Socialism at its Finest

"When socialism is understood, we will realize that many of the programs advocated, and some of those already adopted in the United States, fall clearly withing the category of socialism. What is socialism? It is simply the governmental ownership and management of the essential means for the production and distribution of goods.

We must never forget that nations may sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity.

The socialistic-communist conspiracy to weaken the United States involves attacks on many fronts. Their press and other propaganda media are therefore constantly selling the principles of centralized or federal control of farms, railroads, electric power, schools, steel, maritime shipping and many other aspects of the economy - but always in the name of public welfare" Ezra Taft Benson, October Conference, 1961

Socialism redistributes wealth and goods in the name of public welfare. Hmm... do we see that at all today. Well in fact TODAY a press release:

"Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Friday announced an “Emergency Economic Plan” that would give families a stimulus check of $1,000 each, funded in part by what his presidential campaign calls “windfall profits from Big Oil.” "

Agree or disagree with the way 'Big Oil' handles their finances or how much they charge the consumer it doesn't matter - point is who has the right to take away the profits of any company in any industry and redistribute that money to the people? What every happened to Free Enterprise?

"We have seen in the past quarter century a tremendous shift from individual to governmental responsibility in many phases of economic and social life. We have seen a rapid shift of responsibility from the States to the Federal Government.

Deep in their hearts, the American people instinctively know that great concentration of power is an evil and a dangerous thing. They do not need to have it proved.

What lies behind this conviction? Basically, it is an intuitive knowledge that, sooner or later, the accumulation of power in a central government leads to a loss of freedom. Once power is concentrated, even for helpful purposes, it is all there, in one package, where it can be grabbed by those who may not be helpful in its use.

[...]

We must never make the catastrophic blunder of putting the chains of big government on our basic economic freedom. Yet there is that very danger today.

The pillars of our economic system are being threatened by a strange and unlikely coalition of subversives, do-gooders, and self-servers.

There are, in this country, a hard core of subversives who hate the free enterprise system and are dedicated to its overthrow. There is a host of do-gooders, who constantly criticize our free choice system, ready to solve all human problems with legislation, willing to impose their version of the millennium on you and me, unwilling to rely on the judgment of the individual. There are the self-servers, who view the government as a way to gain an advantage, to restrain competition, or to obtain special favors.

But the most dangerous threat of all comes from the disinterested, that great group of otherwise intelligent people who shrug off any responsibility for the public affairs." Ezra Taft Benson, Joint meetings of Salt Lake Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, and Chamber of Commerce, Salt Lake City, UT, April 5, 1960.

I couldn't agree more with Elder Benson and I couldn't agree less with Senator Obama. We need to fight against socialism in America and shout for individual rights and responsibilities.