Over the past year I’ve seen an overwhelming abundance of Bernie Sanders stickers and capitalism bashing. Do millennials really think that socialism is a good idea, or are most just jumping on the bandwagon? Bernie Sanders supporters, this one’s for you – let’s consider the facts.
I think socialists have the idea in their heads that socialism cures poverty. It’s actually capitalism, not socialism that curves poverty.
Law professor and Instapundit Glenn Reynolds reminds us: For all of human history, extreme poverty has been the norm. “Globally, we’ve changed that ‘normal condition’ by the spread of free markets and free inquiry, which have led to a global growth in knowledge and skills that has made almost everyone rich by human historical standards,” Reynolds wrote in USA Today.
Socialism has been proven not to work in many countries. A socialist system means everyone is equally poor. According to Trading Economics, the personal income tax in Greece is at 46 percent. Do socialists want equality that much that they’re willing to drag everyone down with them? Socialism has been proved time and time again to not work, however millennials are still advocating for it in America – the land of freedom and opportunity. Dear socialists – people in places like Greece love socialism so much that they’re risking their lives to get away from it. Don’t let America come to this as well.
So, free college, free healthcare, free everything. Sounds great in theory, right? According to The Wall Street Journal, Bernie Sanders’s tax plan will cost $18 trillion. That’s almost double our U.S national debt which has been acquired since 1775. And where will Bernie Sanders acquire this excessive amount of money? Taxes – your hard earned money.
You may be thinking, “Well what about Canada’s free healthcare?” Here’s a video by Steven Crowder to explain how the healthcare in Canada works.
That’s right, it doesn’t work. Canada’s income tax is so high that it isn’t actually free. And of course “free” healthcare for everyone means a lower quality. Some officials in Canada actually recommend paying for better healthcare in a private clinic. Even they know that privatized firms do a better job than government. William G. Batchelder said in a speech in the Ohio House of Representatives in 2011, “Canadian provincial prime minister came to Ohio for his medical treatment because of the delay in Canadian health care which would have endangered his life.” There’s a reason the Canadian Prime Minister came to the United States for medical care.
America was founded on the freedom to make your own money and keep your own money, free from extreme government interference. Suddenly, this idea is thrown in the trash by millennials. So let’s get one thing straight: it’s not selfish to want to keep your own hard-earned money. It’s great to give, but giving should be voluntary – not forced by the government. Socialism would mean that prices for products skyrocket and quality of “free stuff” like healthcare and college would vastly decrease.
Socialists and Bernie Sanders supporters – do you really want this? The economy would plummet and service quality would decrease dramatically according to math and statistics, which Sanders ignores. It’s been proven so many times that socialism simply does not work nor cure poverty as the common misconception arises. College and healthcare aren’t entitlements and “free” is not always better. Capitalism cures and privatized firms do it better – those who live in socialist countries know this and it’s time that socialists do too before it’s too late.
So millennials – socialism means more poverty and more suffering for all which isn’t “cool” by any means. Be economically intelligent and aware – Sanders is targeting young millennials like you to fall for his tricky tax plan.
Jennifer D.
CONTRIBUTOR
Jennifer Duplessie is a senior at Texas A&M University pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in political communications incorporating her passion for writing and photography.