Useful Idiots

During incipient communist regimes, the general population foolishly supported the wave of change that promised to fundamentally alter the balance of power and bring wealth and prosperity to the masses by expropriating and stealing from the “undeserving rich.”

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There is an argument to be made that some strata of society was exploited to the benefit of inherited wealth such as kings, queens, and large industrialist owners of sweatshops. However, some wealth was acquired through hard work, perseverance, wise investments, entrepreneurship, risk-taking, education, and luck; it was not “stolen” from anybody. There is also an argument to be made that unions were beneficial in times such as those during Bismarck’s reign in Germany or early nineteenth century Europe when unions negotiated sick leave, better working conditions, vacations, worker’s compensation for injuries, and other benefits. Economic conditions did not improve for the majority of the population; therefore, it was easy to believe that a new and improved regime, the socialists, would bring about positive “fundamental change” to people’s lives. Mismanagement of an economy is not something new, it is still done today in third world dictatorships and some European Union countries like the P.I.G.S. – Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain. Some are adding Ireland to the mix. Certainly, at the time, the Weimar Republic was the most glaring example of an economy in total disarray with hyperinflation so disastrous that it required a wheelbarrow of cash to buy a loaf of bread. It was easier to burn money in the fireplace than it was to purchase wood. The immediate socialist supporters, teachers, professors, journalists, doctors, lawyers, active communist members of the inner circle became known as “useful idiots.” They were “useful” as long as the few communists such as Lenin, Stalin, Castro, Mao were attempting to gain and garner control and power and their supporters willingly sacrificed their time, money, and loyalty. Same groups became “idiots” when the communist leaders decided that total concentrated power into one man’s hands was more desirable. Any immediate comrades became a threat to supreme leader’s rule and necessitated their disposal. As the rest of the intellectuals realized they have been deceived, they turned on their former leader. The leader had no choice but to get rid of them. Soon after taking total power over a socialist nation, the “gentle” former agitators and labor organizers became ruthless rulers who murdered millions, especially the middle class. People wearing glasses were targeted and disposed of as intellectuals who posed a danger to the regime through their passionate knowledge and avid reading. Information was power. Innocent people who were not teachers, lawyers, engineers, but who had genetic eye defects and happened to wear glasses were rounded up as enemies of the state. The November 2010 elections gave the American people the opportunity to voice their opinions in reference to the out-of-control spending, lending, printing, and devaluing of our currency that the Democrat-controlled Congress has engaged in the last two years. It is painfully apparent that the 100 or so Republicans that were swept into power through the vote of “we the people” chose to ignore our wishes and our votes. The spending has not stopped, it has not even slowed down, and the Republican-controlled House appears to have no intention to make real cuts in spending or to pass a budget. Neither are they addressing the Democrat-controlled Congress failure to pass a budget last year. The compliant media is ignoring the issue entirely as if it does not exist while portraying the economy as booming. I understand stagflation, inflation with a stagnant economy. Americans are feeling the high prices, high unemployment, and high-energy costs. The media can disingenuously say that we are in a recovery, reality demonstrates otherwise. It is beginning to look more and more as if we are the useful idiots who are inconvenient to our lawmakers’ quest for power. The rallies, the faxes, the letters, the calls, the Tea Party protests were ignored. We were useful before and during the election. I am not saying that we are going to have the same fate as the “useful idiots” of the socialist regimes. However, are we becoming the idiots that our lawmakers are ignoring? If so, what is the point in having elections? Taxpayers are being treated more and more like unruly children who must be punished with new rules and regulations for disobeying. We are now the enemy to the “nanny state.” What other steps can we take to remedy the situation before it is too late? When our currency is worth zero and will be replaced as the world’s reserve currency, what will we do?