulates the economy and always has. The money does “trickle up,” and helps the companies that produce those goods. The GOP prefers a more efficient gift to the top tax brackets in direct payments.

The point is, this country has always had socialist tendencies, wealth is always being shifted.

Given that the Biden administration wants to help the people most in need, it is odd that the loudest Christians among us are screaming that socialism is evil. Jesus would hate stimulus payments! Jesus preferred tax cuts to the wealthy. If Jesus ever heard that the government was going to hand the poorest people a check for $1400? Look the F’ out, here come the four horseman.

According to Pat Robertson from Crooks and Liars:

“Why do we need such a costly relief plan? And could this plan bankrupt the entire country?”

Because people have no jobs or are under-employed and need more money to survive? That’s why.

“Unbelievable,” Robertson groused. “How could they even think of something as insane as that? Is it somehow In order to bankrupt America so that they can come out and have a new era where the United States is taken over by socialists?”

“I don’t understand what the game plan is, but spending us into bankruptcy isn’t the way to make anybody happy,” Robertson said as he turned to another topic.

Okay, first of all, let’s address bankrupting the country. The fastest way to bankrupt the country is to have 12% unemployment and deep poverty, with homelessness, and despair. It will lead to riots and violence by people who have nothing. That will bankrupt a country faster than any other approach.

Second, how about just lifting the Trump tax cuts to the very rich? That tax cut didn’t do shit to help the middle class but was a massive gift to the eight to ten figure crowd. That would raise a trillion or so.

But if we were in charge, look out. WWJD? We would have an “American Heroes Tax” to rebuild “the Greatest Country on the face of the earth. WWJD? Well, the Waltons, Bezos, Gates, Musk, Zuckerberg, they all have over $100 billion. WWJD? Tax them 50% immediately, right off the top. Seriously. Musk has near $200 billion, tax it 50% and he STILL HAS $100 BILLION DOLLARS!! That’s absurd, do the same with all of them, anyone with over one billion in net worth, cut it in half and even the least among them will still have $500 million on which to get by in this life. We think they’ll make it. WWJD? Raise $3-5 trillion right there.

That is how one doesn’t bankrupt America. And Robertson best be careful because maybe the Democrats might ask: “What would Jesus really do?” and that 50% figure looks awfully weak in Jesus’s eyes, that guy might go to 90% …

Moreover, Robertson is just full of shit. Republicans are no longer in power. Ergo, Robertson doesn’t want the government to work. If the government works, people might actually notice, “Hey, life gets a little better when Democrats are in power.” And that cannot stand.

Thus we hear, “Socialism will destroy America.” And all too many believe it.

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Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @JasonMiciak