Free markets outperform state-led economies:
Whether it’s North Korea vs. South Korea, Cuba vs. Chile, or Ukraine vs. Poland, nations with bigger governments and more intervention inevitably decline compared to market-oriented alternatives.
Of course, while the long run is sure, in the short run prosperous leftists can pretend that redistributing the wealth created by past free market economic growth is a wonderful alternative to the growth policies. After all, the momentum of past growth and practices takes a while to run out of steam. In the meantime, the poorest get more while the wealthiest and middle class aren't affected too much. And while that period exists, all looks grand:
Well, Joe Kennedy also deserves our scorn and disdain. The former politician actually mourned the death of the evil slug who is most responsible for the mess in Venezuela.
Former congressman Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) is mourning the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez today, praising Chavez as someone who made a difference for poor people. …Kennedy also said that “some of the wealthiest people on our planet have more money than they can ever reasonably expect to spend.” Kennedy joins Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) among the few American politicians to praise Chavez after his death Tuesday.
How disgusting and unseemly. Makes the Che sycophants seems like moral giants.
But then the people who spread the wealth run out of wealth from the past, and discover that they crushed the system and habits of building the wealth in the first place.
But the fools abroad insulated from the disaster who cheered on the redistribution and socialism remain fooled of course. They will insist that all will be cured by turning the socialism to 11.
And when the socialist descend into Soviet, Maoist, or Khmer Rouge levels of socialism that slaughter and imprison their own people?
Well, sometimes you have to break a few eggs to create a socialist paradise omelet, eh? What can ya do?
Tip to Instapundit.
UPDATE: More (via Instapundit):
Malnourished children who faint in class. Children who, in the worst cases, die from hunger, their bodies nothing but skin and bones, the outlines of their ribs visible.
Images like those have become common in Venezuela, where critical food shortages are pushing hundreds of thousands of children under a blanket of misery and hunger more often seen in the poorest countries in Africa.
And:
A mob of starving people advanced on the presidential palace chanting, “We want food”. They were met by soldiers and police dispatched by the tyrant from his lavish palace decorated opulently with a golden sun, giant rock crystal mirrors, sparkling chandeliers and towering oil portraits.
The scene wasn’t 19th century France, but 21st century Venezuela.
And if you are wondering why you haven’t seen it on the news, it’s because Venezuela is a Socialist disaster area that was once being used as a model by the left.
The peasants are hungry? Let them watch Sean Penn and Danny Glover!
Explain to me again how socialism is a product of caring so much for the poor.
