The Sage Observer

Conundrum

An email, under the above subject, has been circulating which, from all appearances, presumes to set forth the thinking and ideology of those on the right. On its face, it is nothing more or less than a distortion of reality and a misrepresentation of truths, i.e. political propaganda. I have tried, below, to cast light on the real truth of the matter.

The email is as follows in the large red and blue print. The smaller black print is my response:

Free people are not equal.  Equal people are not free. (Think this one over and over…makes sense!)  Response: Our Constitution tells us all men are (supposedly) equal under the law. Our Bible tells us all men are equal in the eyes of God (that’s what Grace and Forgiveness is about). But, in the “Real World”, we all know everyone is not born equal. We come in all shapes, colors, appearances, and deformations, with all degrees of intelligence, ranging from stupid to brilliant, and personalities derived from a multiple of effects ranging from inheritable genes, family effects, and the environment, both physical and social, including a depressed economy. With this stipulation, I agree.

"A gun is like a parachute.  If you need one, and don't have one, you'll probably never need one again." 

 The definition of the word Conundrum is: something that is puzzling or confusing. 

 Here are six Conundrums of socialism in the United States of America:   

1. America is capitalist and greedy - yet half of the population is subsidized.   Answer: Half the population is subsidized because they have been raped and pillaged for the past thirty five years by our Shadow Government, the Corporatocracy and Power Elite. But please take notice. That same Shadow Government which is doing the raping and pillaging is also being subsidized. Have you not heard of Corporate Welfare? Are you not informed about the growing inequality of income and wealth in this country during the past forty years? Have you not heard of our disappearing middle class?

 2. Half of the population is subsidized - yet they think they are victims.   Answer: They are victims! See above.

 

3. They think they are victims - yet their representatives run the government.   Answer: True! That’s because these so-called representatives are not representing them/us as they are supposed to do. Rather, they are betraying us by selling out to the lobbyists, satchel carriers for the Oligarchy of the Corporatocracy and Power Elite, our Shadow Government, who bribe them with campaign contributions and/or favors. Our representatives even allow their bribers to write some of the laws they are supposed to write themselves. To use an old phrase, follow the money. Our representatives are, in effect, on their payroll.

4. Their representatives run the government - yet the poor keep getting poorer.   Answer: True again. You get that way when you are constantly being robbed by those to whom your representatives have sold out.

 5. The poor keep getting poorer - yet they have things that people in other countries only dream about.   Answer: True again. Don’t you know? Generally speaking, our country has had a higher standard of living than the rest of the world for the past approximately 100 years or more. There has been a difference—a vast difference. America has five percent of the world’s population and 20% of the world’s productivity. Except for the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of our people living on the streets, our poor are wealthy when compared to the poor in some countries. On the other hand, however, surely you have noticed the decrease in that difference. That is what our growing inequality and our disappearing middle class is all about. Surely you have also heard about the growing increase in standard of living in China and elsewhere in the world. Where do you think that is coming from? An economy is like water. Water seeks its own level; and the increase in living standards there results in a decrease in living standards here. 

6. They have things that people in other countries only dream about - yet they want America to be more like those other countries. 

Answer: Who told you we want to be more like other countries? Where is your source of such erroneous information?  We don’t want America to be more like those other countries. What we want is access to Single Payer Universal Healthcare, i.e. Medicare for everyone.  

 Think about it! And that, my friends, pretty much sums up the USA in the 21st Century.   Makes you wonder who is doing the math.   

Response: Nothing above falls within the definition of a conundrum. The six statements indicated in blue, above, are meant to mislead, to misinform. That’s all they are, and that’s all they’re worth.
 

These three, short sentences tell you a lot about the direction of our current government and cultural environment:   

 1. We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.  Answer: Once again, we have a misleading statement intended to misinform. The first sentence is true. The second is false. We are not encouraged to judge “All gun owners”. We are asked to control the sale of guns. It’s that simple.

Funny how that works.  And here's another one worth considering…   

 2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money.  But we never hear about welfare or food stamps running out of money!   What's interesting is the first group "worked for" their money, but the second didn't.   Answer: The only way Social Security will run out of money will be because we let it happen. It is not broke as we sit, and it never need be in the future. As to welfare or food stamps running out of money—I certainly hope not; and it will not unless we let it happen. Jesus said, “The poor will always be with us.” He also said, “Feed My sheep”. As to who worked for their money as compared to who did not, you surely do not believe that everybody on welfare and/or food stamps never worked for their money. Also, in the same vein, surely you do not believe everybody who collects or has collected Social Security worked for all they received. Give me a break. Except for those who died prematurely, almost everyone on Social Security has, to some extent, received more than they paid in from the very beginning.

 Think about it.....and Last but not least :   

 3. Why are we cutting benefits for our veterans, no pay raises for our military and cutting our army to a level lower than before WWII, but we are not stopping the payments or benefits to illegal aliens. Answer: I’m not as informed on this matter as on the others, but I’m not aware of any benefits being paid to illegal aliens. Perhaps you can inform us of what those benefits are. Or, is this just another example of misinformation?

 "If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools." – Plato Response: Agreed! 

In the mean time, this is Ronald Miller, www.sageobserver.blogspot.com signing off. Email me at mtss86@comcast.net