Roper: Niceties aside, it’s an authoritarian police state

Wikimedia Commons/KateSheets

 

By Rob Roper

In a recent commentary featured on VT Digger, “Steering Clear of the Shoals of Socialism,” David Moats urges his fellow leftists to avoid the negative stereotypes of the socialist label by calling their ideology, of all things, “Democratic Capitalism.” Yeah, nice try!

He says, “One way for Democrats to protect themselves from the deeply ingrained American fear of socialism is not to get hung up on labels. For one thing, they need not call themselves socialists at all, democratic or otherwise. No one, not even Sanders, is proposing to resurrect the old socialist platform — no one wants to nationalize the banks or seize the means of production.”

I posted a comment on this to the Digger site that was rejected. (I asked for an explanation as to why because it breaks none of their supposed rules of etiquette or engagement. After I pointed this out, I was told they don’t have time to explain every rejected comment. Read into that what you will.) So, here it is as originally presented for your consideration:

Allan Murray, CEO of Fortune, described this socialism well. “In addition to ‘clean and renewable energy,’ it calls for jobs for everyone, living wages, parental leave, racial and gender justice, health care for all, strengthened labor law, vastly increased infrastructure investment, justice for indigenous people, a radical rethinking of monetary policy, and a new approach to antitrust policy. In other words, it reaches deeply into every corner of the economy. … The semanticists can debate whether that is or isn’t the same as ‘controlling the means of production.’” Capitalism allows that each of us is free to invest our own capital, even if the only capital one has is one’s own labor, as we see fit. That is freedom. Sanders et al seek the power (the authority) to decide for others how they should/shouldn’t invest their capital and to enforce those decisions via government force (e.g. police). Any way you cut it the pig Moats is trying to put lipstick on is an authoritarian police state.

Maybe the editorial staff at Digger can’t handle that truth, but truth it is. Sanders, Moats, and their considerable ilk want the authority to tell us that we must buy health insurance and what kind of insurance it must be. They want to tell us what kind of electricity to buy and what kind of car to drive — or no car at all. Take mass transit. They want to tell us where our kids must go to school and what they must learn while they’re in there. They want to tell us where to live (in urban centers) and where not to live (out in the country). They want to tell us what we can and cannot do with our property no matter where we live. They want to control every aspect of our lives down to the minutia of refusing to let us use a plastic straw. And, of course, they want us to obey when they tell us all this stuff, or else.

Seriously, folks, if the state has to power to make a decision as small as “paper or plastic” for you and can engage law enforcement personnel and resources to enforce that decision, what power does it not have? This is not limited government, it is limitless government. What freedom do you have?

Rob Roper is president of the Ethan Allen Institute. Reprinted with permission from the Ethan Allen Institute Blog.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/KateSheets

10 thoughts on “Roper: Niceties aside, it’s an authoritarian police state

  1. Two years ago as I observed our regional planning commission removing the right of the people to vote on matters of zoning without any resistance from our local authorities, it became obvious at that point the will of the people no longer mattered. This was the first inkling that made me conclude Vermonters had been transformed to subjects of control by a higher power and no longer have a say in their own destiny.

    Central planners have turned to dictators of enforcement!

  2. Digger is just a political mouthpiece for the left. Digger bases its content on the preferences of its far left donors. Present strong opposition to any of diggers pets, you will be censored. Many of us have asked for explanations from digger and are met with complete arrogance.

  3. Rob:
    I gave up on Digger several months ago. I do not have time to be whipped and moved to the gallows (censored in other words) because my piece did not fit the mould. I am sure you do not feel any differently than any other clear thinking, sincere type who happens to have different political views than Digger. They like to make you think you are the only one shouldearing the views you expund on. Belittle, demean whatever….. it is ok for them to do that to Conservatives, but for usn’s to follow a tactic like that , it is gong show city the whole way. I do not even give them the time of day, I have better things to do.

  4. I’m watching the 5 part mini series Chernobyl on HBO set in 1986 Soviet Union. HBO is not known to be conservative in their productions. If you wish to see a glimpse of what communism looks like it is there for you to see. The government or I should say “the Party” lied and tried to cover it up while thousands of people were exposed to high levels of radiation. Finally the disaster was so extensive they had to act to save lives.

    This brings me to Mr. Roper’s comment being rejected by Digger. The “Party” (dem/prog) engages in censorship by omission to protect the ideology from opposing threats, also known as the truth. I was surprised to see John McClaughry send them a contribution during their semi-annual begging for money season. I can’t support a news organization that limits, censors and rejects serious comments to protect their ideology. It’s no secret that all of their reporters are liberal.

    As for the police state, it is here now. It’s what the people want or they are to ignorant to recognize it.
    It is my hope that the new abortion legislative abortion will get people thinking if they have made the right choice in their representative or senator. I can only hope and prey because it is not going to be any easier to live here unless changes are made to the body of our aristocratic legislature.

    • PS TNR,

      How about including an edit button so we can correct mistakes in spelling and punctuation after we post and notice them?

      Thank you

      • Having a thumbs up or way to show support for great comments would be appreciated too……we need to support each other.

    • I do contribute because Digger does offer valuable coverage of state issues that we can’t find anywhere else. They also faithfully run my biweekly column, although it must be hard for some of them to stomach. I do however have issues with their filtering of comments like this one by Rob, and have raised it with their management from time to time.

  5. Digger All the News they want your know, and only the comments they want you
    to read..Just like the big brother lying main stream media. Anti 1st amendment
    Anti American all the way…
    On Demonrat Leftist Fascist Jackboots will always be like their idols lennin, stalin, polpot, mao castro, che, dress them up in western suits their still socialist jackboots that’s all they got is mob intimidation to make you comply ’cause they got no policy any want.. Well this woodchuck will not comply..

  6. It’s past time for a discussion on what to do with the ‘Police’ portion of ‘Police State’. I’ve noticed many of the younger officers (State and Sheriff) seem to enjoy harassing folks a bit too much. The ‘One term and Out’ USMC and USA vets among them are particularly confrontational, and seemingly itching to pull a trigger. This has to stop.

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