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JOHN NASH Of Cabbages and Kings

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 11, 2009

This is not only a new year. It also is the birth of the Union of the Socialist States of America (USSA). Reminds one of the failed union of socialist Soviet Republics (USSR), doesn't it? No, I'm not referring to an association of American states, such as Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia. I have in mind what was once the economically responsible and stable, capitalistic, free-enterprise, United States of America.

There are simply now so many ways in which our central and regional governments have become socialistic that the fact can no longer be swept under the ragged old founding carpet that was carefully and thoughtfully weaved by our Founding Fathers. Here are just a few that came to my attention in only the past week.

Of course we're all painfully aware of Washington's careless attempts to nationalize Wall Street, the insurance industry, banks, mortgage lenders, General Motors and sidewalk hot dog vendors, so we won't go over that smelly mess again. Instead, let's look, for example, at our endangered Social Security system. One man told me how he was punished for being responsible for having saved to provide for his own retirement and security in old age, instead of depending on the good ol' gubbermint to support him.

While employed, he had invested carefully in a mix of stocks, bonds and insured savings accounts. He reached the age of 62 in 2006, applied for Social Security, and began living modestly off the interest from his savings, and the dividends of his stocks and bonds. In mid-2007, he correctly foresaw the looming crash on Wall Street, so he redeemed about 80 percent of his stocks, placing the returns in certificates of deposit held in several different banks. His decision was most wise, because the market soon took a dive, but the individual had made a substantial gain on his investment in stocks, so he was required to report that gain on his 2007 federal income tax report. He didn't appreciate having to pay several thousands in additional taxes because what he'd saved for his retirement had been successful, but he was really shocked recently, when he received notice from the Social Security Administration concerning his benefits in 2009. It turns out that, because of the profits reported on his 2007 tax form, he was too wealthy to benefit from the 2009 increase in Social Security benefits, and would, in fact, have his 2009 payments reduced $190 per month below what he had received in 2008. It seems to me to be a clear case of Socialist economics (i.e., take from the "rich," give to the "poor," and level incomes for everyone - except an inept and corrupt Congress, of course).

While we're on the subject of Social Security, consider a different example of how poorly the government runs that economic train wreck. A retired driver of commercial airplanes was receiving an undeservedly generous retirement, along with proceeds from significant savings amassed during his "working" days. Although very well provided for, he was eligible for Social Security, so he applied when he turned 62. He was advised that he would receive around $1,000 a month. Then, he was pleasantly surprised to receive an amended notice explaining that, because he had a child under 18, that child would receive about $500 a month for as long as it was still a minor. That should help the kid keep fuel in his private aircraft. Socialism gone wild!

Of course, Socialism isn't evident in just Social Security, which bears its name. Young students in universities and colleges are making increasing use of food stamps, although they generally don't need them, and some students are even drawing unemployment compensation at the same time. I spoke with a student in a southern state, who told me, unashamedly, that she was receiving unemployment monies, although she wasn't looking for a job, and had only held one minor job in her life, from which she was fired for unsatisfactory performance.

When I told her about a job that paid a bit more than she was receiving from the state government, she looked at me as though I were some kind of babbling idiot, and commented that "Why should I actually, you know, like work, when I get most that much doing nothing?" My reply, that she might take the job for the sake of her self-respect, caused her to frown, as though puzzled. Perhaps she wasn't familiar with the term.

The other day, I was in line at a supermarket, behind a young couple with a slobbering baby in a shopping basket piled high with frozen meals, chips, prepared dips, nuts, candies, pastries, beer and wine, choice steaks and plastic toys made in China. When the expensive food, drink and toys were rung up, the couple produced food stamps. After determining that the couple had no cash, the distraught checker had to go back through their basket, removing most of the items, which couldn't be paid for with food stamps. That little episode warmed the cockles of my heart. It made me feel good to pay as much income tax as I do. Thank goodness for Socialistic economics, of which we will see much more in the next four, long and impoverished years. And thanks also for head lice, peptic ulcers and pot holes.

Of Cabbages and Kings is a regular column in this paper. The author welcomes rational comment sent to john@have-eye.com.

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