Stand by as to why.
In the course of some daily perusing, I came across a blog written by Michael Filozof, an associate professor of political science at the State University of New York.
The prof was proffering his slant on the "Socialism" of Bernie Sanders and why, romantic notions of one big happy US of A family aside, he believes what Sanders is selling is potentially poisonous.
I've never in my life heard such unapologetic, full-throated socialism in American politics. Sanders is the real deal. He's so left-wing he practically makes Obama look like the chairman of the Republican National Committee. At least Obama felt compelled to lie about the true extent of his leftism. Sanders doesn't – and he isn't kidding around. This is damn near Clement Attlee and Fabian socialist-type stuff. True, he's not advocating nationalizing industries (yet), but he's cocksure that he can take as much of anyone else's money as he wants and spend it on just about anything. Free single-payer health care, free college, green energy, no more fossil fuels, $15 minimum wage, end "institutional racism" – Sanders sees no limits on what government can, should, and will do. And "Wall Street" will pay for it all.
Yes, Sanders is right that "The System" is rigged in favor of "special interests." But he's not talking about "reform"; he's talking about transforming the federal government into Robin Hood. If Sanders ever read the Fifth Amendment's guarantee that "property" shall not be taken without due process and just compensation, it sure wasn't evident in his victory speech.
Sanders is absolutely killing Hillary, especially among millennials. She deserves the thumping she's getting, but Sanders supporters seem blithely ignorant of the fact he has never actually managed anything, and he has absolutely no track record to indicate that he could fulfill his promises – especially given the fact that the country will be $20 trillion in debt by inauguration day.
If Bernie's European-style socialism does come to America, it will be an utter disaster.
Euro-socialism works because Europe still has a socially stratified society. A British girl who is born a princess or a baroness knows from the time she is a toddler that she is a princess or baroness – and the daughter of a working-class soccer yob knows from the time she is a toddler that she will never, ever be a princess or baroness. The purpose of European socialism is to buy off the lower classes to maintain the existing social order, and the European elites do a reasonably good job of managing socialist programs because maintaining their superior status depends upon it.
But in the United States, everyone is born equal under the law. The American attitude was always that any individual could enrich himself beyond his wildest dreams – but his ambition was tempered by the fact that he could just as well fall into complete destitution. Socialism in America would eliminate the latter – but not the former. American socialism would turn into the same kind of corruption, plunder, and special-interest favoritism that Sanders decries in the private sector.
Political differences notwithstanding, I appreciate the professor's perspective if only because, in what is really very rare these days, he offers up some reasonable rationale for his contentions as opposed to the current standard operating procedure of slam, dunk and divide.
I think I would enjoy having a sit down chat with Mr. Filozof. And one of the first things I think I would ask would be for clarification as to the whole "upper class buying off the lower class to maintain the existing social order" system of operation that Europe employs and the professor describes.
Because, maybe I'm over simplifying, but my quick read impression is that there's not that drastic a difference between the basic European and American structures, save for one, fairly key distinction.
We both have elite classes. (And while ours isn't "officially" royalty, in the blood sense, it certainly wields as much power and influence)
And we both have lower classes. (In America, of course, that's currently irreverently referred to as "the other 99%).
That key distinction I'm talking about is that the American elite manage to get along just fine and dandy in their elite-ness without having to add that pesky and profit denting dealio of "buying off the lower classes."
Marie Antoinette was as European as European can be bein', but it's our own American Express black card carrying country clubbers who are perfectly happy letting the middle and lower class menu consist of just four words.
"Let em' eat cake."
Filozof correctly points out that "in the United States, everyone is born equal under the law."
Wow, there may never, ever be a more spot on example of the term "good news/bad news."
And he goes on to explain ..."The American attitude was always that any individual could enrich himself beyond his wildest dreams – but his ambition was tempered by the fact that he could just as well fall into complete destitution".
At this point in our conversation, I'm pretty sure I'd say something like "whoa, now hold on there, just a New York, home of Wall Street, minute, there, Mike...can I call you Mike?....what you call "the American attitude" is really much better known from sea to shining sea by its more charismatic and romantic name....
"the American dream..."
And I'm not credentialed to be an associate professor of anything, but I'm a reasonably smart guy, pretty well read and equally pretty well caught up on what's goin' on all around and I don't see any real evidence of anybody tempering anything when it comes to seeing that dream come true, let alone any fear of complete destitution.
More to the contrary, actually, I sense the vast majority of red, white and blue-sters fall into the category eloquently described by screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, in a scene from "The West Wing" in which President Bartlet and his staff were discussing a proposed tax cut.
The problem with the American Dream, indeed.
And, as to Filozof's assertion that, should "...Bernie's European-style socialism.....come to America, it will be an utter disaster. ", I'm inclined to, first, suggest that the professor might be exhibiting just a millimeter of melodrama and. second, be a little cynical about his predicted outcome if only for the fact that I'm pretty confident that the last thing that America's elite will ever allow to happen is a "change-over" to the Euro paradigm of "keep the little people happy."
Because, frankly, my dear, they don't give a damn.
And they are all, bet the farm, or portfolio, as your own unique social status indicates, united in their near religious belief that what ain't broke, don't need fixin'.
It seems logical to assume that someone worth, say, a kabillion dollars isn't going to have any qualms about, or ambition to repair, the very operating system that got them the kabillion dollars in the first place.
Again, I'm no economist, but I think the correct terminology here would be..."duhhh".
And as to the prevailing American attitude about adopting and adhering to any, let alone all, things European, let me just offer two words.
Metric.
System.
On more than one occasion on one radio broadcast or another, I've suggested that those who are concerned about, for example, the Federal Government actually showing up on doorsteps and demanding that all weapons be turned in need not be concerned, if only for one, again, bet the farm, irrefutable fact.
Even if the Feds decided to take a shot at it (pun unintended, but, we love a good ironic twist) it wouldn't happen, because it can't.
And why, you say, can't it?
Well, you tell me. When was the last time you saw the Federal Government do anything that wasn't badly organized, weakly structured and oh so poorly executed.
There you go.
And, in a worst case scenario, how successful do you think the government would be at taking away the weapons, street by street, house by house from the millions of people who own millions of guns and would, very likely, open fire long before they gave opening the door a single thought?
And there you go.
This whole "capitalist sky is falling" thing is a lot like that.
Even if the "Bern" that Sanders has unleashed became a fire sufficient to clear a path for him all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, how long do you think it would be before the kabillionaires whipped out that old American Express black card and spent whatever was necessary, good, bad, legal, illegal and/or immoral in order to hang on to the lion's share of those kabillions.
Stephen Hawking ain't even got the ability to measure time down to that small a fraction.
And let's not forget that one other little speedbump Bernie would encounter on his triumphant march out of Sherwood Forest, an obstacle that would pretty much put the kaibosh on any caper that the kabillionaires found contemptible.
The Congress of the United States of America.
Currently in the running for the largest CEO managed corporation in this here land of opportunity.
A lot of people, mostly young and still idealistic, or young and ready, eager and giddy at the idea of the good life being handed to them on a Paul Revere signature silver platter, don't really understand the real reason that it's called the American Dream.
The operative word there, of course, is "dream".
The more romantic, sentimental, glass half full types amongst us live their lives with a head full of hope and a heart full of happy ever after, believing that dreams really do come true.
And they really, really do.
As to ratios of do to don't, though, it's probably not unreasonable to guesstimate that one's chances of pulling the sword from the stone are no better than slightly the same as the chances of Cam Newton ever uttering the words "I'd like to thank all those who made it possible."
For all the experts on the matter who trumpet their expertise on the matter, it turns out, as I said earlier, that Cinderella has a better grasp on it than anyone else.
A dream is a wish your heart makes / when you're fast asleep.
The key word, there, of course, being "asleep".
Waking up every day in the real world of 2016 America is decidedly different.
The "lower classes" have embraced Bernie as a knight in shining armor and you don't have to be an associate professor in political science to understand why.
The upper class, meanwhile, remains confident that, in the end, absolute power, in the form of kabillions, will not only continue to corrupt, it will continue to prevail.
And the chances of Bernie knocking down the tower of Trump, let alone Babel?
Just refer back to that Cam Newton thing.
Which isn't to say, by the way, that those of us who are hip to Bernie's happening shouldn't give it and him our continued full throated, if only shallow pocketed, support.
After all....
...we can dream, can't we?
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