RUSS DUERSTINE: Perils of socialism now clear to many

SAN ANGELO, Texas - Considering the topics covered this past summer by Linda Shoemaker and me, I will continue to elaborate on the destruction of socialism and the Democratic Party it dominates. I firmly believe our republic needs a two-party system, minus socialism.

It doesn't matter what label the Democrats choose, progressive, liberal, social justice or anything else — socialism is a complete historic failure because a strong central government is built to make life fair, outcomes equal and wealth evenly distributed.

Sounds appealing in theory, but in practice it is an abject failure. Then groups become more important than the individual. Winners and losers are chosen by the state instead of fair competition.

Instead of millions of individual citizens and businesses making millions of independent decisions, you have a handful of elite government czars making many of our choices for us.

As a result, consumer choices begin to dwindle, success is punished, failure rewarded and the standard of living is greatly lowered for most.

Usually the left advances slowly and incrementally.

Like taking low doses of poison, we as victims are confused that we are doing worse slowly but surely. It is when the left gets a free hand and goes for it all at once that we wake up and come to terms with the real culprit.

This is the main reason why we are watching the president crumble and taking his own party down with him.His base sees this and is beginning to abandon him as well.

Ralph Nader and other leading liberals in Washington this week are reported to have openly called for a Democratic challenger to the president in the upcoming primary season.

Former adviser to President Clinton, James Carville, has publicly called the president out and begged him to fire some people, indict some people and shake things up. He went on to further say "things are just not working."

Even unhappy members of the Congressional Black Caucus "probably would be marching on the White House" if Obama were not president, according to CBC Chairman Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo.

Unemployment among young black adults and teenagers is soaring, and other minorities are not far behind.

Putting people in groups and pitting them against each other can help you win elections, but delivering successful results in a country based on individual rights and responsibilities is nearly impossible to deliver.

In Texas we are beginning to see the winds of change among Hispanic and Latino voters and leaders.

Like most Anglo voters who felt abandoned by the Democratic Party's national move to the far left, this generation of Hispanic voters is coming to terms with it as well.

When you see abortion protesters who are Hispanic outside of Planned Parenthood they realize being anti-abortion and pro-family is not consistent with their loyalty to the Democratic Party.

Regardless of race, what small business owner can tolerate out-of-control government spending that destroys their ability to make a better life for their kids?

It is why you see the majority of new Hispanic leaders running and winning as Republicans.People who value traditional American concepts vote for them regardless of their race.

Just look at the Texas congressional and state House races last election.

Even locally, Daniel Cardenas has switched parties and will run as a Republican.He was tired of being told by his old party that his public views on abortion, government spending and publicly acknowledging God's hand in our life was not welcome.

I point this out not to endorse one Republican over another, but to illustrate that even perceived "rock solid" Democratic leaders and voters are not to be taken for granted.

The voters in Precinct 1 will decide who will represent them, but I caution everyone seeking office that old ways of thinking can no longer be counted on.

As black voters once overwhelmingly supported Republicans, as they do now for Democrats, one day that may change again.

Republicans and abolitionists argued for the end of slavery and freedom for all because they knew everyone's individual rights come from God and not from man.

Some day America will cast off socialism and the party that it controls if it returns to the concept of individual rights and responsibilities, ordained by our Creator and strongly affirmed in our own Declaration of Independence.

Then the blessing of freedom and prosperity will benefit everyone again, regardless of race, gender, color or creed.

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