Posted on 11/30/2018 9:36:04 PM PST by John Semmens
A study by Mark Perry, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and professor of economics and finance at the University of Michigan, should give pause to advocates of democratic socialism in the United States. According to the study, the more socialistic economic policies of western European countries has both retarded output and boosted the cost of living.
The index of average individual consumption for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is set at 100. Inhabitants in nations falling below this mark can afford less than the average European. Inhabitants in nations exceeding this mark can afford more. The United States scores 147 on this index. This means that on average, Americans can buy 47% more than the average European.
Newly elected US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was undaunted by these data and asserted "it is way past time that Americans learn to live more economically. My 'green new deal' will put us on a path toward achieving this goal. By explicitly forcing everyone to pay more for everything they buy, my legislation will put us on this right path."
"When cars become too expensive for most people to own and operate, they will ride public transit, like most people do in Europe," the congresswoman said. "When individual homes become too expensive, more will be compelled to live in smaller apartments and maybe have roommates. Instead of buying lots of unnecessary junk, an expanded government sector will provide a more appropriate array of goods and services for everyone. The atomized individualism that has separated Americans from the collectivized solidarity that has prevailed in Europe and elsewhere around the world will be on the road to extinction."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (DS-Vermont) concurred with his democratic socialist congressional colleague. "When I spent my honeymoon in the Soviet Union, I had a chance to observe how socialism made people happier," he said. "Their living space was cramped. Very few owned private cars. Consumer goods were scarce and often required waiting hours in lines to obtain. Many Americans would likely see these conditions as difficult. But I never heard anyone complain like they do in America. I think we need to rethink whether an abundance of material goods really makes us better off. Maybe having a government making the key decisions about who should have what is a formula for gtreater happiness than the so-called rugged individualism that has tainted American thinking since the country's founding."
In related news, Ocasio-Cortez hailed her election as "a more significant development in American history than the moon landing. That was an interesting demonstration of technology. But my election augers in a new revolutionary movement that will sweep aside the capitalistic foundations of this country and allow us to join the social movement envisioned by Karl Marx. The petty selfishness that Americans have been permitted to indulge in will be replaced by collective solidarity, as all will be required to yield to government guidance on how to live their lives in ways that promote the socialist dream. There may or may not be future space missions, the decision on whether that will happen will be a collective one. But socialism is here to stay. It is the end point of human history."
if you missed any of this week's other semi-news/semi-satire posts you can find them at...
https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Opinion/252171-2018-11-30-semi-news-semi-satire-december-2-2018-edition.htm
ping
YaButt, they feel better.
After all what counts?
Objective material benefits or average emotional level improvements?
But at least they are equally poorer.
Do they know it?
“...at least they are equally poorer.”
Not really. As I recall, the ratio between the economic living standard of the highest income/wealth 20% and the lowest 20% was greater in Europe than in the US, and greater in socialist countries than in more capitalist/free enterprise countries. But that was back when I took classes in economics and sociology, back in the 20th Century. The statistics may have been adjusted since then, to make things appear more egalitarian.
Great job today!
No, it won't. Anyone who believes in "Democratic Socialism", those with an IQ below 70, are not going to be convinced by mere facts. Even if it is explained for the Nth time.
Everyone KNOWS what the convincing argument is going to be. It's the turd in the punch bowl, and it isn't a floater. 230 grains of lead, in a copper jacket. No other method seems to work.
Egaltarianism overcomes all Social Ills....
It is part of the doctrine of Social Justice ascribed to by all Social Justice Warriors. The average is none too good for the masses.
I say it every time. These make me uncomfortable. It is so outrageous and against every fiber of being in every single American. In times past, these were fighting words. Writings like this could start a civil war. Yet.... it comes across as so “mainstream” and “normal” from our typical media.
A Millennial could read this and see nothing objective about it. “Sounds good, what’s the problem? Seems logical. Sign me up.”
I would like to see an experiment done where this was not advertised as satire and instead, shown to random college kids and 25 to 35 year-old people. What would their random reaction to something like this be. Also, remove the names and political associations to half of the participants and see if THAT changes their ideas.
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