Uncle Sugar’s Wagon of Economic Happiness

He was a "Democratic Socialist"--whatever that is--who offered the people free stuff--free education, free medical care, free welfare benefits to all who crossed over the border, reparations for anyone who was a victim of anything,  and many other free things. His promises flowed like honey and his cult like following--Sandersnistas--were captivated by his words.  "The State," he said, "will take care of you." His message was alluring and they wanted to believe. His name was Sanders, but some called him simply, Sandersclaus.  Others, called him affectionately, Uncle Sugar. 

Uncle Sugar promised a free ride for all

Uncle Sugar promised a free ride for all who wanted it. He had a big wagon and anyone who wanted could ride for free--compliments of Uncle Sugar. At first there were plenty of folks to pull it and plenty of folks who made money--they would pay for it all. "To each according to his needs" was his motto. A free ride and free stuff--cradle to grave care for your every need. After all what was government for? And the people loved it; those who did not remained silent. There was nothing they could do. After all, Uncle Sugar was wildly popular among those who wanted a free ride. And there were more and more of them. It was more fun than working hard and paid better. But Uncle Sugar needed money to finance his promises. A millionaire himself, Uncle Sugar railed against "billionaires" who had corrupted this country at the expense of the lower classes he said.  There was a price to his munificence. But as long as your ox wasn’t getting gored and you were getting free stuff from him you did not mind. Or so the people believed. Thus it was just fine to tax the rich and make those productive job providers pay. Someone had to pay. So Uncle Sugar decreed that those making a billion dollars must pay more--much more --it was only right; there were people who worked hard and made far less.  So it was only fair. Those pulling the wagon of economic progress had a moral duty to pull harder and transport those who were riding in it for free. But, in time, taking 90% from those who had billions of dollars was not enough to pay for the free ice cream Uncle Sugar promised those who wanted it. Therefore he decreed that those making $150,000 or more needed to help. So Uncle Sugar required them to pay more too--after all there were a lot of folks riding in the wagon for free and Uncle Sugar needed to provide for them.  This was fine with most of the folks--except, of course, those who were moderately successful, worked hard, or built businesses--they too had to pay the price.  But it came to pass that taxing even those who made moderate incomes did not produce enough to pay for the free stuff old Uncle Sugar promised. In time he decreed that those making $50,000 per year must pay more--after all, compared to others riding in the wagon, they were rich. This could not be tolerated by Uncle Sugar. 

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Uncle Sugar’s subjects were equally poor and equally hopeless

And so it went until one day there were far more people riding in Uncle Sugar’s Wagon of Economic Happiness than pulling it.  It seemed that, in time, those who generated wealth and jobs no longer were able or willing to pull the wagon. After all, they thought, why should they? What was the point? It was easier to rely on Uncle Sugar. It came to pass that the people who relied on Uncle Sugar became restive. It seems that they could no longer rely on Uncle Sugar to provide their every need. They had become too reliant on a State that could no longer provide for their basic needs. Uncle Sugar had run out of free stuff to give. He could no longer afford unemployment payments, free lunches, free phones, free education, medical benefits or reparations that his followers had come to expect. Businesses, which had groaned under the weight of crushing taxes and regulation, had gone bankrupt leaving millions of wage earners jobless; farmers were leaving their farms by the thousands and there was not enough food to feed his subjects. Factory workers were laid off by the millions, power plants closed by the score--unable to pay the high taxes or the billions of dollars required by Uncle Sugar to install scrubbers in order to remove every particle of pollutant from the air. The dollar had lost its value.   There were riots in the streets and the country was coming apart at the seams--its economy shattered. And in the end, there was indeed equality--but not of opportunity. Rather, Uncle Sugar’s subjects were equally poor and equally hopeless. For the problem with "Democratic Socialism" is simple--in the end you run out of other people’s money.  There are no more people to pull  Uncle Sugar’s Wagon of Economic Happiness. And Uncle Sugar has nothing more to give.