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November 17, 2008

Exclusive: Good News! Miracles are Coming to America

Tim Wilson

With all the fuss during the election over whether Sen. Obama is a closet Muslim, some of his proposals indicate that he was certainly paying attention during his attendance at the Rev. Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ. At least one of the intended policies of President-elect Obama appears to have been lifted from the New Testament of the Bible.

It seems that the President-elect intends to perform a modern-day equivalent to feeding the 5,000 – with just two loaves and five fish! At least that is the parallel with just one of his campaign promises – to create 5,000,000 new “green collar” jobs in environmental technology areas by investing $150 billion over 10 years. However, one problem is that vast though the amounts mentioned are, it only works out to around $3,000 per year per person – hardly a living wage. And this money is to come from taxpayers who, presumably, are already working but will nonetheless be expected to cough up over $1,000 each to pay for these jobs. Note: according to the IRS there are about 140 million income tax payers in the U.S.

This seems an unlikely scenario for a modern day miracle. President-elect Obama may please the two families who get the loaves, and possibly the five individuals who get the fish (although I suspect that by the time those fish have been through any government distribution program they will be inedible and rotten), but he is going to disappoint the approximately 4,987 others whom he has promised to feed. I just hope the bakers and fishermen from whom he gets the food are not driven out of business by the confiscation of their goods.

If you want an example of why his socialist, wealth redistribution, command economy policies are likely doomed to failure – as they have been in every other socialist country – look at the current situation in Zimbabwe, which should also serve as a warning to us all against ennui. At the beginning of the last century, Zimbabwe was an affluent and profitable part of the British Colony of Rhodesia. Whilst the British Empire was breaking up, particularly in Africa, Southern Rhodesia broke away in 1965, under its minority white government, by issuing a Unilateral Declaration if Independence (UDI).

UDI led, for the first time in its history, to the United Nations Security Council imposing economic sanctions on a state. While these international sanctions were ineffective (setting the trend for all subsequent UN imposed sanctions), for nearly 15 years pressure grew internally and externally, with terrorist attacks developing into civil war and ever increasing pressure from the U.S. and UK on the white government. Eventually these pressures led to multi-racial elections in 1980, won by Robert Mugabe in a landslide victory, who gained enormous international acclamation – but who quickly “reformed” Zimbabwe into a one-party Marxist state.

Mugabe has since relented to allow multi-party elections (from 1990 onwards), but none of these have been free and fair. However, despite his vote rigging, intimidation, rape and even murder of any and all opposition, he finally lost an election earlier this year. Nonetheless he has refused to leave office, hand over, or even share power, breaking multiple internationally-brokered agreements. He has also presided over the descent of Zimbabwe from the “breadbasket” of southern Africa, with a healthy food export industry, to a state where the UN’s World Food Program is now pleading for an additional $140M to help it feed 4 million (expected to rise to 5 million within a few months) Zimbabweans who are “in desperate need of food.” Authors note: in my view this is the UN helping to prop up yet another murderous regime by redistributing resources.

Getting 4 or 5 million to the verge of starvation is quite an achievement in a country whose population is only just over 13 million. Over the same period of Mugabe control, the average life expectancy in Zimbabwe has dropped from over 56 years in 1980 (when Mugabe came to power) to around 36 years (according to some sources, the worst in the world) in recently released World Health Organization figures. In addition, Zimbabwe is now suffering from staggering inflation – estimates vary from 11,000,000 (CNN) through an “official” figure of 231,000,000 to what should be an unbelievable (but this is Zimbabwe) 200,000,000,000%. That’s right. According to Morgan Tsvangirai, who won the Presidential election in March and leads the opposition MDC party which comfortably won the power which Mugabe refuses to relinquish (along with the Presidency), inflation in Zimbabwe is running at 200 trillion percent, making their currency worthless! This in a country which had significant mineral industries including gold, platinum, copper and coal, all with large known reserve deposits still remaining, as well as having been the “breadbasket” of southern Africa within living memory (except for the average citizen in Zimbabwe itself).

So what are the root causes of Zimbabwe’s problems? Mugabe and friends claim it all stems from inequitable land ownership, and has been “redistributing” land for many years. This “redistribution,” often involving murder, to his friends and supporters is the direct cause of the famine which is now affecting the country. The astonishing inflation, which affects everyone there, was caused by his nationalization (“social ownership”) of all industries, and the corruption which followed as he and his supporters looted every economic aspect of the country under the guise of socialist “reform” and “fairness.” Like every other country which has been led by people claiming to follow socialist principles, it has failed and in the case of Zimbabwe it has failed terribly.

Of course none of that could happen here, could it? After all, “reform” is not the same as “change.” America is not on the brink of or just emerging from a civil war and we do not have a ruling white minority oppressing a huge underclass. We have a vibrant, proven and effective system of democratic government. So, all will be well here. There is no way we could allow one man too much power, even supported by a group of dedicated followers to whom he has made unsustainable promises. There is no way we could nationalize major industries. There is no way we could be affected by rampant hyper-inflation and economic disaster. Or could we?

The election of the most Left-wing President in the history of America (judging by his voting record), who will be supported by the most unpopular Congress in history (going by approval ratings), with the power and mandate to undertake “wealth redistribution” and ensure “social justice” has echoes of which we should be aware and beware. History is filled with examples of successful civilizations brought down in short order through the lack of concern by their citizens.

We get the politicians we vote for, and therefore the government we deserve. I think America deserves politicians in the best traditions of this country: patriots who follow the precepts of the Founding Fathers. I hope President Obama turns out to be one of these and a great success. I will be watching carefully but with considerable trepidation. Regrettably, I have little faith in self-proclaimed leaders of unproven ability, especially when their supporters make questioning their credentials and policies akin to heresy.

Family Security Matters Contributing Editor Tim Wilson is a retired British Army officer who now works as an independent consultant. Feedback: editorialdirector@familysecuritymatters.org.

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