It is absolutely amazing to see this nation reverting to socialism. The revolution President Franklin Roosevelt played out under the nose of the American people was unprecedented, until now. Roosevelt took a primarily capitalist system and turned it into a socialist system to get this nation back on track. That seems to make little sense right?
In "The Jungle," Upton Sinclair paints a picture of a market without limits. A market where capitalists are free to do as they like, charge as they like, pay as they like. Sinclair recounts the laissez-faire tactics that would eventually lead to the stock market collapse of the 1920s. He uses the character Jurgis, who at around seven feet tall can work like an ox, as his protagonist. Jurgis comes to America seeking a better life. The problem is that 16-hour days do not pay his rent. His wife’s added salary does not provide food. His children having to work do little to stave off foreclosure. Does any of this sound familiar?
Minimum wage finally went up. It took a decade, but that happens when Republicans are in office. The worker gets the shaft, and the owner gets a new yacht.
Back in Sinclair’s day, he watched as workers endured deprivations and safety hazards. He watched the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots" grow to epic dimensions, and he watched as people died working for nothing more than to give capitalists the fineries they deserved simply for being born rich.
Welcome to the Jungle.
A minimum wage job, even one granting 40 hours of work a week, does not come close to the cost of living for a single individual.
During this administration, more and more has been granted to the wealthy, while the poor and poverty-stricken fall farther behind. Education is a dream for most, as tuition has risen more than inflation. Saving is impossible, since the new choice poor people make is food or gas. What is the remedy?
Socialism. The Neoconservatives have decided, just as FDR did so long ago, that socialism is the way to go. This is really quite stunning because it is usually the far left that gets the title of socialists.
The far right philosophy of no regulation and free market has created a potential world crisis. The potential collapse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could send ripples across the global economy that could take years to iron out.
The neoconservatives decided the way to save the world was to take over private industry. They even failed to make a real plan. Bush was harping about how he wanted to keep the mortgage giants in private hands, but just like his desire to save Iraq, help American citizens in natural disasters, apply to law school and run a company, he failed. He failed miserably, and now is going to take the tactics of the far left.
Please realize there is nothing fiscally conservative about neocons. There is nothing moral about neo-cons, and there is nothing Christian about neocons.Unbalanced budget, deficit spending – is this fiscally responsible? I am all for divided power. Let the blue have the Congress and the red the White House or vice versa, but as of now, Republican apologists have no leg to stand on.
How long has the far right been calling the left wing socialists? In the words of childhood wisdom, "I’m rubber and you’re glue."
Khan, a political science and history junior, can be reached via [email protected]
