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So I was at the Post Office today as some lady dropped off a large poster sized package.
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Then she proceeded to speak to her package. "I hope you make it!"..
The guy behind me says, "What?"
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"Oh nothing," she says. "It's just I can't believe how bad the post office is. Now the government is going to take over more. It's socialism!"
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"It is!" he agreed.
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"How they think they can do anything is beyond me. This guy, Obama, he has turned out to be a real dud hasn't he?"
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"Right!" Mr. Big answers. "If I wanted to live in a socialist country I would move to one."
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Now, let me pause for a moment, because in the interest of my heart I didn't scream.
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1) The Post Office is no longer owned by the government. That is why they have to raise rates - they can't run a deficit.
2) If you don't like the Socialist Post Office, rather than bitch - go to Fed Ex or UPS. Both people were mailing packages (not letters).
3) The government can't run anything? We have a military, Medicare, a highway system, police and fire departments that say you're full of shit.
4) If you want to live in a capitalist country move. Move to somewhere with private roads, private security service details, no land lines for phones and almost no taxes. Many parts of Africa and some of Asia come to mind.
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But the USA, we believe that in some cases the government providing a public good is best for the country. Why does the company turn "socialist" at the exact point you don't want to pay anymore? How is Medicare Health Insurance NOT socialism? How are public highways NOT socialism. How is Air Traffic Control NOT socialism?
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How about the Food and Drug Administration that warns us of contaminated food and eColi? Is that socialist? A true capitalist system would have the market decide what could kill you (the death of a few people would be the cost of pure capitalism).
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How about if the government didn't require emergency rooms to treat you if you don't have the money? That's pure capitalism. If you got in an accident and wheeled in and couldn't prove you could pay - let 'em die. Or old people, prove Medicare will pay all your services before we help you.
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Arg.