Oversimplification And

Sloganeering

To the Editor:

In response to the letter entitled “Vote The Socialists Out” [Letter Hive, 12/9/11], nearly all the allegations are talking points generated by the Tea Party and other ultraconservative groups. Does anyone seriously believe that we have moved deeply into socialist territory?

These allegations are designed to appeal to people’s emotions and the negative connotations this country has had toward the concept of socialism since World War II. The author says that we “need look no further than Greece, Portugal, Italy, and the European Union” to know that socialism doesn’t work. Actually, we do need to look further. There are more examples of the success of certain aspects of “socialism” then there are failures. How about we look to Denmark or Finland. Both countries that lead the United States by huge margins in prosperity, happiness, health care, and more. But I am not writing in support of socialism, this is about oversimplifications and misleading statements, such as:

The Keystone Pipeline would have at best created 6,000 jobs, not 50,000 as stated. McCain’s Tax Plan? More breaks for corporations and the wealthiest (cutting corporate tax rates way below the average of other industrialized countries). Jobs? The US added 120,000 new jobs in October. Unemployment in the US fell to 8.6 percent in November, its lowest level since March 2009. In comparison, US employers shed 2.6 million jobs in 2008, the worst year since 1945. That was under George W. Bush’s watch.

Remember that famous line in the Declaration of Independence? Certain unalienable rights we are supposed to have... “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Well, the US has been declining severely in all those areas, most especially under the presidency of George W. Bush. We have managed to regain some ground since Obama took office, but the toll we took during those years was severe. Want some examples?

Life: There are 24 countries with lesser infant mortality rates than the United States (two of your examples, Italy and Portugal rank better than we do).

Liberty: The “State of World Liberty Index” which ranks countries according to the degree of economic and personal freedoms has the United States as number 8. Shouldn’t we be number 1?

 Pursuit of Happiness: Forbes Magazine, based on 40 years of data, shows Finland, Norway, and Demark consistently at the top of the happiness index. The US tends to fall somewhere between 15 or 20 depending. Most of the nations in the top ten boast strong “social safety nets,” or what you might call socialism. Finland, Norway, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Sweden, Austria and Switzerland consistently score higher than we do.

 Having said all this, I am disappointed that President Obama hasn’t accomplished more. But it’s time we put away partisan politics and look at actual facts, rather than slogans intended to pander to our emotions. I urge everyone to look at each candidate’s records, at the facts that are easily available to everyone, and vote for the candidate whose record (not words) is most in line with your beliefs —whether or not they are Republican, Democrat, Independent or other.

Robert Rabinowitz

30 Alpine Circle, Sandy Hook                                December 12, 2011