On Socialism

Many Americans seem to harbor half-baked impressions of Socialism.  As I  understand it, under a Socialist-leaning government the production, distribution, and exchange goods and services are guided and intended to “promote the general welfare.”  I call Socialism free enterprise with a conscience.

There is no purely Socialistic government.  Many incorporate programs which may specifically or broadly be labeled “socialistic.” 

A government’s value—socialist, capitalist, communist, anarchy, monarchy—might be gauged by evaluating its citizens happiness.

According to “World Population Review” the “Happiest Countries in the World 2025” are:

  1. Finland
  2. Denmark
  3. Iceland
  4. Sweden
  5. Israel

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   23. The United States of America

The following is culled and quoted from Wikipedia.

Finland:

The happiest country on earth recognizes a collective responsibility to ensure everyone has a decent standard of living.  To facilitate citizens’ wellbeing and mitigate suffering, Finland incorporates cradle-to-grave, government funded, programs including unemployment insurance, family aid, welfare services, childcare services, disabled services, substance abuse users’ services, a guaranteed national pension plan, employee pension plans, and national health plans based on need, not on financial means.  Universal social insurance provides income security despite old age, illness, pregnancy, unemployment, and work-related injuries.

Fins enjoy nine years of free compulsory basic, followed by three years of secondary academic or vocational education, leading to university or polytechnic tertiary (college or university) level.  Adult education may have fees in some cases.

Denmark:

Losing the Happiness Sweepstakes by and eyelash, the constitutional monarchy of the unified Kingdom of Denmark, “protects and promotes the economic well-being of its citizens based on the principles of economic opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for citizens unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life.”

Under these precepts, Danes enjoy a high standard of living.  Denmark’s economy is characterized by extensive government welfare provisions.  A publicly funded system affords free universal healthcare to all citizens.   Under Folkstole, public education from ages 6 through college is free.  Denmark has the fourth highest ratio of tertiary degree holders in the world.  Its constitution, legislation, and policies support women’s, minorities’, LGSBQ’s, and human rights.  Denmark was the first country to recognize legality of same-sex partnership.  With strong support for trade unions Denmark boasts the world’s highest minimum wage. 

Iceland:

Reminiscent of its Scandinavian roots, “Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes compared to other OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, as well as highest trade union membership in the world.  It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal healthcare and tertiary education.  Iceland ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency and economic freedom.”

Sweden:

Fourth in Happiness, the Kingdom of Sweden ranks fifth in the Human Development Index (HDI) of life expectancy, education, and per capita income.  Like its Scandinavian cousins, Sweden’s Nordic social system includes a welfare state, multilevel collective bargaining, universal healthcare, and tertiary education for its citizens. The Kingdom has government-funded healthcare for all citizens “although private healthcare also exists.”  

Israel:

The first four countries in our happiness sweepstakes share a common physical environment and similar cultural values.  In fifth place, Israelites inhabited a starkly contrasting physical environment and compelling motivation, Judaism!

Israel is a parliamentary democracy.  Government programs include education from primary through 12th grade, and tertiary education.  “Healthcare in Israel is universal and participation in a medical insurance plan is compulsory.  All Israeli residents are intitled to basic healthcare as a fundamental right.”  “All residents of Israel must pay insurance contributions in order to qualify for welfare.”  Welfare programs include old age pensions, disability pensions, unemployment benefits, and income support.

Socialism recognizes that we are not equal.  Each of us is born with inherent strength and weaknesses then environment kicks in.  Fate favors a few and kicks the hell out of the rest.  In contrast with a dog-eat-dog, devil-for-the-hindmost economy, is it surprising that folks are happier when we care and look after each other?

Footnote:

According to “World Population Review” the “Murder Rate by Country 2025” per 100,000 of population:

   Finland 0.9825
   Denmark 0.986
   Iceland 1.073 
Sweden 1.147
Israel 1.626 
United States of America: 5.763!

Madman in the Oval Office

President Donald J. Trump has lost his mind!  Three recent examples:

One:
Introducing Jerome Powell as his pick for Federal Reserve Chair,
November 7, 2017, President Trump said,
“As President there are few decisions more important than appointment of leaders of integrity and good judgement to hold trusted positions.  .  .  and few of those positions are more important that Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Accordingly, it is my pleasure and my honor to announce the appointment of Jerome Powell to be the next Chairman of the Federal Reserve.  Congratulations, Jay.  .  .  .

I am confident that Jay has the wisdom and leadership to guide our economy through any challenges that our great economy may face.”

President Trump, July 16, 2025, walked back his praise for Powell and—surprise, surprise—blamed Joe Biden!

I think (Powell) does a terrible job.  .  .  .  He’s a terrible Fed Chair.  I was surprised that he was appointed.  I was surprised, frankly, that Biden put him in and extended him, but they did.  .  .  .  He’s a knucklehead.

Two:
In a speech, July 15, at Carnegie Mellon University, Donald boasted that Uncle MIT Professor John Trump taught Ted Kaczynski the Unabomber.
“My Uncle (John) was at MIT.  Kaczynski was one of his students.  .  .  .  I said, “What kind of a student was he, Uncle John, Doctor John Trump?”  He said, “Seriously good.”

There is no connection between Dr. John Trump, MIT, and Ted Kaczynski.    Kaczynski earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. 

Three:
The Wallstreet Journal, July 17, reported that a “raunchy,” leather-bound,  book compiled for Jeffrey Epstein’s fiftieth birthday, includes text within a hand-drawn outline of a nude female, with “a squiggly ‘Donald’ below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.”

In an interview, July 15 Tuesday, Trump responded, “This is not me.  This is a fake thing.  It’s a fake Wallstreet Journal article.  I never wrote a picture in my life.  I don’t draw picture of women.”  A Google of “Donald Trump’s Drawings” reveals the President draws, quite well.  Many bear the iconic, black-sharpie scrawl.  Some are framed; some sold for charity.  There’s even a coloring book.

What began as “let Trump be Trump” mushroomed into the untold thousands of imaginings, fabrications, and bald-face lies which now threaten the survival of American Democracy.

Most puzzling and alarming, no one, not liberals, not “fake news,” point out, much less challenge, Donald Trump’s madness!

What the hell’s happening to America?

Of Darkness and Danger

Witnessing Donald Trump’s insanity, Samwise Gamgee’s concern and hope come to mind.

“By rights we shouldn’t even be here.  But we are.  It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo.  The ones that really mattered.  Full of darkness and danger they were.  And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end.  Because how could the end be happy?  How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad has happened?  But in the end it’s only a passing thing this shadow.  Even darkness must pass.”

Lord of the Rings The Two Towers

J.R.R. Tolkien

Made In China

Donald Trump says China has been a “ripping us off.“  In my thinking,  being “ripped off” is not getting or paying an exorbitant price for a product.

Americans buy from China, Viet Nam, Indonesia, and Mexico because we don’t get ripped off!  We get what we pay for!  It’s “Economics 101”: The seller whose price is lowest makes the sale.  Americans buy Barbie dolls, MAGA caps, and Donald’s Bibles “Made in China” because we can’t meet or beat their price.

We Were Warned

The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President—Updated and Expanded with New Essays (in 2019) .  .  .  concludes:

“President Donald Trump is dangerously mentally ill and that he presents a clear and present danger to the nation.  .  .  .  From the trauma people have experience under the Trump administration to the cult-like characteristic of his followers, he has created unprecedented mental health consequences across our nation and beyond.  It’s not in our heads.  It’s in his.”

These experts agree that Donald Trump exhibits classic symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).  The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM5) defines NPD as, “a persistent manner of grandiosity, a continuous desire for admiration, along with a lack of empathy. It starts in early adulthood and occurs in a range of situations, as signified by the existence of any 5 of the next 9 standards,

  • A grandiose logic of self-importance
  • A fixation with fantasies of infinite success, control, brilliance, beauty or idyllic love
  • A credence that he or she is extraordinary and exceptional and can only be understood by, or should connect with, other extraordinary or important people or institutions
  • A desire for unwarranted admiration
  • A sense of entitlement
  • Interpersonal oppressive behavior
  • No form of empathy
  • Resentment of others or a conviction that others are resentful of him or her
  • A display of egotistical and conceited behavior or attitudes”

That’s 9 for 9 folks: Narcissistic Personality Disorder on steroids!  We don’t need the President of the America Psychiatric Association to make this call!  

DSM5 does not use “Malignant.” Campbell’s Psychiatric Dictionary describes Malignant Narcissism as combining characteristics of Narcissistic and Antisocial Personality Disorders, making the patient not only delusional but potentially dangerous!

Donald J. Trump’s ever-expanding litany of delusional thinking, ill-conceived acts and policies, factual inaccuracies, and outright lies pose hazards to The United States of America and our World! 

Our Illegal Dilemma

Some alien people respect America’s law, submit documents, follow procedures, pledge allegiance, and become citizens.

Others break our law, illegally enter America, and must be deported to their native country.

This said, when Trump boots out the brown-skinned illegals, who will slaughter America’s beef, hogs, and chickens?  Who will pick its oranges, apples, cherries, and strawberries?  Who will re-roof its houses and build its fences?  Who will make its hotel and motel beds, vacuum carpets, and clean bathrooms?  At its recycling facilities, who will stand, overnight, at conveyor belts, sorting metal, glass, plastic, wood, cardboard, and paper?

Who will do the heavy lifting and grunt work Americans are too spoiled or lazy to do?

Another issue: Who will pay Trump‘s tariffs—25%, 50%?  Chinese producers or American consumers?

What Next?

Declining a position in Donald Trump’s former Justice Department, erstwhile Trump acolyte, conservative lawyer George Conway III, called the President elect’s earlier administration a “shit show in a dumpster fire.”

Friend, we ain’t smelt nothing yet!

Trump Unhinged

As Donald Trump grows increasingly unhinged, parroting Hitler—“vermin,” “poisoning the blood”—I take refuge in an unshakeable conviction that, in the end, Wisdom, Truth, Compassion, and Love will prevail over Ignorance, Superstition, Fear, and Anger.