Do the socialist/Communist/social-democrat children, "I want it free", yet see or understand that the leaders in their movement — Bernie Sanders, AOC, Zohran Mamdani, Ro Khanna, Elizabeth Warren, and their wealthy academic/tech/donor backers — are the ones with all the money?
I often wonder the same thing. One might hold their breath waiting for the penny to drop. Then, one might die waiting. Here in Buenos Aires, there are a few wealthy neighborhoods that are stuffed to the gills with the politically well-connected and humble public servants alike. Wandering those streets, I can’t help but think what the poor people who voted form them must think… or if they even do at all.
They may also wish to study the fate of the "useful idiots" who prosecuted the revolution. When no longer required, they become a threat and are ruthlessly liquidated.
French, Russian, Chinese, Iranian, Cambodian, Cuban to name a few.
It can also take the form of "resistance is futile" oppression like in Zimbabwe, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Turkey.
One is put in mind of Rudi Dutschke‘s infamous “Long March Through the Institutions,” in which the German student argued that his fellow radicals should not seek to overthrow society outright, but gradually transform it by entering and influencing its major institutions; schools and universities, the media, civil service, churches, etc. He did not want to dismantle it, but rather take control of the “systems of power” to turn them against his enemies (who turned out to be everyone who disagreed).
Witness today’s hollowed out institutions, infested with nitwits and useful idiots, to see how his plan is progressing…
Exactly. Feed the dumbmasses socialism/communism (as Ayn Rand said, just two sides of the same totalitarian coin) a teaspoonful at a time. Soon, they’re hooked.
I’m in the process of reading and rereading John le Carré’s spy novels. I just finished “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” which particularly discusses many of our present day issues of Socialism, Democratic Socialism, and Communism. There are so many quotes one could ponder. This one should attract your attention: “We cannot build Communism without doing away with individualism. You cannot plan a great building, if some swine builds his sty on your site.” Page 230. Collectivism tends to be a “beautiful dream” until it morphs into a nightmare.
It's routine for Bolshevik Bernie to confuse his ideas with the truth, by means of calling Denmark a socialist nation. If he were just treated as the bespectacled super-annuated geezer that he is, maybe more people would get the right idea and recommend him for the padded room instead of for President.
Maybe I am. I'm pointing him out as a curious failure, rather than as the evil person he may really be. But this time, we're only talking about his imbecilic statements.
Amazing that Bernie Sanders, the DSP and even the mayor of NYC are oblivious that wealth must be made before it can be given to those who clamor for it.
Baffling too that the DSP and socialists in general are oblivious how uncomplicated it is to make wealth.
Only four ingredients are required: Time, Resources, Personnel and Capital.
Of these ingredients the most essential one is capital. Using it effectively is called "capitalism."
But no wealth can be produced without a risk taker unafraid to use the four ingredients to produce it.
Excellent comment. Your four ingredients for creating wealth reminded me of something else entirely, the old insult, “A gentleman of four outs,” which generally applied to a man without wit, without money, without credit, and without manners.
By my reckoning, it rather sums up the targets of today’s column.
Ah, Joel, how DO you DO it?! You toss those nouns, verbs/adverbs, adjectives up into the air and rain practical truths everywhere! Thanks for showering us with valid info...even though we may despair.--Jean
Joel, you have made clear why we might have a problem. Population doubled, that includes dummies, crooks, immoral leaders, and on. To me what is obviously lacking today is any virtue, including a moral foundation, to run things.
You inspired me to go the DSA‘s website to read their platform in its entirety for myself. What a delusional and farcicle pack of lies it is. But apparently thousands of years of human experience and wisdom is not enough to convince countless millions of Americans to reject it. We‘re electing droves of DSA candidates across the land and I see no end in sight. The inevitable results will soon become evident, but by then it will be too late and will take lifetimes, if ever, to reverse. So many Americans state “It can never happen here,” and even our own president states we will never become a communist country. I don’t believe this for a second. It has happened repeatedly over the past century or so and it didn‘t take long, nor did it require a majority. Rather, it took mere months and a small minority to pull off those revolutions. https://program.dsausa.org/
Thank you Joel, but the socialist/communist utopia has been in affect for decades now. Every ghetto and public housing prison is a result of this insanity. What these most useful idiots who thrive on this “democratic” system don’t get from us workers, they steal. This is how the democrat continue to succeed, as their constituents and society fail….
First, this is the most lucid collection of responses I have ever read in response to a Substack post. Congrats to Joel and to those who follow his posts.
Second, Larry points out something I have thought about for decades. Even if the percentage of criminals, deadbeats, ignoramuses and idiots in the total population remains stable, the number of them increases as the population increases. We thus find ourselves dealing with a lot more of them than we had 50 years ago, in the same amount of space. A real challenge for the species…
Well, I'm done crying over the stupidity of many--including friends!--in the State of Maine whose democrat party has just stamped the seal of approval on a truly crooked politician who is taking the place of the disgraced Graham Platner in running for the Senate seat now occupied by the RIno Susan Collins who is, at least, an honest human being. Now I'm through with tears and even of worry. Humor has taken me over. Such buffoonish stupidity! Sure, I'm a solitary soul in a land of absurdity; but this political scene is stupendously entertaining. I realize that people get what they vote for and we're going to get it good and hard. Do we deserve it? Hell, yes...but I don't! But I can't focus on not deserving what will befall us because it detracts from the present day political entertainment. Suffering will come soon enough.
What an opening! P.J. O'Rourke's Eat the Rich was a fun read, making fun of all the DSA's before they admitted who they really were.
Now hiring:
Robots willing to do all tasks. Fill your days 24/7. We provide recharges as needed, regular maintenance as required. No need to respond to rude purple haired, tattooed, badly dressed, people ignoring you with their headphones or scrolling their phones. No boring days off or having to eat lunch with co-workers. We recycle you when you retire.
Do the socialist/Communist/social-democrat children, "I want it free", yet see or understand that the leaders in their movement — Bernie Sanders, AOC, Zohran Mamdani, Ro Khanna, Elizabeth Warren, and their wealthy academic/tech/donor backers — are the ones with all the money?
I often wonder the same thing. One might hold their breath waiting for the penny to drop. Then, one might die waiting. Here in Buenos Aires, there are a few wealthy neighborhoods that are stuffed to the gills with the politically well-connected and humble public servants alike. Wandering those streets, I can’t help but think what the poor people who voted form them must think… or if they even do at all.
They may also wish to study the fate of the "useful idiots" who prosecuted the revolution. When no longer required, they become a threat and are ruthlessly liquidated.
French, Russian, Chinese, Iranian, Cambodian, Cuban to name a few.
It can also take the form of "resistance is futile" oppression like in Zimbabwe, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Turkey.
What was it ol’ Vladimir Lenin said about giving him the children and their education? And the seed he has sown will never be uprooted?
Well, here we are. The 60’s, ahem, “progressives”, successfully infiltrated and dominated the schools…and yep, here we are.
One is put in mind of Rudi Dutschke‘s infamous “Long March Through the Institutions,” in which the German student argued that his fellow radicals should not seek to overthrow society outright, but gradually transform it by entering and influencing its major institutions; schools and universities, the media, civil service, churches, etc. He did not want to dismantle it, but rather take control of the “systems of power” to turn them against his enemies (who turned out to be everyone who disagreed).
Witness today’s hollowed out institutions, infested with nitwits and useful idiots, to see how his plan is progressing…
Exactly. Feed the dumbmasses socialism/communism (as Ayn Rand said, just two sides of the same totalitarian coin) a teaspoonful at a time. Soon, they’re hooked.
History is always repeating itself. Does man ever learn? Sometimes but more often than not he learns lessons the hard way.
Well there is that possibility that He or She will learn before it is to late to change coarse.
You DO know We're speaking of Socialists and Communists, right?
Yes I am aware.
I’m in the process of reading and rereading John le Carré’s spy novels. I just finished “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” which particularly discusses many of our present day issues of Socialism, Democratic Socialism, and Communism. There are so many quotes one could ponder. This one should attract your attention: “We cannot build Communism without doing away with individualism. You cannot plan a great building, if some swine builds his sty on your site.” Page 230. Collectivism tends to be a “beautiful dream” until it morphs into a nightmare.
It's routine for Bolshevik Bernie to confuse his ideas with the truth, by means of calling Denmark a socialist nation. If he were just treated as the bespectacled super-annuated geezer that he is, maybe more people would get the right idea and recommend him for the padded room instead of for President.
You are too kind to Bernie. He’s a toxic blowhard.
Maybe I am. I'm pointing him out as a curious failure, rather than as the evil person he may really be. But this time, we're only talking about his imbecilic statements.
Amazing that Bernie Sanders, the DSP and even the mayor of NYC are oblivious that wealth must be made before it can be given to those who clamor for it.
Baffling too that the DSP and socialists in general are oblivious how uncomplicated it is to make wealth.
Only four ingredients are required: Time, Resources, Personnel and Capital.
Of these ingredients the most essential one is capital. Using it effectively is called "capitalism."
But no wealth can be produced without a risk taker unafraid to use the four ingredients to produce it.
Excellent comment. Your four ingredients for creating wealth reminded me of something else entirely, the old insult, “A gentleman of four outs,” which generally applied to a man without wit, without money, without credit, and without manners.
By my reckoning, it rather sums up the targets of today’s column.
Great column! Keep calling out the delusional fools who think it will be different this time.
Ah, Joel, how DO you DO it?! You toss those nouns, verbs/adverbs, adjectives up into the air and rain practical truths everywhere! Thanks for showering us with valid info...even though we may despair.--Jean
Thank you, kind reader! You keep sharing these Notes and I’ll keep scribbling them. Cheers!
Oh, the Power of the pen! Being pen-t up with your literary gifts...such a blessing! Oh, please, do scribble away! Thanks!--Jean
Exactly my thoughts. I love it.
Thanks, Fred.
May you have sunshine in your tummy on overcast days./j
Joel, you have made clear why we might have a problem. Population doubled, that includes dummies, crooks, immoral leaders, and on. To me what is obviously lacking today is any virtue, including a moral foundation, to run things.
You inspired me to go the DSA‘s website to read their platform in its entirety for myself. What a delusional and farcicle pack of lies it is. But apparently thousands of years of human experience and wisdom is not enough to convince countless millions of Americans to reject it. We‘re electing droves of DSA candidates across the land and I see no end in sight. The inevitable results will soon become evident, but by then it will be too late and will take lifetimes, if ever, to reverse. So many Americans state “It can never happen here,” and even our own president states we will never become a communist country. I don’t believe this for a second. It has happened repeatedly over the past century or so and it didn‘t take long, nor did it require a majority. Rather, it took mere months and a small minority to pull off those revolutions. https://program.dsausa.org/
Thank you Joel, but the socialist/communist utopia has been in affect for decades now. Every ghetto and public housing prison is a result of this insanity. What these most useful idiots who thrive on this “democratic” system don’t get from us workers, they steal. This is how the democrat continue to succeed, as their constituents and society fail….
First, this is the most lucid collection of responses I have ever read in response to a Substack post. Congrats to Joel and to those who follow his posts.
Second, Larry points out something I have thought about for decades. Even if the percentage of criminals, deadbeats, ignoramuses and idiots in the total population remains stable, the number of them increases as the population increases. We thus find ourselves dealing with a lot more of them than we had 50 years ago, in the same amount of space. A real challenge for the species…
Pareto law - dupes = ?
Well, I'm done crying over the stupidity of many--including friends!--in the State of Maine whose democrat party has just stamped the seal of approval on a truly crooked politician who is taking the place of the disgraced Graham Platner in running for the Senate seat now occupied by the RIno Susan Collins who is, at least, an honest human being. Now I'm through with tears and even of worry. Humor has taken me over. Such buffoonish stupidity! Sure, I'm a solitary soul in a land of absurdity; but this political scene is stupendously entertaining. I realize that people get what they vote for and we're going to get it good and hard. Do we deserve it? Hell, yes...but I don't! But I can't focus on not deserving what will befall us because it detracts from the present day political entertainment. Suffering will come soon enough.
John A
I had to copy this, as it is one of the best written articles on this ''looney bin'' problem. KUDOS
Thank you kindly, good sir! Feel free to share with friend and foe alike. (Especially the latter!)
A smart person learns from everything and everyone.
An average person learns from experience.
A stupid person already knows it all.
Excellent! And I’ve learned something to boot!
There is a tremendous amount of truth to that.
What an opening! P.J. O'Rourke's Eat the Rich was a fun read, making fun of all the DSA's before they admitted who they really were.
Now hiring:
Robots willing to do all tasks. Fill your days 24/7. We provide recharges as needed, regular maintenance as required. No need to respond to rude purple haired, tattooed, badly dressed, people ignoring you with their headphones or scrolling their phones. No boring days off or having to eat lunch with co-workers. We recycle you when you retire.