


There is a dangerous tidal wave sweeping the nation and it was symbolized by the candidacy of Bernie Sanders, our first major party candidate for president who was an avowed socialist.

Large and growing numbers of our fellow citizens are increasingly ready to throw away the very freedoms and system that have lifted them and generations of Americans to a higher standard of living than any other known to man.

Too many have lost faith in freedom and opportunity for ordinary people. They are ready to give up on an economic system whose rewards and direction are dictated by the products and services consumers purchase.

Instead, they are willing to put a highly centralized government in control of the economy and effectively their lives. Rather than having consumers pick winners and losers, they are in favor of giving that power to government.

In free societies, people get ahead by helping others improve their lives -- by producing something of value to them. It's a mutually beneficial relationship. It's solving problems and making the world better for profit.

But now our government increasingly decides which individuals and businesses survive and prosper and which ones don't. The incentives are moving from people getting rewarded for producing goods and services that improve the lives of others to manipulating the government to get direct benefits.

Our system isn't broken, it's fixed. As in rigged.

Marlin Beck, Evansville

Read or Share this story: